Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier

The room is compact, but it’s thoughtfully arranged for one person and had everything I needed: a refrigerator that actually keeps things cold, trouser press, humidifier, complimentary pajamas, phone charger, and other considerate touches. They even mailed a postcard to the U.S. for free. For the price, it’s the best hotel I’ve stayed in. I’ve stayed at many five-star hotels, and this had the most comfortable comforter I’ve experienced. I spent a lot of time in bed while ill, and the quality of sleep made a real difference. When my condition worsened and I needed medical care, the woman at the information desk calmly found an English-speaking clinic, called a taxi, walked me down, and explained the destination to the driver. That kind of help matters when you’re sick and traveling alone. After I extended my stay online, the front desk called because I’d missed checkout. I explained I was ill, and afterward staff asked how I was feeling whenever I passed by. It felt natural and attentive, not procedural. I accidentally booked a smoking room, but the staff moved me to a non-smoking room immediately and without any complication. That gave me an early sense of how smoothly things ran. The view from my room and the lobby was striking, and I looked forward to it each day. In the lobby, subtle aromas from the decanter and steady jazz created an intentional, cinematic mood without being intrusive. I also used the vending machine on my floor often to get electrolytes while sick, a small convenience that turned out to be genuinely useful. I rarely write hotel reviews, but this stay was worth sharing.

The hallways smelled strongly of smoke throughout our stay, and the dark carpets looked visibly dirty. The restrooms weren’t clean either. For what we paid through Chase Sapphire, this didn’t feel like good value. We had to spend the first night in a smoking room, despite not requesting one, because no non-smoking room was available. We switched to a non-smoking room the following day. It was 53°F outside, yet our room was uncomfortably hot even with the AC set to 68°F. The hotel requires a vent near the window to stay cracked open, which brought in constant passing-car noise, and the room still felt warm. Earlier on this trip, I stayed at Mitsui Garden Hotel Tsukiji. It was more affordable, better located, had an in-room washer and dryer, and smelled fresh and clean throughout. The quality difference was significant. I wouldn’t recommend staying here, and would look elsewhere.

The room had a fabulous view, and the staff were very nice. The location was okay, though it isn’t on a direct train line from the main Tokyo station. The carpets in the room and hallways looked quite unclean, and everything smelled of cigarette smoke even though we were on a non-smoking floor. Apart from the carpet, the room was smaller than I expected for this level of hotel. I’ve stayed in Tokyo before, so I know what room sizes are like. It seems like a good business hotel and certainly adequate for one person, but perhaps not ideal for couples.

The staff and service were lovely, and the deluxe rooms were spacious and comfortable. The location was all right, though I’d have preferred to be closer to a major station. The AC was a major problem in both rooms we stayed in. They were much too warm, at least 10 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than the hallway, which made them incredibly uncomfortable.