Accommodation in Tokyo is notoriously expensive, especially
during the peak cherry blossom season, with rooms at five-star hotels regularly
going for over $300+.
Unfortunately, the number of points needed for most western
hotels aren’t exactly a bargain either with hotels such as the Hilton Tokyo
will cost you upwards of 60,000 points.
Thankfully, Hyatt hasn’t followed suit, and since I was
planning on staying Tokyo for over a week, I decided to save my points and stay
at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo. One free night will cost you a mere 12,000 Hyatt points,
a bargain compared to the 44,000 Yen cash rates.
After flying into Haneda, I took a limousine bus which
stopped right in front of the Hyatt Regency. The hotel is conveniently located
right next to Tochomae station, within the famous Shinjuku district.
The lobby is stunning and reminds me a bit of a cathedral,
with its large chandeliers, glass elevators, and retro looking floor patterns.
I headed up to the club lounge where the club agents warmly
greeted me.
Prior to arrival, I’d email the hotel requesting a renovated
room with a view of Shinjuku Park, which is a great hidden spot for those
looking to take a quick morning walk without the swarms of tourists found in
nearby parks such as Shinjuku Gyoen.
The renovated room itself was quite spacious for Japanese
standards, and the king sized bed large enough for any couple.
A small coffee table and chair lines along the window, with
a work desk next to the TV.
The bathroom consists of both a shower and a bathtub, a
rarity among most hotels in Tokyo.
Since I arrived during the opening stages of Sakura, the
trees were still barren. However, each day more and more blossoms opened up,
giving a bird’s eye view of the Sakura bloom.
As my Dad was set to arrive midway through my stay, I
switched to a renovated room with two double beds. The beds are on the small
end, closer to a Twin then a standard double, so if you’re traveling with a
family of four, it will be a very tight squeeze.
Overall the renovated rooms were clean, comfortable, and not
cramped, which is what you should expect at its current price point.
Keep in mind that while the Hyatt Regency has completed
renovations for around 80% of its rooms, there are plenty of bad reviews for
the few remaining unfinished rooms. I’d still highly recommend emailing beforehand
to request a renovated room, especially if you lack any kind of Hyatt Status.
If you’re an Explorist or Globalist member, make sure to go
a step further and ask for a room facing the park. If you’re lucky with your
timing, you’ll see a beautiful view of Sakura trees in full bloom.
Do note that award space for the peak cherry blossom quickly
disappears and you’ll either need to book at least six months ahead or wait
till around two weeks before arrival date.
On a previous stay, I’d used a diamond suite upgrade and was
assigned an Atrium suite, which featured plenty of room and a spacious living
area.
The bedroom was also quite spacious, if not a bit dreary due
to the lack of sunlight, and is adjacent to the standalone bathtub.
Interestingly enough there was a large balcony outside with
no furniture, which seemed like a waste of space.
Do note that complimentary upgrades to the suite level are
almost non-existent for Globalists, so if you want the bigger room, you’ll have
to use a tier suite upgrade.
As a Globalist member, I also received access to the Hyatt
Regency Club, which was quite full during breakfast and the nightly cocktail
hour.
A rare empty moment
If you’re unable to find space in the two main lounging
areas, walk all the way to the back room, which typically is quite empty.
The cocktail hour had a healthy selection of alcohol, but a very
limited amount of cold snacks.
Guests are given one choice of a small hot dish to choose
from daily.
To be fair, every dish we ordered was of high quality and
given the plethora of quality Japanese restaurants in the Shinjuku district;
the cocktail hour is meant to be a pre-meal appetizer.
Breakfast had a significantly more extensive selection of
items to choose from, although the range of hot dishes was quite limited.
However, they had plenty of fresh fruit including
strawberries, and I ended up making my fruit yogurt granola, which wasn’t such
a bad idea.
On top of the hotel is the tiny gym and rooftop swimming
pool, which had a rather unique rooftop design.
Overall I enjoyed my stay at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo.
Service levels were high, and the rooms were functional if not spectacular. I’d
be hesitant to call it a five-star hotel, but it is an incredible value on
points, and I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again if I was planning on an
extended stay.
With the Park Hyatt Tokyo just blocks away, I’d recommend
staying at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo before transferring to the Park Hyatt Tokyo for
the final few days of your stay.
