I stayed at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo in December 2021 with Marriott STARS program.
About The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo is the highest class of Marriott Bonvoy member hotels. The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo is the highest ranked Category 8.
It existed as a separate hotel chain until its merger with SPG-Marriott in 2018, and is distinct from other Marriott hotels.
How to get to The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
The nearest stations are Roppongi Subway Station and Nogizaka Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line.
The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo also offers transportation services from Haneda/Narita airports and Tokyo Station by a special BMW 7 series car by advance reservation (additional fee is required).
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/japan/tokyo/hotel-overview/directions
Even if you stay in a suite, you may not be able to enter the club lounge
At many hotels with club lounges, if you stay in a suite, you can also enter the club lounge.
However, in the case of The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, there are some suites that do NOT have Club Lounge access. If you want to enter the Club Lounge, please be sure to choose a room that clearly states "Club Lounge Access.
Marriott membership benefits are limited
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum or higher tier members usually can choose a complimentary breakfast as a welcome gift and access to the club lounge regardless of the room they have booked. However, some Platinum member benefits are not available at The Ritz-Carlton brand hotels.
I have read on some blogs that Platinum members of Marriott Bonvoy also get free breakfast at The Ritz-Carlton, but this is NOT correct!
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum members and even higher tiers do not get free breakfast or lounge access at The Ritz-Carlton. This does not mean that there are no benefits at all; some benefits are included as usual, such as late check-out.
However, Marriott STARS includes free breakfast for up to two people (see below). Club lounge access requires you to explicitly book a club-level room, but the free breakfast alone is a huge benefit.
What is Marriott STARS?
This is a backdoor method that is still largely unknown in Japan, but it is a special accommodation plan that can only be booked through only authorized travel websites and travel agencies that specialize in 5-star class hotels, such as Classic Travel.
Rates are often nearly the same as regular rates, but booking the Marriott STARS plan at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo comes with the following benefits
- Complimentary breakfast for two at the Towers restaurant on the 45th floor
- A $100 hotel credit
- Free WiFi
- Early check-in + late check-out subject to availability
- Priority room upgrade
- Welcome amenities
Normally, if you book through a travel site other than the hotel's official website (such as Expedia), you will not receive Marriott Bonvoy points or stay achievements. However, if you book a Marriott STARS plan through classictravel.com, you will also receive points and accrual points. You will also receive bonus points based on your Marriott Bonvoy membership tier.
Assigned Room
My original reservation was for a Club Deluxe Room.
As expected, there was no upgrade to a suite, but since the room was facing the bay area (the bay area view may only be assigned when a "Tokyo Deluxe Room" is specified instead of a regular deluxe room) and was on the top floor, it was one of the Club Deluxe Rooms. I believe that I was assigned one of the better rooms in the Club Deluxe Rooms.
(It is also possible that there was no upgrade available because the next day was Saturday and it was quite crowded, and I had requested an early check-in.)
If you are on the top floor, you will be on the same floor as the club lounge, which makes it easier to get into the club lounge.
Review of the Room
As mentioned above, we were assigned a room on the top floor facing Odaiba.
It seems that until recently you could see Tokyo Tower from rooms in this direction, but now you can no longer see it because a new building (Aman residence Tokyo) is under construction blocking Tokyo Tower!
However, the view is still good as you can see the city and the night view of Odaiba and Rainbow Bridge.
Next to the desk is a power outlet and a terminal for connecting the room's TV as an external display. However, only a D-Sub terminal is provided and no HDMI terminal was attached.
If you are in a deluxe room, you cannot see the outside view from the bathtub (some other types of rooms can). Also, the hair dryer in the bathroom was a "Bioprogramming Replonizer 4D Plus", a luxury item that cost just under about 500 USD.
Club Lounge
There are a total of five food and beverage breaks per night in the Club Lounge.
First, Club level guests can check in at the Club Lounge. Drinks can be ordered at that time.
From 14:30 to 16:30, afternoon tea will be served. In addition, there is live harp music from 3:00 p.m. on Fridays through Sundays.
Hors d'oeuvres before dinner is served from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
From 20:00 to 22:00 (last order at 21:30), sweets are served.
Next morning, breakfast is served in the lounge. However, I had breakfast at the restaurant, so I did not use the lounge breakfast this time.
Light meals are served from 11:30 to 13:30. Even though it is a light meal, a reasonable amount of food is served, so if you are not a glutton, this alone should be enough for lunch.
Because of the Corona disaster, all dishes are set menus, but the portions are sufficient. Drinks, including alcohol, are unlimited. You need to be careful not to drink and eat too much (laugh).
If you are a Club Floor guest, you can check out at the Club Lounge as well as check in.
Fitness Center and Swimming Pool
Guests can use the fitness center and swimming pool free of charge.
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/jp/hotels/japan/tokyo/spa
Training wear (top and bottom), shoes, and swimsuits can be rented for a fee (goggles were not available for rent). Swimming caps can be rented for free. By the way, you can apply the $100 Marriott STARS credit to the rental fee for training wear, etc.
The pool is limited to a certain number of people due to the Corona Disaster, and you have to register on the designated website (directions are in your room) and wait your turn. It is first-come, first-served, not time-reserved.
Meals
In addition to meals at the Club Lounge, we ordered room service dinner and breakfast at the restaurant.
Breakfast at Towers (free for up to 2 people with STARS benefit)
Marriott STARS benefit offers complimentary breakfast for up to two people at the restaurant on the 45th floor. This is a benefit that even Marriott Platinum members do not get, so this is a big part of the STARS benefit.
Because of the Corona Disaster, it is a set menu, not a buffet. You can choose two entrees instead of one!
Room Service Dinner
The Marriott STARS benefit includes a $100 in-hotel credit, which can be used for room service. After hors d'oeuvres in the lounge, I ordered a club sandwich.
Including the food and beverages in the lounge, I ate quite a bit of food in one night and two days (LOL)!
Impression
The hotel has long been famous as a top-class hotel, and in a word, it was "excellent.
This time, I booked the Marriott STARS package through a website named Classic Travel, so I was able to enjoy a comfortable stay with many perks. This is a little-known method in Japan, but it is a great way to save a lot of money, so give it a try!
Find the Marriott STARS plan at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
The Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) benefit that comes with the AMEX Platinum card also allows you to book almost the same plan, with the added benefit of a guaranteed late check-out time of 4:00 p.m. If you want to extend your stay as much as possible, consider the AMEX Platinum card as well. If you want to extend your stay as much as possible, please consider Amex Platinum.