Grand Hyatt Tokyo in Japan [2023 In-depth Hotel Review]

It would be impossible to see and explore Tokyo in its entirety in 2 days. With such limited time for my first visit to the city, I let go of all expectations and instead focused on the few hours I did have on the ground.

This quick getaway fell over Mother’s Day weekend, but it was really an add-on to my extended visit to South Korea to see family. My mom and I share an affinity for travel, so it was only natural that I booked something extra special for our stay — the Grand Hyatt Tokyo.

Set in the upscale Roppongi Hills district, the Grand Hyatt Tokyo is one of Hyatt’s premier properties in the city. I chose this hotel over the even fancier (but dated) Park Hyatt Tokyo, which is due for a major renovation next year.

Keep reading to find out if Grand Hyatt Tokyo met my expectations for a quick-yet-impressionable stay in Japan’s bustling capital!

Booking

As a 5-star property in Tokyo’s posh Roppongi Hills district, nightly rates at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo don’t come cheap. Depending on the time of year, you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1,200 per night.

Fortunately, the Grand Hyatt Tokyo participates in the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program, which you can gain access to with an eligible card such as The Platinum Card^® by American Express). With the Amex Platinum card, you’ll not only earn 5x points on select Amex Travel prepaid hotel bookings, but you’ll also receive the following elite-like amenities:

• Room upgrade upon arrival (subject to availability)
• Daily breakfast for 2 people
• 12 p.m. early check-in (subject to availability)
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• A unique property amenity valued at $100 (spa or food and beverage credit)

As if the long list of amenities wasn’t compelling enough, I also took advantage of the $200 annual prepaid hotel credit offered by the Amex Platinum card to cushion the blow of the bill even further. You can receive this statement credit when reserving Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection stays through Amex Travel.

For my 2-night stay in May, I paid nearly $1,500 with my Amex Platinum card … and here’s what I got in return:

• Elite-like amenities (keep reading the review to find out how they panned out!)
• 7,480 Amex Membership Rewards points
• 11,191 World of Hyatt points
• 2 elite night credits in the World of Hyatt program
• $200 hotel statement credit to bring my net cost to ~$1,300; the statement credit arrived within 24 hours of my prepaid booking

While the Grand Hyatt Tokyo is one of the most expensive hotels I’ve stayed at, I was able to earn a great deal of perks (and points!).

Currently, I have World of Hyatt Explorist elite status, but that alone wouldn’t have gotten me nearly as many benefits as were offered by the Amex FHR program. I even earned Hyatt elite night credits from this stay to help me qualify for top-tier Globalist status next year.

Hot Tip:

Typically, you won’t earn hotel loyalty points or elite night credits when you book through an online travel agency (OTA). However, the general exception has been bookings through Amex’s FHR program, as they’re considered to be an eligible rate.

Of course, you’ll want to compare rates to booking directly with Hyatt. Fortunately, the rates were comparable for my particular dates, so booking through FHR was a no-brainer.

Grand Hyatt Tokyo Location

When you think of Tokyo, trendy neighborhoods like Shibuya or Shinjuku may come to mind. These areas are buzzing with people at all hours of the day, and you’ll find properties like the Park Hyatt Tokyo or the Hyatt Regency Tokyo there.

Admittedly, either of these hotels would’ve been a good choice for my short visit. However, after a friend let me know that Shibuya is like “Tokyo’s Times Square,” I knew I wanted a different vibe for my trip.

Therefore, I landed on the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. Set in the elegant Roppongi Hills district, the hotel still offers easy access to some of the more popular neighborhoods in Tokyo.

This hotel is part of the larger Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, a 54-story, mixed-use building with a high-end mall with designer brands, an observation deck, restaurants, and even a museum. With the hotel’s nearly 400 rooms and 8 on-site restaurants frequented by both hotel guests and locals, there’s plenty to do even if you don’t venture far off from the property itself.

Overall, I couldn’t have been happier with my choice. The Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s surrounding areas are clean and elegant, making for a great place to come back to after a long day of sightseeing. The hotel is also a short walk to Roppongi station, and there are plenty of buses that stop within and around the Roppongi complex. Finally, if you wander a few minutes outside of the hotel, you’ll find an array of bars and clubs if you’re interested in exploring Tokyo’s nightlife.

Hot Tip:

Learn about all the best ways to fly to Japan using your points and miles!

Checking In

I had never booked through Amex FHR before, so my first test of the program’s benefits was 12 p.m. check-in — which is subject to availability.

On a Sunday morning, my mom and I flew from Seoul (ICN) to Tokyo (NRT) on Air Premia, a new Korean low-cost carrier. As Narita International Airport (NRT) is considerably further from Tokyo than Haneda Airport (HND), you’ll want to account for travel time if you’re taking public transportation.

We weren’t in a rush, so purchased one-way tickets on the Narita Express to Tokyo Station for $21.50 (¥3,000) each. It took roughly 90 minutes to get to Tokyo Station. From there, we took a quick 10-minute cab to the hotel (~$10 or ~¥380), arriving just before 2 p.m.

The doormen quickly helped us with our bags as we walked over to the reservations desk, which opened up to an expansive lobby on the first floor of the hotel. The check-in agents were just as friendly and eager to welcome us to the property, asking us questions about our travels so far.

An agent handed me a printed letter that restated all of the Amex FHR program’s benefits. Besides complimentary breakfast, I was most excited to learn about the “$125 food and beverage experience credit,” which could be used at any of the restaurants, room service, or for minibar items.

While this benefit varies by property, Amex FHR’s website currently states that it’s normally a $100 credit, so it was nice that the Grand Hyatt Tokyo went above and beyond.

I had originally booked a standard 1-King room, but the agent let me know that I could get a 1-category room upgrade. The only room available would be a “2 twin-bed room with a view,” but it wouldn’t be ready until the standard check-in time (3 p.m.).

We accepted the upgrade without hesitation, partially because we hadn’t eaten lunch yet and could easily kill another hour before settling in. But, my mom also joked that she was tired of sharing a bed with me for 3 weeks, so she was excited to have her own space for the last part of the trip.

It was settled. She swiped my Amex Platinum card, then assigned us a room while she made a note to store our bags. Within minutes, we were off to go explore the property — namely, to use that $125 food and beverage credit for our first lunch in Tokyo!

Amenities

Another reason I was drawn to the Grand Hyatt Tokyo was for its wellness amenities offered onsite. Earlier in our Asia trip, we spent a few days in Kyushu, Japan, famous for its onsen hot springs.

From a full sauna with hot and cold plunge pools to an indoor lap pool, the Grand Hyatt Tokyo is ideal for the wellness traveler. Here’s a look at all of the amenities available to hotel guests.

Indoor Pool

The Nagomi Spa and Fitness Center, which consisted of the full-service spa and fitness center, as well as the indoor pool, was on the fifth floor. In fact, the indoor lap pool and whirlpool were quite impressive — even rivaling the likes of Park Hyatt New York in my estimation.

Gym clothes and swimwear were available for rent from the front desk for roughly $5 (¥770) per item. Hyatt Globalist guests, those staying in a suite, and Nagomi members could use any of the rental equipment for free.

The entire facility was open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Fitness Center

Beyond the pool, there were a few mats at the base of the stairs for stretching and yoga. And up the stairs was the hotel gym, where there were small towels and complimentary water bottles for guests to use.

While the gym was on the smaller side, the hotel used every inch of space. Everything was clean and updated with Technogym equipment, including a Smith machine, cable pull, and lat pulldown.

There was a row of treadmills, each separated by a plastic divider that I assume was installed at the height of the pandemic.

Fortunately, the gym never felt crowded. Even at peak morning hours, there were only a handful of other people working out.

The Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s fitness center was open 24/7, so it was accessible even when the main spa area was closed.

Spa

While I didn’t have time to book any treatments this time, the Grand Hyatt Tokyo offered a huge array of spa treatments if you’re looking to get pampered up.

Treatments could be scheduled by calling the front desk or speaking to the spa concierge. As expected, treatments didn’t come cheap, ranging from about $205 (¥28,600) to about $530 (¥73,700).

Sauna

The highlight of my stay was the sauna facilities, which were separated by gender. If you’re interested in using the sauna, be sure to give the spa front desk a heads-up. The attendant showed me how to use the lockers, which came with a digital keypad. I definitely needed the tutorial as it was confusing to get my PIN number set up.

Once I was given the run-through of the lockers, she showed me the facilities available for guests. There were plenty of robes, towels, and slippers to change into before entering the sauna area, which was past an opaque sliding glass door.

The hot plunge pool was bubbling at nearly 103 degrees, so naturally, it felt wonderful to take a dip in the cold plunge pool after, which was at 62.5 degrees. There was also a steam room and dry sauna, as well as a few stand-up showers.

In traditional Japanese culture, you do enter these baths completely nude, which may be jarring for those unfamiliar. However, it’s worth noting we never encountered more than a couple of people at a time.

If you need to take a break from the heat, you could put on a robe and visit one of the massage chairs, also available for guests to use. On the side, there were a few juices, infused waters, teas, and snacks to enjoy.

If I could define my ideal vacation, it would be sightseeing and dining at the best restaurants, then spending all evening in a spa facility like this. My mom and I followed this exact schedule at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, as we had an early dinner and lounged around the plunge pools from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. — it was divine.

The sauna was open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi worked flawlessly, whether I was at the gym or up in my 20th-floor room. Better yet, there was no password to connect, so getting online was easy.

Parking

Valet parking only is available in the Roppongi Hills parking deck, at a rate of roughly $43 (¥6,000) per night. However, if you’re a top-tier Hyatt Globalist elite member, you can get this nightly parking charge waived.

Pet-friendly

The Grand Hyatt Tokyo is not pet-friendly, with the exception of service animals.

The Room

At exactly 3 p.m., we made our way back to the same reservations agent at the front desk. She handed us our keys, then let me know that our bags were already in our room. This was a nice touch since we couldn’t check in early!

There were 6 elevators, meaning you almost never had to wait for a ride. My ears popped as the glass elevators — offering sweeping city views — launched me up to my room on the top floor.

The hallways were dark, providing a dose of understated luxury. They were so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

Bedroom

The standard rooms at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo measure 452 square feet. I was upgraded to a “2 Twin Beds, View” option, room 2008, which had the same dimensions, but as expected, provided a much better view. Located on floors 15 through 20, these rooms boast “iconic views of the Tokyo sunset and Mt. Fuji on a clear day.”

Every guest room also featured a floor-to-ceiling oak door. Just like the door, the walls felt just as sturdy, meaning that I never heard any guests whether I was in my room or in the hallway.

The hotel’s stylish design permeated into the guest rooms, and I appreciated the understated earth tones. As I walked in, I found the minibar stocked with snacks and drinks for purchase.

While the Nespresso machine and 2 bottles of water were included in my room, I was pleased to see a traditional Japanese tea set. It was nice to be able to enjoy a cup of green tea to prevent me from dozing off in the afternoon.

The rest of the room featured 2 beds separated by a small nightstand. They were dressed with a down duvet and made for an excellent sleep. It did get a bit warm at night, so don’t forget to adjust the temperature at the thermostat by the window.

Hotel rooms can be small in big cities like Tokyo, but I felt that the room size was adequate for my mom and me. We could stow our bags in the hallway or in the bathroom closet (pictured later in this review) to maximize floor space in the main bedroom.

There wasn’t enough room for a couch, though there was a small lounger chair next to the window.

The desk was surprisingly large for the size of the room, and there were plenty of built-in drawers for even more storage. However, I try to avoid putting my items away in drawers for such a short stay, as I’ve forgotten important items previously. There was plenty of desk space to sprawl out necessary things and still maintain some sort of order.

The in-room safe was tucked away in one of the desk drawers. There were a few other goodies I found, like traditional Japanese kimonos and a laundry bag.

The blinds could be controlled next to the bed near the window, and there was another layer of blackout curtains for complete darkness at night.

On the day of our arrival, it was quite cloudy and rainy. Sure, the city views were cool …

… but they weren’t anything compared to the next day when the weather was much clearer. And to our surprise, we could see something far off in the distance — snowcapped Mount Fuji!

Ultimately, what makes a luxury hotel feel premium are the thoughtful touches. First, we received a welcome letter and an assortment of tasty Japanese snacks.

There was a Bose Bluetooth speaker and a classic alarm clock on either side of the nightstands, and you could also call the concierge to request a few more items.

On our first night of sleep, we noticed that the room felt dry. On the list of items we could request was a humidifier, and while we were at it, I asked for a hair straightener. I received them within minutes of calling, and the employee kindly set up the humidifier in our room.

Being in Japan, I loved that I didn’t need a universal adapter as Japan and the U.S. use the same type of plugs (Type A and B). However, the only downfall was that there weren’t many outlets in the room. There was an outlet on either side of the beds, and another on the desk with a USB-C socket.

But in the grand (yes, pun intended) scheme of things, this minor inconvenience was exactly that: minor.

Bathroom

While the bedroom was on the smaller side, the bathroom was quite sizable in comparison. It was located right next to one of the beds, but there was a sliding door for privacy.

The bathroom was divided into a few subsections: vanity, shower/tub area, water closet, and built-in armoire.

There were plenty of fresh towels of all sizes, from washcloths to bath towels. Again, the Grand Hyatt Tokyo did not skimp on the amenities here. With the pull-out drawers, there was an abundance of goodies, including razors, toothbrushes, hair gel, and a hair dryer.

The bath products had a perfume-like smell and were from the Parisian designer brand Balmain. They were a nice size for travel, and housekeeping generously re-stocked them each visit.

The shower and tub area was incredibly spacious, and the water pressure was fantastic as you could use both the rainfall and the detachable shower heads simultaneously.

The door to the water closet was a bit confusing to use at first. Intuitively, I was inclined to slide the door open. However, the door required a light push to open up. The toilet lid propped open with its motion-sensor capabilities, and of course, there was a full Japanese bidet.

Finally, the closet opened up to robes, slippers, and plenty of hangers to organize your clothes and other belongings.

Food and Beverage

As I alluded to earlier, there are a whopping 8 restaurants at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. That doesn’t even account for the many restaurants and cafés throughout the Roppongi Hills mall attached to the property, so it was impossible to check out every venue during my visit.

However, I still managed to visit 3 of the restaurants. Let’s take a glimpse at what food and beverage options guests can expect at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo.

Roku Roku

A handful of restaurants were located on the sixth floor, including the swish Roku Roku which served up sushi and omakase-style sets. You’ll want to make reservations in advance as the place is small and tended to fill up quickly. Thankfully, my mom and I were seated quickly during our late-lunch visit.

You can order à la carte or from the set menu — or both! My mom and I each selected the chef’s special sushi set ($70), which was served omakase-style. We loved sitting at the bar to marvel at the sushi chef’s magic.

In total, there were about 12 courses, including a sushi bar appetizer, sashimi, nigiri, and miso soup to end the meal. Every course was delightful and definitely satisfied my itch to have authentic sushi in Japan.

I didn’t find the prices to be unreasonable given the number of courses, but the meal was made even better knowing I could use my $125 food and beverage credit here. I paid for the meal, signed with my room number, and the credit was applied to my final bill at the end of my stay.

The French Kitchen

The French Kitchen, a contemporary restaurant open all day, was where my mom and I enjoyed our complimentary breakfast thanks to my FHR booking.

In general, I find hotel breakfast buffets in Asia to be superior to the U.S. This was exactly the case at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, as there was a large spread of both Western and Japanese breakfast items — all of which was included thanks to my Amex FHR booking.

However, the breakfast buffet was just $32 (¥4,510) per person, which isn’t totally unreasonable if you don’t have this complimentary benefit.

Guests could also order from a menu for made-to-order items or espresso drinks. My mom and I ordered the eggs Benedict and pancakes with an iced latte.

The French Kitchen was open for all 3 meals daily, but breakfast was served from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. daily.

Hot Tip:

Some credit cards offer hotel elite status and perks for complimentary breakfast!

Fiorentina

Italian food in Japan? If you happen to need a break from Japanese food, you can visit the first-floor café and pastry shop Fiorentina.

There was a sprawling outdoor patio, which was a great place to sit all day whether you were enjoying lunch or dessert with espresso. After having a heavy lunch, my mom and I split a margherita pizza for a light dinner and loved the light, airy texture.

Chinaroom

At Chinaroom, you can find a long list of traditional Chinese food, from dim sum to Peking duck.

Maduro

Maduro is a spacious bar and jazz lounge on the fourth floor where you can order craft cocktails and listen to live music.

Shunbou

For a traditional, multi-course Japanese dinner (known as kaiseki), look no further than Shunbou on the sixth floor. With floor-to-ceiling glass windows and plenty of seating, Shunbou also offers private dining rooms — perfect if you’re hosting a gathering.

Keyakizaka

Keyakizaka offers teppanyaki. similar to hibachi, where you’ll find grilled vegetables and seared cuts of meat. It’s located on the fourth floor, near the Maduro lounge.

The Oak Door

Last but not least, The Oak Door is an elegant Japanese steakhouse on the sixth floor of the hotel. This restaurant specializes in Japanese wagyu in all forms, whether you’re looking for a classic steak or a delicious wagyu burger.

Service

If I could sum up the service in one word, it would be “proactive.” No matter where I turned, every staff member greeted me with a customary Japanese bow. As my mom and I approached the front door, the doorman was already 2 steps ahead, holding the door open for us.

Another element where the Grand Hyatt Tokyo knocked it out of the park was the housekeeping. They visited twice daily, restocking bath products and tidying up the rooms swiftly. The turndown service at night was a treat to come back to every evening after dinner.

Not only were the beds ready for a blissful night of sleep, but the water bottles and glasses placed next to our nightstand were another much-appreciated touch.

Final Thoughts

When it came time to check out, I didn’t want to leave. The service, amenities, and restaurants at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo were top-notch. It may be one of the nicest Grand Hyatt properties I’ve stayed at — it felt more on the level of a Park Hyatt hotel.

I know for certain that I’d want to pay another visit to the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. I also wouldn’t hesitate to book through Amex’s FHR program again, as I saved a great deal on extra amenities while at the property.

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