Having never been to Tokyo before and not speaking the language, staying at the Fours Seasons Marunouchi made for an easy transition. The hotel staff pick you up from your train car at Tokyo Station after your bullet train ride in from Narita Airport and guide you through the massive and confusing labyrinth that is the train station. The hotel itself is charming and walking distance to the Imperial Palace gardens and the shopping in Ginza. The subway is next door and an easy way to get around the city and see the other areas of interest. We availed ourselves of the concierge to secure tickets for the Sumo tournament, dinner reservations and for guided tours. The service at the hotel was impeccable, even exceeding my prior stays with the Four Seasons hotels. Highly recommended!

I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel, in terms of superb location, top quality service, friendly warm and hospitable staff and overall "feel good" experience.

We just overnighted here a few days ago, after staying here about a year and a half ago. Like this hotel a lot. Feels much more intimate than most Tokyo hotels. Service is above and beyond. We were personally escorted through the labyrinth of the Tokyo Station to find our way to the Narita express train. They also did not blink when we requested a later than usual check out time. Staff EXTREMELY helpful! Rooms are very large and well appointed. Bed very comfie by Japanese standards. All in all, all you can hope for in a big city hotel.

I feel that that most of the previous reviews fairly represent the hotel and my own experiences earlier this month, though of course tastes differ – particularly with food and service. I was in Asia on a mileage run to maintain that all-important 1K level on United for 2012.

Overview:
This hotel is the smallest Four Seasons (FS) property that I have ever visited and probably the smallest in the chain. The one FS that I have the most experience is with the Istanbul-Sultanahmet property and this hotel has only 65 rooms. Ergo, the Marunouchi property is not a typical FS. The hotel is indeed a boutique property - meaning it has only 50+ rooms, one restaurant and the staff consistently addressed me by name. It is located in an office building - with its own entrance but not well marked - and next to Tokyo Station (which, of course, is great for the Narita Express). The spa and gym facility is small but so is the hotel, and I rarely encountered another guest in the spa or the gym. I loved the onsen and used it three separate times to sort out a bad back. Incidentally, during my three uses of the onsen, it was my private bath since I never saw another person.

Room:
I did receive an upgrade to a junior suite (room 506) which overlooked the train station, but the train noise was inaudible and I enjoyed watching the trains arrive and depart. The bathroom was large with a separate bath and shower, and toilet was in true Japanese tradition - you needed a PhD to figure out all the buttons. The bathroom amenities were "standard" FS - l'Occitane. One reviewer complained about the difficulty using some of the room's gadgets but I had no such problem with the two TVs and the window curtain, though I remained puzzled about the toilet (don’t worry – there is a handle). There was also an upscale coffee machine in the room

Dining:
I did not have room service or breakfast in the hotel. Dinner was very good and cheaper than the $200 meal the next night - but just as good. I did take the free morning coffee and pastry on the ground floor, which I think is served until 8:00am. The lounge is divided into two parts - smoking and non-smoking - and both overlook the train station. The restaurant is non-smoking. I despise smoking but this is par for the course in Japan, and seemed less of a problem at this FS. I met the new F&B manager, who is a Japanese-speaking Aussie.

Highlights:
My experience with the onsen was already noted. I took the FS bicycle around Tokyo with no problem, with the exception that the helmet was too small – even for my bald head. I enjoyed the Japanese reaction seeing a "gringo" riding around the streets of Tokyo. By far the best experience was having the hotel’s general manager – Daniel Simon – provide me with a personal tour of the Tokyo fish market … at 5:00am. I had a couple of chats previously with Mr. Simon when he was the hotel manager in Sydney but this act was far beyond any service that I have ever experienced at any FS hotel – and I considered it exceptional, even by FS’s legendary standards. While you should not expect a personal tour of the fish market from the GM at 5:00am, it indicates the type of service that you should expect.

Lessons Learned in Tokyo:
- Carry cash. Many places do not accept credit cards and bank ATMs – even those of major international Japanese banks – did not seem to accept US ATM cards. The post office ATMs did accept my two US ATM cards.
- Take advantage of the complimentary FS “greeting” service offered upon arrival at Tokyo Station. I did not. I was confused leaving the train station, which was made worse since it was at rush hour. Also don’t be cheap … take the Narita Express for a few extra bucks instead of the local train.
- Anywhere I went I had the hotel write in Japanese my destination and/or exactly what I wanted – such as kabuki tickets. I found English proficiency limited, even amongst the young. This is not Hong Kong. Language was never a problem at the hotel, but particularly when the Japanese-American woman from Chicago was working at the lobby entrance.
- After a day I figured out the convoluted Tokyo subway/underground system but never could figure what priced ticket I needed. I just paid the minimum fare and then paid the difference upon exiting the station – no penalty.
- Tokyo is an expensive city.