Review: Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo [Japan]
| Positives | Negatives |
|---|---|
| Excellent breakfast options a la carte style | Surcharge on few of the breakfast items |
| Room utilized space effectively | Room size is on the smaller end for the price it charges |
| Attentive and friendly staff, especially during Social Hour | Access to public transportation isn't the easiest |
| Pet Friendly | |
| In-room yukatas |
I saved Tokyo as the last destination of my 5-week long trip in Japan just so that I can take it easy to prevent myself getting too exhausted. I flew in from Fukuoka and had the Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo as my first hotel stay in this megacity. This is the sole Kimpton in all of Japan, and it would be my second time with the brand after the Kimpton Everly in Los Angeles last year. I had a lukewarm stay on my previous Kimpton, so I was hoping the one in Tokyo would improve my view of the Kimpton brand.
The Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo has a New York inspired design to it, so it’d be interesting to see the Japanese take of what New York is like.
Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo- Booking
I booked a 4 night stay at this hotel for 146,000 IHG points. Thanks to the Chase IHG Premier Business, I was able to book the 4th night free whenever I book 3 consecutive nights on IHG hotels with points! It might be hard to book at that price again as I booked it months in advance before Japan opened up for tourists to visit.
Cash rate for this hotel can be steep as it can go for around $400 a night. It’s a trend for hotels in Japan, Tokyo particularly, to have a heavier price sticker when there’s a Western brand affiliation attached.
If you are interested in hotels under the IHG One Rewards program, please consider booking through this link. By completing your booking through here, you’ll help support the site at no extra cost to you! By being an IHG One Rewards member, you’ll get the best rates for IHG hotels, earn points for future IHG hotel stays, build elite status & use elite status benefits, and more!
Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo- Location
As the hotel’s name suggests, it’s located in Shinjuku, a bustling part of Tokyo known for its nightlife. However, the hotel is located in West Shinjuku, and the vicinity around is full of business skyscrapers. It’s also quite far from the closest subway station (Tochomae Station). It’s honestly faster to walk to Kabuki-cho from the hotel than walk to the nearest station and take the train.
When getting out from the airport, take the shuttle that will take you to Shinjuku, and then stop at either the Shinjuku Washington Hotel or Park Hyatt Tokyo. Either stops will take you the closest to the Kimpton.
Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo- Check-in
I arrived to the hotel at around 9pm after my flight from Fukuoka. Check-in was smooth, and there were few things I liked on the lobby.
There are signs that present which pets are checking in at the hotel. The stylization of the names will let you know what kind of animals are staying! Kimpton hotels are pet friendly in general.
Kimptons also provide bike rental free for guests, but there seems to be only one from what I saw though.
I chose free daily breakfast as my Welcome Gift as IHG Diamond. But, the Kimpton Social Password just really wasn’t on my mind during check-in, so I didn’t say it. From what I’ve read, you may just get an extra snacks made by the Jones Cafe, the hotel’s main cafe at the lobby, so you won’t miss out much.
Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo- Premium Room
I was upgraded beforehand to the Premium Room from the base Essential Room due to my status. From my understanding, the difference is a bigger space (36 sqm vs. 28 sqm). Even with the upgrade, the room still felt small compared to the previous hotels that I stayed at, but it’s bigger than what you typically see on a regular Japanese hotel. It was serviceable for a solo traveler like myself though.
The couch is set next to the bed to use to effectively use the small amount of space available in the room.
Room controls are also by the bedside, though the hanging lamp gets in the way a lot of times.
The room has a mobile pad that you can use to look up hotel information or call for housekeeping.
I was presented with two brownies due to my status as well. They’re quite good!
Across the bed, there’s the main counter with the pantry, minibar, and TV.
Surprisingly, the hotel provides yukata for sleepwear. Kimpton Shinjuku felt like it has the most western-style influence in the hotels I’ve stayed in Japan.
Bathrobes and umbrellas are included in the closet.
The view is nothing special though.
Premium Room Bathroom
Bathroom entry starts to the left of the closet. Dental kits are all included.
Bathtub and showers are across the sink. Curtains can be closed from the living room for privacy.
Toilet room is separate and is located to the right of the entrance.
Nice and clean room overall. Space use was efficient, though the lamps by the bedside felt annoying to be put into the middle of the nightstands. Some might find it too small though, even with the upgrade. Suit upgrade chances could be slim, and even then, their “suites” are still smaller than the base room from the Mesm or Conrad Tokyo.
Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo- Breakfast
Breakfast is located at the District Bar & Restaurants.
Breakfast at the Kimpton Shinjuku is continental plus made to order item that you can have from the menu. Some items have an extra surcharge, even for IHG Diamond. But, because the majority portions are free, I felt that it was worth paying extra for some of their premium items.
The continental breakfast portion includes bowl of fruit, pastries, cereal, and a drink of your choice. To be honest, while these items are good, I never finished my breakfast here as the portions are simply too big. Lots of times I couldn’t find myself finishing the bowl of bread.
For the 4 nights I’ve stayed at, I ordered the tuna crepe, brioche french toast, teppan grilled fish, and the Australian sirloin. The teppan grilled fish and the Australian sirloin are the premium items.
The tuna crepe was good, but admittedly the least interesting option I had.
The brioche french toast satisfied my sweet tooth craving.
The teppan grilled fish had to be my favorite item of them all. On top of the fish, it came with a perfectly cooked rice and fried tofu sprinkled with soy sauce.
The steak was good, but nothing extraordinary. Don’t judge me for eating steak and fries for breakfast. It’s for the review…
The service was excellent. The waiters are pleasant to talk with, and the manager will greet the guests when he’s present as well. Overall, the breakfast at the Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo is definitely one of the most interesting, and I enjoyed them thoroughly. Although, I couldn’t handle the portions and felt bad for not being able to finish everything.
Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo- Jones Cafe & Bar
The hotel’s main cafe Jones is on the ground floor where it specializes in sweets. While I didn’t get to try the cakes and pastries they offered, I did get a morning pick-me-up that guests are entitled to in the morning. I once ordered a cappuccino to-go to start my exploration of Tokyo.
Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo- Social Hour
The hotel hosts a daily Social Hour on the 16th floor from 3pm to 5pm. The hotel manager would be present, and believe it or not, his name is Hotelier. It cannot be more perfect than that!
The Social Hour space provides a casual and relaxing environment where guests and staff could mingle with each other and play games over free drinks and canapes.
At one point, the big dog pictured below brought a lot of people together. It reminded me of my dog back home a lot.
Alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks are served.
The canapes were very nice as well!
Next to the Social Hour lounge is the chapel for weddings.
Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo- Fitness Center
The hotel’s gym is on the 3rd floor and is complete with cardio and weight machines.
The hotel does not have a pool or spa in the property.
Conclusion
The Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo was an enjoyable hotel to stay at. While the rooms are on the smaller end and the location not too ideal, the service was phenomenal and the staff were some of the friendliest people! I’d dare say that the service rivals some of the luxury hotels I went to like the Hotel the Mitsui in Kyoto. Breakfast was excellent as well, and provided a variety during my journey since breakfast buffets tend to get tiring, even if they’re nice when eaten constantly.
Even though I did enjoy my stay here, it’s quite expensive. It’s the most expensive in the IHG family in Tokyo, so the value proposition isn’t the best. I’d be curious how this hotel would stack against other IHG-affiliated hotels like the InterContinental or the new Hotel Indigo in Shibuya.