I have heard many great things about the ANA Intercontinental Hotel, that it is one of the best hotels to stay in from around the world. The hotel has won many awards for its' hospitality. That being said, this had me curious to try out this hotel.
I was met with such a wonderful surprise when I stayed here. Upon entering the hotel, there was a live pianist playing above the dinner area and a cafe area sitting on the right side of the hotel.
Checking in was seamless, the staff is versatile in knowledge/ languages. They had a welcome packet set up for me as I checked in and even in the room there was QR codes setup around incase there are any questions. I happened to have a question that I forgot to ask the front desk and called them using the phone in the room. They answered promptly and efficiently.
Just on this experience alone, I noticed the staff is well organized with working with international guests of all kinds. The communication from the staff is on point.
I was able to stay in one of their newly renovated rooms. I usually don't get my hopes up because in a major city, I don't expect spacious rooms. However I was surprised when I first entered the room. It was well lit with soft lighting, the room was much more spacious than I thought. Between the bed and the couch/table there was plenty of room to walk around the room itself. I think the bathroom was nicely laid out, with the setup of the tub next the the shower area. But, my favorite part about the whole room was the view of the Tokyo tower. The room I had, was a direct view to it and at night, I would enjoy dinner watching the tower glisten and glitter.
The bed was thoughtfully curated by the staff, everything from the pillow to the firmness of the bed was picked out by them to help visitors experience a relaxing sleep cycle. I believe this was an interesting touch to the restful experience they are trying to create because the pillow has beads instead of feathers. Which is used to support your neck and head. At first, I thought it was strange until my first night, I slept well.
One regret I have while staying there was not finding the time to explore their restaurants more due to my busy schedule. Their buffet is top class bringing in local/regional ingredients from across Japan. In the morning, I would find time to stop by their cafe and they offer classic staples but also will have specials such as items from a regional part of Japan. Everything was delicious.