I had always heard about how great Andaz Tokyo Toranomon was. From its exceptional service to its stunning views, it is a highly sought-after property for Hyatt loyalists. Widely regarded as one of the best Andaz properties in the world, my feelings about this hotel are somewhat mixed. While it offers a luxurious experience, I feel that Andaz Tokyo Toranomon is overly westernized, which diminishes some of the unique charm that defines Tokyo.

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Hyatt. I did not receive any monetary or other incentives from them. My opinions are solely based on my personal experience.

Location

Andaz Tokyo Tonoamon Hills is located in the Minato district of Tokyo. It sits between two Tokyo Metro lines: the Hibya line and Ginza line. Both lines are accessible via an underground pathway. The Hibya line is closer to the hotel and only takes about 5 minutes to walk to the metro platform. The Ginza line is much farther away and is a 15 to 20 min walk. One thing to note is that part of the underground pathway closes after around 11pm. Once the underground pathway is closed, you will need to access the hotel through the above ground entrance. It can be a little confusing to find if you aren’t familiar with the area. It took us a good 15 minutes to locate the entrance in the pouring rain.

One potential drawback of Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills is its distance from some of Tokyo’s most popular neighborhoods for first-time visitors. While still accessible by metro, destinations like Tokyo Station take around 20 minutes to reach, Shinjuku Station takes about 30 minutes, and Shibuya Station roughly 23 minutes away. This may not be ideal for travelers looking to make the most of their time exploring the city.

On the upside, the hotel offers stunning views of the Tokyo skyline that can be visable from its rooms, lobby, and rooftop bar. The views, especially of the iconic Tokyo Tower, makes it a great choice for those who appreciate a dramatic cityscape. Even if you don’t opt for a room with a Tokyo Tower view or get a chance to check out the rooftop bar, there’s a hidden gem within the hotel where you can snap a fantastic photo of the tower. From the lobby, head towards the Andaz Lounge, then turn left toward the Gallery and Chef’s Studio. At the end of the hall, you’ll find a window offering a spectacular view of the Tokyo skyline, with Tokyo Tower in the foreground—a perfect spot for memorable photos.

Room

We stayed in a “2 Twin Beds with Park View” room. This is room is large even by American hotel standards (excluding suites). There is plenty of space to place your luggage and comfortably live for quite a few days.

When you first enter the room, you are greeted by a large entryway. On the left you have a walk in closet, a separate room with a bidet, a sink with ample counter space, and a separate wet bathroom area with a shower and large round soaking tub.

The wet bathroom area has two types of shower heads, a hand-held shower head and a ceiling rain shower. The soaking tub comfortably seats two people. If you are into relaxing baths, the tub is certainly a luxurious experience.

If you forget to bring any items from home, you can request a large selection of items to use including stuff like yoga mats, humidifiers, and even weights.

If you continue to go deeper into the room, there is a fridge on the left side of the hallway. The fridge does ultilize a mini bar system. All of the non-alcoholic beverages (coke zero, sparkling water, etc) are complimentary while you will be charged for alcoholic drinks (Asahi, Grey Goose, etc) at the end of your stay. If you have seen my other reviews, you know I am not a fan of the mini bar system. But, I do appreciate that at least the non-alcoholic drinks are free and you can easily move the other stuff to utilize the fridge space.

Aside from the fridge, there is complimentary tea and coffee. The coffee is provided via a Nespresso machine while the tea is via tea bags. You are also provided a wide range of cup types (two teacups, two glasses, and two ceramic coffee cups). Both a water kettle and a tea pot are also available for your use.

If you continue walking, you will be greeted with the bed area. Two twin beds face a large floor to ceiling window. There is a large table on the other end where you can sit and enjoy the view.

Service

Although the staff is quite attentive, I found the staff at the Hyatt Centric Ginza to be more fluent in English. There was an instance where we asked about the hours of the underground passage. The staff at Andaz had some difficulties trying to answer us in English. This is not to say that it was hard to communicate with the staff here for the usual requests. I just wouldn’t say they went above and beyond like the folks at Hyatt Centric Ginza.

Facilities

Located on the 37 floor is the AO SPA & Club. The area includes an indoor pool large enough to swim laps, a relaxation pools area to just lay in the water, a fitness center, and a separate area for spa treatments. The fitness center is well equipped with the usual array of exercise equipment. Spa treatments prices are on the higher end for Japan at close to ¥30,000 for an 60 minute essential massage.

Food

If you are looking to eat at the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills, there is a wide array of options for you to chose from. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend eating at the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills. There are so many better and cheaper options in Tokyo that it is quite the missed opportunity if you spend all your meals here.

Breakfast at The Tavern

The breakfast buffet at The Tavern has a decent selection of both hot and cold dishes. A few items can also be made to order, like the soba noodle set and eggs.

I was excited to try The Tavern’s breakfast buffet, having read glowing reviews beforehand. Unfortunately, my experience fell short of expectations. As someone familiar with traditional Japanese cuisine, I appreciate the emphasis on allowing ingredients to shine through simplicity and natural flavors. In contrast, this buffet seemed geared towards Western tastes, with bold flavors that often overpowered the delicate nuances of the dishes. Many items were overly salty or sweet, masking the true flavors of the ingredients. Overall, the lack of depth in each dish was a letdown. The breakfast buffet also did not come cheap. At ¥6181 per person, this is one of the more expensive breakfast buffets in Tokyo.

BeBu

If you’re craving American comfort food, BeBu is a great spot to visit. Located on the first floor, this restaurant serves up classic favorites like burgers, Cajun chicken wings, and milkshakes.

Be sure to take advantage of their daily happy hour from 5 pm to 8 pm, when all menu items are just ¥500 each

Rooftop Bar

The rooftop bar located on the 52nd floor and is restricted to people 20 years old and above. The rooftop bar is a great place to take in the view of the city. They serve a variety of alcohol, cocktail, bar food, and even cigars.

the Sushi

Behind the rooftop bar, there is a small eight seat sushi counter that serves an authentic omakase (chef’s choice) experience. The omakase is definitely on the high end price wise (starting at ¥18,700).

Pastry shop

There is a pastry shop on the 1st floor that serves a wide variety of fine patisserie and signature sweets. It also offers small afternoon tea set for those looking for a short midday break. The pasteries were not bad but also on the sweeter side compared to other dessert places I have tried in Tokyo.

Lobby

You can find free snacks and drinks in the Andaz Lounge throughout the day. There is also a Happy Hour from the hours of 6:30 to 8:30 pm. During those two hours, there is complimentary alcohol and additional bite sized snacks for guests to enjoy. The madelines provided in the photo above were from the Pastry shop on the first floor.

Overall Impressions

I have mix feelings about the Andaz Tokyo Tonoamon Hill. While this hotel has great facilities and rooms, the less than stellar location and westernized dining choices make it a hit or miss. I find it hard to justify both the price (~$500 USD) and the amount of points (30,000 off-peak and 35,000 peak) needed for a reward night redemption. Overall, the Hyatt Centric Ginza is a much better value for ~$300 USD or 25,000 points (29,000 peak) a night.