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intercontinental tokyo

The ANA Intercontinental Tokyo: A Relic of Fanciness

The ANA Intercontinental Tokyo is very old and isn’t as modern as their sister property the Intercontinental Osaka.  I regret wasting my IHG free night at this location.

A $49 Stay

The Chase IHG (Intercontinental Hotel Group) credit card has an annual fee of $49. The benefit each year for renewal is a free night stay at ANY of their properties.  That means, you can stay at any of their high end hotels for just $49.  That’s the only reason why I’m keeping this card for a long time.

The Intercontinental Osaka is AMAZING

Earlier this year I stayed at the Intercontinental Osaka and was blown away by how nice the hotel was and how amazing the service was.  Their bow game was out of control.  I was expecting a similar experience at the ANA Intercontinental Tokyo and was very disappointed.

The Building

The main lobby is located on the 2nd floor and the outdoor escalators were out of order.  The outside of the building uses very boring gray tiles.  When you look at the building you feel your happiness and creativity being drained.  The surrounding area didn’t have many stores/restaurants within the next few blocks.

Lobby

Upon entering the building, there was no warm and friendly greeting from the employees.  I made it to the check-in counter without being acknowledged.  This sounds like a high standard, but that standard was set by the Intercontinental Osaka.  That was my absolute favorite hotel that I’ve ever stayed in. 

Check-In

I attempted to check in but they told me the earliest room they’d have available would be ready at 11am.  Not a problem.  I expected that since I got here really early.  Other things I noticed at check-in were that the computer keyboard, mouse and telephone were from the early 90’s.  My immediate impression was that this hotel was not up to date.  As I left the check-in area, I was hit were a very common quick bow.  Something you’d get while being acknowledged at a convenience store.  I was really looking forward to the 45-degree bows that would be held until they lost sight of you.  But as Larry David would say, it was a “shit bow”.

Room

The room was pretty big but wasn’t too modern.  I wouldn’t actually pay the high price to stay at this hotel.

They Lost My Bag

After checking out, I had a few hours to kill before my flight.  I checked my bag in with the bell service.  When I returned, they couldn’t find my bag.  After 20 minutes of searching, they asked me if I had a picture of what my bag looked like (they wouldn’t let me go into the back).  Luckily, I had a photo of my bag in one of my many photos.  Anywhere you go, losing someone’s bag is very bad service.

Airport Limousine Bus

One of the big reasons I stayed here was for the Airport Limousine Bus.  There’s a bus that runs directly between the Intercontinental Tokyo and Haneda airport.

TIP:

If you have a bunch of loose coins (yen), you can purchase your Airport Limousine Bus ticket at the Intercontinental Check-in Tower with cash + credit card.

japanese volkswagon
Farmers market at the plaza right next to the Intercontinental Tokyo