For the second hotel stay of our winter ski trip to Niseko, we spent a night at the 86-room Tokyo EDITION Ginza. We wanted to be able to compare the two Tokyo EDITION properties, so we spent the previous night at the Tokyo EDITION Toranomon, which I reviewed in a separate installment.
I’ve gotta say, I ended up liking my stay at the Tokyo EDITION Ginza a lot more than I was expecting to. Let me start with the negatives, which are simply that the hotel lacks amenities — there’s no spa or pool, and the gym is so small and void of equipment to the point that it might as well not exist. Furthermore, the hotel has nothing in the way of views.
Despite that, I’d gladly return. This hotel has a true boutique feel, with exceptional staff who go out of their way to get to know each guest, and seem super invested in making sure everyone has a great experience. On top of that, I really liked the dining outlets here.
The most basic aspect of hospitality is making guests feel welcome, and that’s something the Tokyo EDITION Ginza nails. The hotel isn’t for everyone, and it wouldn’t broadly be my first pick in the city (given the lack of amenities), but I think it’s a great option for someone who wants to be in the heart of Ginza.
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Booking the Tokyo EDITION Ginza
Cash rates at the Tokyo EDITION Ginza vary throughout the year, as you’d expect, and typically range from somewhere around $500 to $1,000 per night. They’re typically comparable to the Tokyo EDITION Toranomon property. We paid cash for our stay, and the rate was around $700, since we were traveling during the start of peak season.
We booked through the Marriott STARS program, which offers extra perks, like complimentary breakfast, a room upgrade subject to availability, a $100 property credit, and more. I find that booking through Marriott STARS is especially useful for EDITION properties, where Marriott Bonvoy elite status doesn’t offer complimentary breakfast.
When redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for this property, rates generally seem to be around 80,000 to 120,000 points per night, and for our night, the rate would’ve been 98,000 points. Given my valuation of 0.7 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, paying cash was the better value, especially with breakfast and the $100 credit.
Tokyo EDITION Ginza location
As the name suggests, the Tokyo EDITION Ginza is located in the Ginza district of Tokyo, which is primarily a shopping district. If you’re big into shopping, then Ginza is probably where you want to stay. The area is almost always bustling, and you’re right in the heart of the action.
The one thing to keep in mind is that unlike some other areas of Tokyo, Ginza doesn’t really have high rises, so the hotels all lack views. For example, the Tokyo EDITION Ginza is located in a standalone 14-floor building, very close to other structures on all sides.
It’s kind of nice to be able to walk straight from the street into the lobby, and not have to take two sets of elevators to get to your guest room. When you enter the hotel, you almost feel like you’re walking into a store, rather than walking into a hotel.
Tokyo EDITION Ginza lobby & check-in
From the moment we arrived at the Tokyo EDITION Ginza, we had a positive impression. The staff warmly welcomed us into the intimate lobby, located on the ground floor. The hotel has a boutique feel, and thanks to how small but vertical it is, the lobby almost has the vibe of a huge living room in someone’s home, rather than the lobby of a hotel.
The lobby had plenty of seating, and even had a lobby bar.
We were invited to have a seat, and were asked if we wanted anything to drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). I ordered a cappuccino, and at the same time, our check-in was processed.
Within a few minutes, our check-in was complete, and we were escorted up to our room. The elevators are just down the hall from reception, and there are two of them.
Tokyo EDITION Ginza suite
I had used a Marriott Bonvoy Nightly Upgrade Award to secure an upgrade to a Premier Suite, and that upgrade cleared three days in advance. We were assigned room 607, on the sixth floor. Each of the floors feels intimate, with just over half a dozen rooms.
This suite was marketed as being 69 square meters (743 square feet), so it’s a pretty standard size for a full suite. It’s worth noting that the two EDITION properties in Tokyo had the same designer, so you’ll notice lots of similarities, down to the minibar setups.
Anyway, the room had an entryway with the minibar to the right, and access to the bathroom to the left (which can also be accessed from the hall by the bedroom).
The minibar had a large selection of drinks and snacks for purchase, plus complimentary Nespresso coffee and tea (unfortunately like the other EDITION, there was no milk for coffee).
Beyond the entrance was the living room, with a couch, chair, coffee table, and wall-mounted TV. While the room had the standard minimalist EDITION design, I appreciated the little bit of art on the wall, plus the orchid, which added a pop of color.
Shortly after arriving, a welcome amenity was placed on the coffee table, with fresh strawberries and some candies.
There was then a door separating the living room from the bedroom. The bedroom had a comfortable king size bed, a chair in the corner, and a desk with a chair.
I’m not really a TV watcher, but the TV was awkwardly positioned, on the wall to the left of the bed. Comfortably watching that from bed may prove to be a challenge.
There was then a hallway leading to the bathroom, with a vanity and chair in that space.
The main bathroom area had a single sink and a large walk-in shower complex that also had a bathtub.
Toiletries were from Le Labo, in reusable containers.
The toilet and a second sink were in a room next to the main part of the bathroom, so I appreciated the separation of those spaces. That room could also be reached from the entrance foyer, or from the other part of the bathroom.
As you can see, the curtains are closed in all of the above pictures, and that’s for good reason. The hotel has nothing in the way of views, and when you open your curtains, you have no privacy. To be clear, this isn’t the hotel’s fault, this is just the reality of staying in Ginza, where you don’t have high-rises, and buildings are very close to one another.
All-in-all, I thought our suite at the Tokyo EDITION Ginza was nicely designed, and quite luxurious. It wasn’t as large and didn’t have the same views as at the Tokyo Edition Toranomon, but that’s also the reality of staying in Ginza.
Tokyo EDITION Ginza gym
The Tokyo EDITION Ginza doesn’t have a spa or pool, but it does have a gym, which is perhaps the most useless hotel gym I’ve ever seen. I’m pretty sure it’s just a converted guest room.
The gym has two stationary bikes, one rowing machine, and two little benches with very light weights.
Okay, I wish a bit more effort had been put into making the gym bigger. But even if you’re not going to make the gym bigger, you’d think that you could at least have a treadmill or an elliptical (rather than two bikes), and a rack with some heavier weights.
I should mention that guests at the Tokyo EDITION Ginza have access to the gym and pool at the Tokyo EDITION Toranomon. However, it’s a bit of a trek between the two properties, so I can’t imagine that’s something that most guests want to do.
Tokyo EDITION Ginza restaurants & bars
EDITION properties are known for their dining outlets, which are often even popular with locals. In the case of the Tokyo EDITION Ginza, there are a few options.
As shown above there’s the Lobby Bar, which is the hotel’s all-day bar and lounge, with drinks and snacks. It’s on the ground floor, just inside the entrance to the hotel. This doesn’t seem to ever get that busy (aside from guests checking in being offered a welcome drink), but it’s always an option.
One level above the lobby is the Punch Room, which is the hotel’s signature bar. It can be accessed either via the elevators, or via a staircase.
As it’s described, it’s inspired by 19th-century London private clubs, and it’s the first bar in Japan to offer authentic punches. Unfortunately this is closed Sundays and Mondays, and we were staying on a Monday night, so we didn’t have the chance to have a drink here. However, I still snapped a few pictures, and I thought it was a pretty elegant-looking space.
The hotel’s main dining concept, Sophie at EDITION, is located on the top (14th) floor. It takes up the entire level, and it’s an all-day dining concept, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The culinary concept is described as using “Japan’s abundant seasonal ingredients and rich culinary traditions through the lens of a modern brasserie.”
I find this to be quite a charming space. There’s one area that has bar seating and some dining tables.
Then there’s a few stairs leading down to the main dining room area.
The 14th floor also has a rooftop that’s open seasonally, though we were there too early in the year. I imagine it’s a cool space, though. For those curious, below is what the view is like from the 14th floor (still not exciting, eh?).
We had an amazing tempura lunch in Ginza, so we returned to Sophie at EDITION in the evening for some drinks and a meal, since we had a credit to spend. The cocktail selection was excellent, with some really imaginative options.
The meal started with some bread, and a squid and Chinese cabbage amuse bouche.
We weren’t terribly hungry, but we split one of the salads, the vegetable casserole, and a side of fries.
Tokyo EDITION Ginza breakfast
The Tokyo EDITION Ginza serves breakfast at Sophie at EDITION, daily from 7AM until 10:30AM. Since we booked through Marriott STARS, our rate included breakfast. Breakfast includes a selection from the buffet, plus the ability to order items off a menu.
The buffet was small but high quality, and had fresh juices, fruit, cold cuts, salad, yogurt, cereal, pastries, and more.
Coffee was available from servers, and I had both an americano and cappuccino, which were excellent.
Then there was the menu you could order off of. While the menu indicated you could select one option, we were told that guests can order as much as they want.
I decided to order the avocado and scrambled eggs tartine, while Ford had two poached eggs (served in dishes intended to look like eggs — hah).
We then also shared some matcha french toast, which was divine.
Tokyo EDITION Ginza service
When it comes to the Tokyo EDITION Ginza, I saved the best for last. If you ask me, the single best thing about this hotel is the service. When you stay at a hotel, you want to feel like you’re welcome, and that’s an area where this hotel excels.
This isn’t just a boutique hotel in terms of room count, but also in terms of the service level. I don’t remember the last time I’ve stayed at a Marriott affiliated property with this level of service, and it was such a contrast to the other EDITION.
Every single staff member we interacted with at this hotel seemed invested in making sure that guests had a great stay. The second you enter the hotel, the staff engage you, ask how your stay is going, etc.
I also love how staff members all introduce themselves by name, which adds a personalized element to the service. As another example, I was disappointed by the concierge service at the other EDITION property. So I then decided to reach out to the concierge at this EDITION (since we would be checking in a few hours later), and the concierge was incredible, and helped me via WhatsApp, securing us the reservations we were looking for before we even arrived at the hotel.
The genuine care shown by employees here really makes me overlook the property’s other shortcomings.
Bottom line
The Tokyo EDITION Ginza is worth considering if you’re looking to stay in Ginza, in a boutique property with excellent service. The hotel has a really lovely vibe, and it’s the staff that make this place great.
That being said, this property isn’t without its shortcomings, and I’d only recommend this if staying in Ginza is important to you. The hotel doesn’t have a spa or pool, the gym might as well not exist, and the hotel lacks views (due to being in Ginza).
While the two EDITION properties in Tokyo are very different, I have a strong preference for the Ginza location, since it at least tries to deliver the service you’d expect from a luxury hotel.
What’s your take on the Tokyo EDITION Ginza?
I stayed there back in January and I found it very average for the huge room rate.
It would be helpful if you would indicate your mode of transportation; I remember you taking the train to the Marriott in Nagoya which I found really helpful!