HOTEL METROPOLITAN TOKYO MARUNOUCHI

Despite its busy location, Hotel Metropolitan Marunouchi is removed from the bustle of the train station and streets below, occupying eight floors of the 35-story Sapia Tower. The lobby is on the 27th floor of the building and has asymmetrical wood paneled walls and decorative acoustic dampening panels rising to an atrium ceiling. A large diorama of the neighborhood sits in the center of the room, complete with a model of the massive Tokyo train station outside; some creative liberties were taken in depicting the surrounding area. The hotel manages to successfully straddle the line between business-oriented and trendy -- it's modern but restrained enough to please corporate guests. Though it does draw a hefty number of business guests, couples and families stay here, too -- the hotel's size and convenient location allows it to have broad appeal. 

The hotel is located within the Sapia Tower building in Marunouchi, a small commercial district tucked between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace. Some guests report that finding the hotel can be a little tricky at first, as maps in the train station label Sapia Tower but not the hotel itself. Tokyo Station is just to the south and guests can connect to it directly from the lower level of the building. It's adjacent to the JR Tokyo Station Nihonbashi exit, and the five-line Otemachi Station is just to the west. Note that reaching the platform for the Narita Express (to Narita International Airport) in Tokyo Station will take about 15 minutes on foot to reach, and several elevator rides. Both the historic Tokyo Imperial Palace and Imperial Palace Garden are within walking distance to the west, and the Ginza shopping district is just to the south. Haneda Airport is about 20 minutes away by car or 37 minutes by public transportation.

The 343 rooms are packed into the upper floors of the Sapia tower, and range from from small Standard Rooms with twin beds to Deluxe Corner Rooms with king beds. There are also Executive Corner Rooms and larger queen options that have bathrooms with views. Some have a warm earth-toned palette, while others have a more conservative gray-and-blue color scheme. All have contemporary furnishings with flat-screen TVs, dark wood-style shelves, and big work desks. Some rooms have simple upholstered chairs, but business travelers working from their rooms may opt for rooms with the more serious ergonomic roller chairs. As a thoughtful touch, humidifiers come standard, along with mini-fridges and tea making facilities, but there are no coffeemakers. Bathrooms have Japanese toilet/bidet combos and shower/tub combos, though some rooms have deep soaking tubs set under a window with views of the city. Bathroom amenities are generous, with items such as toothbrushes and hairbrushes not often provided in Western hotels. Some rooms face the train tracks, making for fun train watching. 

With commanding views of the city from the 27th floor, the hotel's Tenqoo restaurant and bar serves a mix of Japanese and French cuisine along with cocktails and wine. There are also separate Japanese and Western breakfast buffets, for an extra fee. The business center is open 24 hours, with multiple workstations and printing services (for a fee), and there's a small yet stylish meeting room with all white chairs. Guests can find a variety of vending machines, including one that sells cigarettes in a designated smoking room. A fitness center opened in 2015 on the 28th floor; though it's set in a balcony room with a view into the lobby atrium, it's small and has only four cardio machines.