Review: The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon

Toward the tail end of my trip to Japan, I stayed at The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon. It’s a relatively new property that opened in early 2020, becoming the first EDITION property in Japan.

EDITION hotels tend to offer sophisticated luxury with unique design concepts for a one-of-a-kind experience at each location. My recent stays at EDITION hotels have been delightful, so the opportunity to try out this new flagship location in Tokyo was too enticing to pass up.

The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon – Booking

I was able to book a one-night stay under a Marriott STARS rate of around ¥50,000 ($464 CAD).

Keep in mind that this was in September 2022, when Tokyo’s hotel market was just starting to heat up again in anticipation of borders reopening. Looking ahead at future dates, paid rates at this property typically fall in the range of ¥80,000–120,000 ($742–1,113 CAD).

Furthermore, I had booked under a temporary Marriott STARS promotion, which offered a confirmed upgrade at the time of booking in addition to $200 (USD) in hotel credits. This is over and above the regular Marriott STARS benefits, which only include an upgrade subject to availability and a $100 (USD) property credit.

EDITION hotels are known for their magnificent hotel bars and consistently have excellent food and beverage options, so I was delighted to have some extra property credit to spend during this stay.

Booking through Marriott STARS provides elevated benefits, regardless of your Marriott Bonvoy elite status. For the same price as what you’d pay for a flexible rate, you get a number of benefits that you couldn’t be otherwise secure when booking cash rates directly with the hotel.

If you’re planning to redeem points, this property falls on the higher end of the spectrum, ranging from 80,000–90,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Based on our current valuation of 0.9 cents per point, sometimes redeeming points will be a good deal, while other times you’ll likely be better off saving your points for future redemptions and booking a Marriott STARS rate instead.

The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon – Location

The Tokyo EDITION occupies floors 31–36 of the Tokyo World Gate skyscraper in the Kamiyachō business district. The property just down the street from the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills that I had stayed in the previous night.

The immediate neighbourhood is a mix of commercial and residential buildings, and isn’t necessarily the most exciting spot in Tokyo.

However, the hotel is conveniently located next to many transport links, allowing for easy access to many more popular spots nearby, such as Roppongi or Ginza, or further afield. 

Less than a five-minute walk from the hotel are the Tomo Museum of Art and the Minato Science Museum. The famous Tokyo Tower is just a 10-minute leisurely stroll from The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon.

Kamiyachō Station on the Hibiya Line is the closest metro station to the hotel, just steps away from the property. From the station, a walkway will bring you up the escalator right to the hotel’s front doors.

Also, within walking distance are Toranomon Station and Roppongi-Itchome Station – a 15- and 20-minute journey, respectively.

Haneda Airport is a 50-minute journey via the Haneda Airport Line, Asakusa Line, and Hibiya Line. Arriving from Narita International Airport will take over an hour via the Skyliner bus or the Narita Express train.

The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon – Check-In

Entering Tokyo World Gate, the ground floor entrance of the Tokyo EDITION is flanked by ivory walls and matching planters of various sizes.

Just a simple silver plaque reads “EDITION”, letting you know that you’ve arrived at your destination. The sign can be hard to spot at first glance, so make sure you look out for it.

We walked into an opulent elevator lobby with walls adorned in black and white marble. Tall brass elevator doors then whisked us up to the 31st floor main lobby, where we could complete check-in.

The lobby is essentially an expansive jungle room, with potted plants guiding the way around each corner. It’s one of the more distinctive hotel lobbies I’ve come across, and the interior designer undoubtedly had a green thumb.

The concierge and front desk are to your right upon entering. There is a large sectional couch in the seating area to the left of the check-in desks, while furry blankets and gold cushions add to the jungle-themed ambiance of the room.

As you move farther into the lobby lounge, you’ll find additional seating and couches next to floor-to-ceiling windows. A stunning lobby bar complements the lush vegetation.

The hotel associate welcomed us as Marriott Titanium members, thanked us for making our reservation through Marriott STARS, and verified our benefits for the duration of our stay.

As a result of booking through this particular Marriott STARS promotion, I was able to obtain a confirmed upgrade from the base-level King Room to the Deluxe King Room with Tower View.

However, due to a busy weekend in Tokyo, my attempts to “suite-talk” my way into a further upgrade based on my Titanium status were unsuccessful.

After letting us know a bit more about the facilities, dining, and bar venues, the front desk associate assigned us to Room 3628 and handed us our keys.

A lengthy corridor takes you to the guest room elevators. This space is warmly lit with wooden floors and walls, intending to relax guests and prepare them for rest as they head to their rooms, hence the minimalistic style compared to the busy lobby space.

The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon – Deluxe King Room with Tower View

In true EDITION style, the room was very minimalistic, with clean lines and crisp edges throughout. The colour palette consisted of neutral and organic colours, such as white oak floors with beige and white furnishings.

I immediately noted the spectacular view of Tokyo Tower from the window, which kept us captivated for most of the time that we were in the room. 

The king bed sits against the left-hand wall, flanked by floating wood side tables. A faux blanket was draped across the bed for elevated coziness.

Next to the window is a light-upholstered chaise longue, a matching ottoman, and a wooden side table.

On the table was a handwritten note welcoming me to the hotel, alongside a peaceful welcome snack designed to look like a little zen garden.

Fronting the bed was a long, light wooden desk and chair, with a large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall above.

Within an enclave was the pantry with a minibar. Sitting inside was a Nespresso machine for coffee and tea, a selection of spirits, and boxed EDITION water.

A slatted wood wall creates a barrier between the bedroom and the bathroom.

The bathroom is clean and simplistic. A single vanity has a spacious white marble countertop and a tall LED mirror.

There was a separately enclosed Japanese-style wet room with a rainfall shower and a natural stone tub. A smart toilet is located in a separate area.

The bathroom was also fitted with luxurious custom-made Le Labo amenities – a signature of EDITION hotels.

One gripe I had with regards to the bathroom was the wooden floorboards, as it’s not the most comfortable texture on your feet. Indeed, this hotel lacked the lovely linoleum flooring that I’d previously experienced at other EDITION properties.

Overall, I thought the rooms were beautiful and very much in line with the EDITION brand standard, all while mixing in some unique  Japanese design elements like the wet room and smart toilet.

The hotel is very much designed to cater towards Western rather than Japanese tourists, and the staff are mostly non-Japanese as well.

The offerings here are closer to what foreigners might expect in their own countries, rather than what’s typical of Japan, and that might sway your decision as to whether or not to book a stay here one way or another. 

The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon – Premier Suite

I also had a chance to tour the Premier Suite, which is one level above the lowest-level Superior Suite among all the hotel’s suite types.

This suite had the same light and airy design with wooden elements; however, there was a much larger seating space, living space, and bedroom.

Moreover, the windows were much larger, which made for more expansive views of the city.

Compared to the base-level rooms, the bathroom in the suites feature twin vanities and a larger, oversized bathtub.

The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon – Breakfast

Thanks to booking through Marriott STARS, we enjoyed a complimentary breakfast at The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon.

As Marriott Titanium or Platinum members, you don’t actually get complimentary breakfast at EDITION properties, so the best way to secure breakfast would be booking through either Marriott STARS or Virtuoso.

Breakfast is served in The Blue Room. On offer is a set plate for either a Japanese or Western breakfast, and naturally, we sampled both between the two of us.

The Japanese set plate was quite nice, with a tray of lighter portions allowing me to nibble on different items and combine them with the rice bowl.

Some of the items included market vegetables, grilled fish accompanied by egg custard, house-made pickles, and a few other accompaniments.

This was one of the lighter breakfast set plates you’ll find in Tokyo, which I actually appreciated after indulging heavily on this trip, but it’s something to keep in mind you’re looking for a more hefty breakfast in the morning.

On the Western side, the portions were also fairly reasonable, but very beautifully presented with a good mix of items. My partner Jessy opted for Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, which was accompanied by some cured meats, cheese, fruit, and pastries.

The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon – Dining

In addition to breakfast, The Blue Room is the all-day dining venue at the hotel. The space has a distinctive vibe, with a unique ceiling of slatted wooden eaves.

The furnishings feature ocean-blue velvet upholstery, which contrasts with the dark wooden chairs and tables, as well as the greenery dotted around the space.

We had lunch here one day and thought the food was pretty good. The meals were nicely prepared and fulsome, and there was an interesting selection of mostly Western cuisine, as well as some fusion foods.

If you happen to be in a rush and aren’t choosy about where you eat, The Blue Room would be a suitable option for dining at the hotel. 

The Jade Room is the signature restaurant at the hotel, run by Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens. The space was just opening on the day we checked out, but appeared to be beautiful on the inside.

Furthermore, the adjoining Garden Terrace had commanding views of the Tokyo Tower next door. It struck me as a fantastic place to enjoy a coffee or a lunch while admiring the city skyline.

The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon – Bar

Gold Bar at The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon is located on the ground floor. This speakeasy-style bar is absolutely breathtaking, with a sophisticated dark mood and subtle gold lighting.

We had a great time here, and spent the majority of our $200 (USD) property credit at the Gold Bar during the evening of our stay.

The bar was one of the most visually appealing I’d seen, and it was quite representative of the brand. EDITION’s hotels are notorious for their on-site drinking establishments, and the Gold Bar here at the Tokyo Toranomon location was no exception.

The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon – Other Facilities

The spa is another traditionally strong element of the EDITION brand, but perhaps less so at this location. The pool and gym are both enclosed facilities, with no views or natural light.

The pool is a modest size, spacious enough for swimming laps. It has a stylish design, with sleek grey walls and eight lounge chairs, along with more greenery.

Moreover, the hot tub is very modern, and almost futuristic in its appearance.

The fitness centre was quite spacious for the hotel’s size, and was packed with several treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes. As a new hotel, the gym equipment was fairly cutting-edge, just like you’d expect.

Conclusion

If you’re someone who appreciates the youthful yet understated EDITION style, the Tokyo Toranomon property is one that you’ll certainly appreciate.

The guest rooms’ interiors balance luxury and character while channelling the brand’s signature minimalism, all of which are accentuated by the commanding views of Tokyo Tower and the city beyond. 

What’s more, the dining and bar establishments add a great deal of dynamism to the hotel experience, the most notable of which is the gorgeous Gold Bar on the ground floor. The Jade Room and its adjacent Garden Terrace also promise to be spectacular additions to the property following their recent opening. 

Overall, The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon is a welcome addition to the EDITION portfolio. I look forward to revisiting this property in the future, but before that, I’ll be looking to scope out the hotel’s sister property in a trendier part of town – The Tokyo EDITION Ginza – when it opens in early 2023.