More on the luxury Conrad Tokyo hotel

The gal has already eulogised about the luxury Conrad Tokyo hotel, but let us look at some details of this 290-room hotel. It sits on the upper ten floors of the 27-floor Shiodome complex, a Mori Trust development next to Hama-rikyu Gardens. Wander the meticulously laid-out Gardens – you need ¥300 to get in – and you feel the cares of modern everyday life waft away. It is all peaceful and calm here. For maximum exclusivity, however, head for the hotel’s 37th floor Club Lounge, open from 6.30am. At that hour, Jonas-from-Switzerland is always on duty. Try the berries and yoghurt at Club breakfast, and a chef is there if you want eggs.

In fact day-long the Club lounge over-delivers, above expectations. At cocktail hour I was fascinated to see own-label wines. These were chosen by the hotel’s sommelier Satoru Mori, now away in Buenos Aires at a global sommelier competition. I was really impressed by the wines, labelled Conrad Tokyo, that he has put into the Club lounge – for the whites, there is a Mapu Sauvignon Black 2014 Philippe de Rothschild, or choose, also Philippe de Rothschild, the hotel’s own-label Chardonnay 2013. Want a red? These are both by Australian vintner Grant Burge – I loved the Conrad Tokyo 2013 Shiraz GB 56 (a Cabernet Sauvignon is also available). See the Grant Burge video, below.

The Club lounge has a centrally-placed log-look fire, and one whole wall of windows. Sit up at a counter looking down, at Tokyo Bay, and those Gardens. I had one meal free, and I luxuriated in room service’s design-your-own salads. What a brilliant idea. Choose your protein, here Kyoto chicken breast. Choose your leaves, in my case mixed. Add three extras, here a double order of avocado and one of walnuts. Instead of the suggested dressing I merely wanted plain olive oil. The meal came, in the requested time, with lots of bread and a big smile. I had actually had a similar design-your-own salad at the hotel’s main international restaurant, and it was equally good.

The second night of ILTM Waldorf Astoria held a gourmet party here, showing A Taste of Waldorf Astoria (a partnership with James Beard). This luxury Conrad Tokyo takes everything in its stride. The hotel is owned by power, in the form of Mori Trust Hospitality, and run with experience, in the form of Heinrich Grafe. He is a details man. Room 3733, my favourite, looking down at the Gardens and the bay, has a big glass-sided shower. Outside this hang two white robes: see how carefully the belts are tied. Look at the big picture at the top of this page, see how meticulously the fruit slices have been carved, with bits of their exteriors left in situ. Very clever, Mr Grafe.