Getting to Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya
Traveling with high-functioning autism, the dense crowds of Tokyo and packed trains were a real challenge. However, I used the Japan Rail Pass which proved to be a reliable guide from Tokyo Narita Airport to navigate to Shibuya Station. Shibuya Station is huge and signposted very poorly. There are so many exits, and on so many levels. It is like five London Underground stations stacked above each other. Taking the nearest exit gate for fresh air, and looking lost (probably). I cautiously approached a few people but found nobody that spoke a word of English. Not even the younger generation. I approached a smartly dressed early twenties girl to ask for directions since Google Streetview made no sense as I was not on the ground level.
The Japanese, I later found out are brought up to take ownership of a situation, the young lady who spoke no English and myself with no Japanese, communicated via some app to ‘follow her’, she took ownership of the situation and walked me from door to door of Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya. Firstly, locating the hotel was a challenge. Despite its towering presence, the address provided was misleading. The hotel is accessed via a steep ramp, distinct from the street address, and the entrance is on the 3rd floor, not immediately apparent to newcomers. This confusion is compounded by the reception being on the 12th floor, necessitating a lift from the basement or the ramp entry – a detail not mentioned in any pre-arrival communication.
Introduction to Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya
Situated in a bustling district, this IHG brand hotel promised an exciting stay amidst the city’s vibrancy. However, navigating through the unfamiliar, crowded environment to reach my destination on October 8, 2023, was a daunting task, pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone and challenging me to adapt in ways I hadn’t anticipated. This travel blog is about embracing such challenges and stepping out of the familiar comfort zones. Despite these hurdles, the experience at the hotel didn’t entirely live up to my expectations for this renowned hotel chain.
Shibrewya Coffee Shop
The hotel also has a cafe on the 3rd floor called SHIBREWYA which is only open during the daytime.
Views of the Shibuya Scramble Crossing
One of the hotel’s selling points is the rooms’ views of the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing. However, this claim seems to be a bit exaggerated. The view from my room on the 17th Floor only included skyscrapers. Below, you can see the view from the Gallery 11 viewing platform on the 11th Floor. It marginally touched one side, failing to capture its full, iconic expanse.
This misrepresentation was a letdown, especially for those expecting a front-row seat to one of Tokyo’s most photographed locations, the hotel had been notified in advance of my intentions but either ignored it or the venue simply doesn’t live up to the hype.
The hospitality, a cornerstone of the hotel industry, was notably lacking. The front desk staff were unwelcoming and grumpy, a stark contrast to the usual Japanese courtesy. Language barriers further marred the experience; surprisingly, only two staff members – one in the bar and one from the breakfast team – spoke basic English. It was surprising and inconvenient that an international hotel within the IHG group did not have multilingual staff.
The room, though larger than many in Japan, wasn’t without problems. The bed and mattress were quite firm, and the tiny bathroom made moving around a challenge. This was a notable design misstep, especially given the room’s size. On a brighter note, the high-tech robot WC offered heated seats, a range of water jets for massaging your back passage, and other functions I didn’t try. If there’s a competition for extreme bidet’ing, Japan is certainly in the lead. The hotel does have a decent wifi connection, which is complimentary for IHG One Rewards members.
However, it is an open connection and therefore you should always use a VPN connection to access the internet. This is especially so if you are doing anything sensitive like banking apps etc. I have used NordVPN for many years, I find it reliable on all of my devices and it enables me to connect to so many servers around the world, such that if your in a country that blocks some websites, you can connect to a UK or USA or other server to access that content. I highly recommend using NordVPN. For storing your passwords whilst on the move, I also use NordPass which is not a VPN but useful for storing all those highly encrypted passwords I could never remember if I tried.
The Bizarre Breakfast
Breakfast at Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya was unexpectedly odd. It felt more like a dessert buffet with stale doughnuts, cakes, pastries, a salad bar and cold Mexican dishes. The scrambled eggs with mint leaves were as unappetising as you’d imagine, and there was even a full salad bar like you’d find in a supermarket. The selection didn’t resemble a typical Western or Japanese breakfast – no ramen, miso soup, or sushi. The hotel missed a great chance to showcase culinary creativity by not offering a unique breakfast Bento Box.
As a former professional chef, the culinary choices left me puzzled. The breakfast spread gave the impression that the chefs might be inexperienced or not adequately trained. It appeared they were using ‘leftovers’ from previous days instead of preparing fresh items for the new day. While this practice is somewhat common in Japan, it’s surprising and not quite fitting for a 4-star hotel like Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya.
Conclusion
To sum up, even though Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya opened recently in August 2023, it doesn’t quite meet the high standards you’d anticipate from such a renowned brand and hotel. Marketed as a luxury destination with room rates around £600 per night during my visit, I was lucky to use hotel loyalty points for my stay. Honestly, I wouldn’t have chosen to stay there at the full cash price.
While the front-of-house team puts in a commendable effort, the reception staff and unusual culinary choices unfortunately detract from the overall experience. Despite being in its prime post-opening phase, Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya falls short of expectations in hospitality, service, and overall guest satisfaction.
