The Deal Mommy

Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Review

I haven’t had great success with the Sheraton Brand lately.  Maybe I’m just spoiled from my Hyatt Diamond status, but my last few Sheraton stays have left me cold.  That said, I have to admit the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay was a pleasant surprise.  In fact, I’d compare it more to a Westin to any Sheraton I’ve seen.

Location

For our visit to Tokyo Disneyland we went back and forth between commuting in from Shinjuku (and keeping our room at the Hyatt Regency) and moving to either the Hilton Tokyo Bay or the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay. As soon as we arrived and saw the monorail right outside the door, I was glad we chose to come closer to Tokyo Disney. The Hilton and the Sheraton are in the same cul-de-sac with a few Japanese hotel chains and are equally close to the monorail which goes straight to the parks.  You’ll appreciate the location, especially when you’re exhausted at the end of the day.

Images from Room 700 at the Sheraton Tokyo Bay.

Status Recognition

Here I’d say my surprise turned to downright shock when as a lowly SPG Gold member I was offered a large upgrade at check-in.  I had booked an “Ocean Dream” room- the 2nd lowest category- and was given a corner room with 5 (!) beds.  It even had a mini-suite alcove with two kids beds and a TV so they felt entirely separate from us.  Platinum offers Club access and breakfast.

A tip: if you’re offered the points or a free drink, take the drink.  It’s good for your entire party.

Room
I called SPG after booking and had a note attached to the reservation noting our kids and their ages. I think that may have helped us get the corner room. The room sizes vary widely in each category so the staff has leeway in what room you get. Our room was 50 sq. meters and felt positively cavernous because of the layout. The bathroom was nothing fancy but did have a Japanese toilet with the bells and whistles. The room we were in was definitely part of a recent renovation.

Property
As of July 2015, the Sheraton is undergoing improvements in their pool area. It was closed entirely during our visit. That said, the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay is definitely a “resort” in it’s feel with mini golf etc. It also gets lots of weddings. The clientele was more American than we saw anywhere else in Japan- but I’m guessing that had as much to do with it being Disneyland as the hotel itself.

Caveats

• Hotels in Japan often charge for outdoor pool access and the Sheraton is no exception. As of July 2015 the pricing was a staggering 3,000 Yen ($25) per day, per person!  Hours are also much more limited than in the states. Fortunately the indoor pool is included with your stay.
• Food was exorbitantly priced: a golden corral type buffet in the Grand Cafe was over 5,000 Yen for an adult.  Fortunately the coffee shop, Toastina, had some sandwich/soup/noodle options under 1,000 Yen and adorable-and tasty-pastries featuring the Penguin mascot for 400 Yen.
• The hotel is a SPG category 5 at 10,000 points a night (8,000 if you stay 5 but I have trouble imagining that anyone would).  Be sure to compare to cash pricing as we paid $146/night, which made our stay a poor use of Starpoints.  At peak rates they make more sense.  Also be sure to check your reservation from time to time, as pricing changes and currency fluctuations made our rate go down $40/night from booking to arrival.

I’d definitely stay at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay again- but am equally curious to try the Hilton.  Have you stayed at either?  Please share your thoughts in the comments.

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