InterContinental Yokohama Grand by IHG — Hotel in Yokohama

I would like to share with you some of the negative experiences I had while staying at InterContinental Yokohama Grand. Since I visit Tokyo frequently, I sincerely hope to have a better experience next time. Thank you in advance for your help!

Two days before my check-in, I wrote to the hotel to ask if there was a chance to check in early at 10am based on the Diamond Ambassador benefit. Fortunately, I received a reply confirming that I could check in early.

We took a direct bus and got off at the hotel entrance that day. It was about 10:50 in the morning. We were carrying some luggage and saw two doormen at the hotel entrance who had no other business to do.

They saw us but did not take the initiative to No assistance with directions to the check-in counter or luggage, not even a greeting or opening the door, we felt a little confused at first, but it was our second visit so we were able to quickly find the check-in counter on the second floor.

We saw a passage marked Ambassador where we could check in. We lined up in the queue, but a male attendant came to tell us that it was time to check out, he asked us to leave the Ambassador passage and go to the back to find a place to sit and wait, and we will be notified when the counter is ready for check-in.

We thought it would only be a few minutes of waiting, but after more than ten minutes, we saw the line waiting to check out getting longer and longer, and we began to worry whether we would have to wait even longer, especially when we saw that there have a Western tourists than we arrived late but after successfully checking in, we felt discriminated against.

So I told the male attendant again that we wanted to go to the Ambassador channel to check in, he still said that it was check-out time and asked us to wait. I said I was confused because the channel was marked as open for check-in and check-out, why can't people checking in queue up? There were indeed other travelers who arrived later than us but had completed the check-in procedures. However, we were still instructed to wait, which should have made us wait for at least 20 minutes.

We told the male attendant for the third time that we had written to inform the hotel that we would check in early, and the hotel replied with confirmation. The male attendant then directed us to the Ambassador entrance to check in. It should have been around 11:30am in the morning.

The male attendant who assisted us in checking in was obviously impatient, as if we had interrupted him in the process of checking out. This was a sad check-in process, which I have never experienced in many InterContinental hotels passed!

The check-out process was also frustrating. Since the hotel's bus to Narita Airport requires reservation, we arrived at the lobby early under the guidance of the concierge and waited for the bus to arrive. Since there was no specific bus stop, we asked the doorman where to take the bus so as not to miss it. Just as we started asking in English, a guest speaking Japanese interrupted us at the end of the first sentence. The doorman did not even signal us to wait. We were shocked that he didn't ask the other party to wait and started a conversation with the Japanese guest in the back without even making eye contact with us!

What's more regrettable is that at the door, we saw some guests who were about to check in with their luggage. The doorman seemed to provide immediate luggage assistance and guidance to local Japanese guests and European and American guests, which was completely different from the service we received when we checked in, we can also confirm that Chinese-speaking people seem to have encountered some kind of discrimination in this hotel.

Of course, InterContinental Yokohama Grand also has its outstanding features. We met professional, enthusiastic and friendly service staff in the lounge and breakfast restaurant. The pizza during the HH period in the lounge was very delicious, and there was a rich supply of alcohol.

Finally, I like to say that I have also stayed at Pier 8 opposite this hotel, which is also an InterContinental Hotel. However, during my check-in and check-out process, the counter and concierge staff at Pier 8 were excellent and treated everyone equally. I hope InterContinental Yokohama Grand can be compared with Pier 8.

Thanks again...

I was in Tokyo for business trip for more than a week. I selected this location due to its relative convenient location to Tokyo - round 45 minutes train ride and its Harbor setting.

Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan. Different than other hotels located in Central Yokohama, this landmark facility can be seem in most post card backdrops of Yokohama citiscape.

If you have been in Tokyo before, you will know how crowded everything and people are moving in light speed. I can feel their stress just sitting in a coffee shop seeing people moving in hundred miles per hour pace. This location is a rare peaceful retreat from the buzzing Tokyo setting. People are just more relaxed. You are still within one station away from Yokohama main station where you can connect to all major lines and the city center offer great shopping and restaurants. Three subway stops away or with about 1.2 miles walk, you can reach the historical Yokohama China Town. It is one of the MUST SEE place, If you are a sushi fan who enjoy some of the freshest catches, there is a Sushi restaurant (you will see the outside sign for 24 hours), it offers the freshest fishes caught in the early mornings and distributed to all of regional stores. You can have a very impressive dinner combination plate with three grades of Tuna (various parts of Toro), Yellow tail, Uni and etc for around USD$24.00. The store hours is 10 am to mid-night. While you are in China Town, don't forget to try the hot and juicy Chinese mini- steam buns/dumplings. Be sure to watch the instruction video before you spill its juicy contents all over yourself and innocent by-standers. YOU MUST TRY. The adjacent Minato Mirai station building is connected by two shopping buildings. Do walk both of them for impressive little restaurants, coffee shops, bread store/bakeries. There is a very nice Japanese Grocery store where you can be amazed by the quality of groceries. During this trip, our family is amazed by how Japanese groceries pricing is becoming much more reliable in second tier city such as Yokohama compares to what we pay in California (Wholefood). Most importantly, though this hotel is an older facility, it is still amazing compare to other Japanese 5 star hotels. We have a lovely 2 beds room with a fabulous view. The club lounge access is wonderful as they served some of the most amazing fruits and vegetables that we ever had. The breakfast and the happy hour menu do not change much, but amazing in all aspects. The staffs are absolutely wonderful and responsive. They are very helpful to my wife and daughter for their site seeing advices. Do slow down in your English conversation with the staffs to ensure that your questions are fully understood. If you are flying in via Haneda Airport, it is a USD$16 bus ride. However, if you are flying in via Narita Airport it is a $36 bus ride. The Airport Limo Bus (YCAT) do take you all the way to the hotel front door!

Again, I would recommend this facility to my friends and affiliates. We are blessed to see layers upon layers of Cherry Blossom all over the city during our visit. We will mark our calendar for late March and early April visit...

I have always wanted to try Intercontinental Yokohama. Finally did and was underwhelmed.

It's the closest hotel to a western hotel. Giant rooms, giant hallways, beautiful lobby (and building in general), felt like a Las Vegas hotel. Even a mini bar. Get the room with a view of the ferris wheel if you must stay here. You can sit at the window sill and watch the view all night. Keep in mind all rooms are looking at the ferris wheel from the side.

Location is bad. Intercontinental Yokohama is far away from everything. Almost all hotels are surrounded by restaurants and combinis, but at IHG Yokohama, you are stuck with the restaurants they provide which are relatively pricey. There are combinis (daily yamazaki/7-eleven), but you have to walk across the street.

Service is bad. I was surprised how cold this hotel was. Even a cheap business hotel in Japan would greet you when you walk in and out. The hotel next to it, Tokyu Bay Hotel offered to take my luggage to my room and even came to the elevator door when I was checking out. I don't think I received a single greeting from anyone at IHG. My "toraberu waribiki" didn't work here and I asked why and they told me "the government said it starts on the 11th, but our hotel isn't equipped to handle it" ... ?? There was someone blasting music outside so we called the front desk and guess what... no one picked up. Pretty rare (or it has never happened) for no one to pickup the phone in Japan.

I tried to sign up for the IHG credit card before booking. IHG was apparently hacked a few weeks ago so Chase stopped taking applications for IHG cards. IHG keeps telling me to talk to Chase why I can't apply and Chase is saying to talk to IHG. I'm glad I didn't sign up for theit card.

Stayed at all 3 major hotels at the Minato Mirai station. IHG, Tokyu Bay and Royal Park. Royal Park Sky Resort room was the best. The service (one time I asked them to clean my room while I'm out for lunch and the maid ran to my room at 12pm to get it done on time!), view (so high up), location (go downstairs for TONS of food selections, literally just down the elevator). They also have a shuttle from Haneda to Royal Park just like IHG. Don't do IHG. It's only priced high for all the people that go to the convention there.

If you can't do Royal Park Sky Resort, Tokyu Bay has...