THE LOUNGE — Restaurant in Tokyo

Go to the Tokyo Marriott or The Peninsula instead where the service is much better, you don’t get scolded by the staff, the pastries are just as good and they make you feel welcomed. My friends and I visited on 2022/12/18 for Saboe Christmas Afternoon tea, 13:30 seating for 4 people. The Four Seasons was one of our favorite places to have afternoon tea in Tokyo, however after our experience on the 18th, we will not be returning for awhile and can no longer recommend it. Afternoon tea is supposed to be a leisurely time where one enjoys pastries WITH tea. Instead the tea service was so slow that most of the time was spent trying to get the staff’s attention. By the time we were able to have tea with the pastries, all were melting, so sad considering all the hard work by Chef Yusuke and the pastry team. When we were finally able to place our last order, we were scolded by staff, Imu イム, for ordering an extra drink! Of all the times we’ve been to the Four Seasons in Japan and around the world, we have NEVER been treated like that. That is not the Four Seasons service or reputation. On top of all that, while we were still drinking the last of our tea, they brought our coats to us to push us out the door. We understand there is a 2 hour time limit per table but most of the other tables were still sitting and did not get nudged to leave. We understand it is the busy season, they could have been understaffed and everyone has bad days but if you’re in the hospitality industry, especially at the Four Seasons, you still need to be...

I truly appreciate this lounge, where the attention to detail and the quality of service reflect a genuine dedication to excellence. Allow me, however, to share a small reflection, more cultural than critical.

I have noticed that, out of kindness and a desire to make guests feel comfortable, some staff members adjust their manner of speaking depending on the customer’s appearance. For instance, when addressing Western guests, the tone or attitude sometimes becomes more Westernized, more direct, expressive, or even enthusiastic in an American way.

I completely understand and respect this intention to adapt, and it makes perfect sense for visitors who do not seek to engage with local tradition. In my case, however, when I visit Japan, I genuinely wish to embrace and respect Japanese etiquette. I speak with restraint, use a few Japanese words, and try to reflect the courtesy and composure that are so characteristic of Japanese culture.

For that reason, it feels slightly dissonant when, after making this effort, I am addressed in a distinctly Western tone, lively and outspoken rather than calm and refined in the Japanese way. I have nothing against that style; it feels perfectly natural in places like the United States or Europe. Yet, when in Japan, I deeply prefer to experience the Japanese way, including in the...

Nowhere really does afternoon tea with all the fancies like a really expensive Japanese hotel, and I try to get one fancy hotel afternoon tea in each time I go to Japan.

This time (March 2023) it was the Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, and they did not disappoint.

The teired tray was delightful; the savouries savoury and delicious; the strawberry and chocolate themed sweets like glittering jewels; the scones .... well, Japanese scones are always a little bit too hard and dense, but these were pretty good; the champagne proper French; and the tea proper English (and made good and strong just as I ordered it).

The guests were the usual entertaining people watching - the slightly hard faced old lady in the furs in the corner determinedly chomping her way through her cakes with no obvious sign of any pleasure whatsoever; the identical young and very rich twenty somethings carefully watching each other in case one of them actually swallowed any food; the delightful pair of middle-aged Japanese ladies obviously out for a big morning at a fancy hotel and loving every minute of gossiping about everyone else.

Such fun.

Seriously good afternoon tea, with spectacular views over the city and the...