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Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel Shibuya

1 month ago

Even during consecutive holidays when hotels jack up prices to rip people off, this one was reasonably priced so I picked it. I booked the Cerulean Floor, and on site I could upgrade to an executive room for 12,000, and I could use the credit they gave me to cover it. Their room upgrade pricing is actually a fixed fee written in the employee handbook: standard to Cerulean is 4,000, Cerulean to executive is 12,000. As long as you book the cheapest base room and pay for the upgrade at the front desk, it's tens of thousands of JPY cheaper than booking directly online.

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Comments (7)

清心荷1 month ago

This upgrade price list is indeed cheaper than booking directly online, but it depends on your check-in date and room availability. If the hotel is fully booked or it's peak season, the front desk may not allow the upgrade, so it's best to email ahead and ask whether an executive room is available for upgrade on that day.

chen8871 month ago

The key challenge is whether an executive room is available. No matter how fixed the price is, it's useless without a room.

岁安长安1 month ago

You mentioned using credit to offset the upgrade fee—is this credit something that comes with the package when booking, or is it a membership benefit? Also, after the upgrade, do you get the full executive benefits or just lounge access? If you could clarify these two points, it would be easier for everyone to judge whether this is worth doing.

楼兰孤烟1 month ago

This fixed upgrade fee can differ between domestic Japanese guests and overseas guests, and some hotels only offer it if you book through the Japanese-language website or by phone. On top of that, the base rate for the cheapest room varies a lot by season, so upgrading during the off-season can actually end up costing more than just booking the higher-tier room directly—you'll need to do the math yourself to see the total.

陈宣甫1 month ago

Note that upgrade fees usually don't include taxes and service charges, so your bill at checkout may be higher than the listed price.

易碎的温柔1 month ago

I'd still be cautious about this whole "fixed fee for the employee handbook" claim. Hotel pricing policies change all the time, and someone else's recent success doesn't mean it'll still work next month—plus different room types and lengths of stay can all affect it. Best to have someone email ahead of check-in and get written confirmation before deciding whether to gamble on a front-desk upgrade.

小兵传奇1 month ago

If you confirm there's availability on the day, paying for an upgrade at the front desk is indeed more cost-effective than booking the next room category up directly. Before you leave, check the price difference for the executive room, then email the hotel to ask if they can hold the upgrade option for you.