10/10
“Outstanding.”
Impeccable service, outstanding facilities, fabulous rooms.
Tokyo · head to head
Palace Hotel Tokyo vs Shangri-La Tokyo
Priced on the same night, 2026-10-10: Palace Hotel Tokyo is $239 a night less. They are 739 metres apart.
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The honest take
Palace Hotel Tokyo is $162 more a night but holds the higher guest rating from fewer, more concentrated reviews, and it faces the Imperial Palace moat directly rather than sitting inside a tower block. Shangri-La Tokyo is cheaper, has more reviews behind its 9.4, and offers a hot tub and pet allowance that Palace does not list. Both sit in Marunouchi within a kilometre of each other, so the choice is really about atmosphere and those two extra facilities rather than location.
The look and the feel
Palace Hotel Tokyo
Palace Hotel Tokyo is a 2012 rebuild on the site of the original 1961 hotel, low-slung by Tokyo standards and deliberately restrained, facing straight onto the Imperial Palace moat and its pines. The lobby runs long and quiet, stone floors, timber screens, and a lot of natural light off the water rather than the glare of the district behind it. Seven restaurants spread through the building including Crown, the top-floor bar with the best moat view in the city at dusk. It draws an older, quieter luxury crowd, more interested in the view and the calm than in spectacle.
Guests who want a quiet, low-rise hotel with a direct relationship to the palace moat and don't need a pool.
Shangri-La Tokyo
Shangri-La Tokyo occupies the upper floors of the Marunouchi Trust Tower, so the identity is vertical: glass, height, and views out to the Imperial Palace grounds, Tokyo Skytree, and on clear days Fuji. The Horizon Club lounge and the 20-metre indoor pool and CHI spa give it a resort layer that a palace-facing hotel built low to the ground cannot fit in. Public rooms feel more corporate-luxury than domestic, marble and dark wood in a high-rise idiom, and the crowd skews toward business travellers and those making a special trip who want the pool and lounge access.
Guests who want tower views, a proper indoor pool and spa, and lounge access, and who may be travelling with a pet.
Booking Palace over Shangri-La means giving up the 20-metre indoor pool, CHI spa, and the option to bring a pet.
Palace is the more beautiful place to sit still in, its low profile and moat frontage give it a calm no tower can match, though Shangri-La's height delivers the more dramatic view.
The numbers
| Palace Hotel Tokyo | Shangri-La Tokyo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price, same night | $1,381 | $1,620 |
| Guest rating | 9.6/10 | 9.4/10 |
| Reviews | 434 | 575 |
| Stars | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Facilities on our list | 6 | 8 |
| Distance apart | 739 m |
What one has that the other doesn't
Only Palace Hotel Tokyo has
Nothing on our list that Shangri-La Tokyo lacks.
Only Shangri-La Tokyo has
- Pet
- Hot tub
What guests actually say
Palace Hotel Tokyo
- impeccable service
- great location near Tokyo Station
- impressive views and rooms
- extra charge for small spa/sauna
- outdated TV
“-the staff was just super nice and helpful -one of the best looking hotel I've ever been to. -amazing view and to have a balcony in your room is just fantastic and rare in Tokyo. -5 min walk to Tokyo Station”
Shangri-La Tokyo
- amazing, attentive service
- convenient location
- very clean property
- room pricing and bed configuration
- early housekeeping knocking
“Amazing service all around.”
Palace Hotel guests seem happier overall, praising impeccable service and standout rooms with only minor gripes, while Shangri-La guests, though positive on service and cleanliness, note pricing and early housekeeping annoyances.
Rooms & rates, 2026-10-10
Palace Hotel Tokyo
- Deluxe Room 1 King Bed King Only 45SQM 484SQFTRoom Only$1,341
- Deluxe Room 1 King Bed King Only 45SQM 484SQFTRoom Only · free cancellation$1,344
- Deluxe King RoomRoom Only$1,374
Shangri-La Tokyo
- Deluxe Imperial Garden View King RoomRoom Only$1,610
- Deluxe Imperial Garden View Twin RoomRoom Only$1,610
- Deluxe Imperial Garden View Room KingRoom Only$1,620
In guests' own words
Palace Hotel Tokyo
10/10
-the staff was just super nice and helpful -one of the best looking hotel I've ever been to. -amazing view and to have a balcony in your room is just fantastic and rare in Tokyo. -5 min walk to Tokyo Station
-TV was a bit out of date
Shangri-La Tokyo
10/10
“Favorite hotel in Tokyo”
Amazing service all around. Misaki Ohno was always so delightful and helpful with everything. Beautiful property, convenient location to get around and to and from both airports. Service with a smile. Everyone aims to please and exceed expectations. Can’t wait to stay here again!
9/10
“Brilliant”
Location - Cleanness
Prices - such big rooms sold for 4 but only has 1 king or 2 double beds expected to share with others.
9/10
“Awesome, I would stay there 10 times over”
Great people and very clean
House keeping knocking on the door 10am, I go to holiday so I have to wake up late
About each
Palace Hotel Tokyo
Luxurious 5-Star Accommodation in Marunouchi Business District Elegant Rooms and Top-Notch Amenities Indulge in spacious rooms with modern amenities including a large LCD TV, blu-ray/DVD player, and a spa-like en suite bathroom. Stay connected with free WiFi and enjoy the convenience of a safety box, fridge, and electric kettle in every room. Dining…
Check-in — · Check-out 12:00 PM
Shangri-La Tokyo
Luxurious Accommodation with Spectacular Views The Shangri-La Tokyo offers a prime location next to JR Tokyo Station, boasting elegant rooms with stunning views of the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Sky Tree, and Mount Fuji. Enjoy top-notch amenities including a 20-meter indoor pool, CHI spa, and exclusive Horizon Club lounge access. Convenient Transportation and…
Check-in — · Check-out 12:00 PM
Facilities, in full
Palace Hotel Tokyo
- WiFi available
- Free WiFi
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Air conditioning
- Fitness center
- Swimming pool
- 24-hour front desk
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Heating
- Terrace
- Lift / Elevator
- Laundry
- Luggage storage
- Safety deposit box
Shangri-La Tokyo
- Fitness facilities
- WiFi available
- Free WiFi
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Air conditioning
- Fitness center
- Swimming pool
- 24-hour front desk
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Business center
- Heating
- Pets allowed
- Lift / Elevator
- Laundry
Where they are
Chiyoda-ku Marunouchi 1-1-1Chiyoda-ku, Marunouchi Trust Tower Main, 1-8-3 Marunouchi,
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Rates are live for 2026-10-10, one night, two guests, fetched together so the two are comparable. Facilities and reviews are from each hotel's own listing. The honest take is written by our AI from the listing, the reviews and what is widely known about each hotel. HotelDupe earns a commission if you book, which never changes the verdict. All comparisons