One night in Hello Kitty Room

Hello Kitty is one of the most popular Japanese characters, loved by many people around the world; not only children but adults too. Hello Kitty has quite a fan base here in Malaysia and the first time Hello Kitty made her debut appearance in KL was in 1987. Everybody knows who Kitty is. Kitty has been a global superstar since its creation in 1974 by Yuko Shimizu for Sanrio Co Ltd. The popularity of Hello Kitty around the globe has been built on the dramatic expansion of overseas licensing through collaborative initiatives with business partners and brand names around the world. As such, at home front (Tokyo), the idea of collaborating with Sanrio attracted Keio Plaza Hotel’s management team.

Hello Kitty Rooms were opened in 2014 and Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo offers a total of eight Hello Kitty rooms, in two themes of Kitty Town with the delightfully pop décor, and Princess Kitty, equipped with furniture dedicated to the charm of Kitty. These rooms have gathered media attention from around the world and have been popular among both Japanese and overseas guests.

Reading about the extensive publicity, I was intrigued with the idea of spending a night at Hello Kitty-themed room (because I am a fan of Kitty myself) and decided to check out the room during my trip to Tokyo recently, all thanks to Keio Plaza Hotel for responding to my request for a complimentary stay in Hello Kitty room. I invited my friend Mazni and her daughter Nadya (who studied in Tokyo), to join in the fun spending the night with Kitty.

Guess who tagged along with us? Dina!

Big Hello Kitty and Little Dina. Can you see her?

The Hello Kitty room we stayed in is provided with specially created Hello Kitty amenities including Hello Kitty letter sets, pens, plastic bags, slippers and other goods to take home as souvenirs.

The room also comes with a special room service breakfast that includes an omelette, sandwich, soup and others created in the concept of Hello Kitty. As for Muslims, they can serve a vegetarian breakfast, still in the manner of the Hello Kitty concept, but do take note that the hotel’s kitchens are not halal. It is safe to just eat out at Halal food outlets available around the Shinjuku area. More notes about this are below.

Amenities in the room include free Wi-Fi service, Japanese Tea, Coffee and Tea, a Kettle, a Minibar, a refrigerator, a hairdryer, an in-room safe, a TV and many more.

Overall view of the room.

The pop decor.

Drinking facility in the room. You can take the bottles home. 🙂

Bathroom with Hello Kitty bath gel, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, cotton, and facial cleanser.

We had a blast staying in the Hello Kitty room.  Honestly, it is better than I thought it would be. The bed was very comfy and the pink tub rocked. The Yutaka nightwear was awesome, and we loved the tea/coffee-making facility. The view from the room was great too. All together, we loved everything about the room and most importantly, we loved our stay.

In addition, we got to experience certain areas of the hotel such as the lounge on the 45th floor where we can see buildings around the Shinjuku area.

Mazni and Nadya experienced the tea ceremony at the hotel the next day while I was down with mild fatigue because I had been forcing my feet to walk more than they could. Will tell you about the interesting tea ceremony (according to Mazni) in another blog posting soon.

Let me sum up all the perks of staying in the Hello Kitty Room:

1. Exclusive reception desk. Quick and easy check-in/check-out service is available for the Hello Kitty room-staying guests at the exclusive premier counter.
2. Special room service breakfast that includes omelette, sandwich, soup and others created in the concept of Hello Kitty. Great for non-Muslim guests.
3. Access to Sky Pool, lounges and many more. They will consult you upon check-in.
4. Hello Kitty gifts; Hello Kitty letter sets, pens, plastic bags, slippers and other goods. There will be notes in the room on which items you are welcome to take home.

With great perks, come a great price. For 2 adults and 1 children, the rate is from JPY 52,000/Night (without breakfast). With breakfast, the rate is from JPY 61,000/Night. Around MYR2,000 and MYR2,400 respectively.

Note for Muslim guests

1. Keio Plaza Hotel is working towards facilitating Muslim guests a comfortable stay and is providing a praying mat and Qibla compass upon request.
2. Unfortunately, the hotel’s kitchens are not halal and they are not providing separate dishes yet (should you wish to eat only vegetables, fruits and seafood).
3. To get Halal food near Shinjuku or other Tokyo areas, check out Muslim Guide Tokyo.

About Keio Plaza Hotel
Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo, located in Shinjuku at the very heart of the nation’s capital Tokyo, is one of Japan’s leading international hotels. The hotel boasts over 20 restaurants and bars and hosts a wide range of local and international guests who visit us for our open and welcoming facilities, top-notch services, and warm hospitality. For more information about the facilities and services, please visit their website, YouTube, Facebook or Instagram.

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo
2-2-1 Nishi-Shinjuku,
Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo
160-8330 Japan.

Keio Plaza Hotel Tama also has Hello Kitty rooms. If you are planning to go to Sanrio Puroland, the home of Hello Kitty, which is only a five-minute walk from the hotel, maybe it is a good idea to consider staying there.

More photos of Hello Kitty rooms are below. Enjoy!

Hello Kitty Town room.

Princess Kitty room.

Disclaimer: Although the stay was complimentary, my opinion in this blog post is hundred per cent honest.