Barry and I rise early, and take the new Skyliner fast train to Narita, which curiously leaves from Nippori Station (think, Essendon, or Malvern perhaps), to meet our group, and return to Tokyo by coach.   We arrive at the utterly fabulous Peninsula Tokyo, to be individually greeted by the General Manager and team, and whisked to rooms so fast, as if by osmosis - nothing so ordinary as credit card registration, home address etc.   Early check-in was so appreciated by the group members who had travelled overnight from Melbourne (albeit on a half full A380 for the final leg).  A lengthy room orientation was necessary, for as one "hotel escort" said - "We have many buttons".  Many buttons!  You can say that again.    The stunning bathroom is a destination in itself - superbly designed and possessed of a bewildering array of toys.   A drawer of amenities - everything from a lovely hairbrush, to hair ties, dental packs, shaving kits, and everything else you would expect.   Various large bars of soap (of which, more later), lotions and potions complete the picture.   Needless to say there is a pile of massive towels, robes, slippers et al.

The toilet!  Japan has long been famous for its "all singing/all dancing" toilets which provide visitors from the west with such amusement.  But, the Peninsula toilets are in a category all their own, with a control panel worthy of an aircraft.   Hard wash/soft wash/back bottie/front bottie/blow dry/deodorizer/music (to mask noises) full flush/half flush.  But best of all, one never needs to touch the seat.  A clever sensor raises the seat on approach, and closes it afterwards.  How quickly one gets used to that!

We move to the bathroom.   Another control panel -mostly to operate the TV in the mirror at the end of the bath however if you press "spa", the lights in the room go down, and the spa music comes up, and voila you have your own therapy session!   Goes without saying that the bath is exceedingly comfortable, and half an hour in there watching the sumo wrestling was very nice indeed!

Now we go to the dressing room - same size as the bathroom (massive).   We have all the obvious things (one escort suggested that if Mr. misbehaved he could sleep in there for the night, and indeed Mr. could have done so very comfortably).  We have the all important "valet box" for collection and delivery to/from the world outside.  Newspaper is deposited in here each morning, as is the laundry, your shoes (returned, polished in a lovely shoe bag).   There is a massive safe - with compartments, a dressing table and mirror, but best of all there is a nail dryer.  Yes ladies, you paint your nails, and slide them into the slot marked "nail dryer" to dry!!

The bedroom!   Beautifully designed of course - mini suite style with a nice sitting area, table and chairs, and desk.  The bedside tables have a console which beggars belief - everything from curtain openers, light dimmers, alarm etc.  But, the really clever bit is  that the console goes dark once you turn the lights out to sleep - that's nice, however, should you wish to turn on something in the night, all you need to do is reach out and wave your arm in the direction of the bedside table and the console lights up by sensor!   Ditto the TV remote.  At one stage Barry woke early and reached for the remote which (as soon as he picked it up) glowed in the dark.     Heavenly beds of course, and pillow selection.

Free internet, a fax machine and a mobile phone, which is an extension of your hotel phone) to take out of the hotel with you - i.e. should someone call your room and you are out shopping, no problem, you can take the call.  Each day, three perfect pieces of fruit are delivered to our table, and we eat them with the cute little bone handled knife and fork provided.  A Nespresso machine is provided as well.    Then in a nod to aesthetics, each room has a massive slab of cedar as a sliding door between room and corridor, and a stunning art work made from gilded cherry tree leaves.    Oh and there is the view of the Imperial Palace Moat.

As we come and go through the foyer the "smiling funeral directors" - the hotel uniform is morning suit, and lots of black - raise their heads in unison to say good morning/afternoon/evening, and to wish us a good day or enquire if we have had one.   When we arrive home soaking wet, towels are offered.    We are asked how we are finding "all the buttons" in the loom.     Talk about service, and warm hospitality.

 This is the place to spend your last $600!