The Salon
A house for women, with a butler in attendance
About The Salon
The Salon is a by-appointment-only time for women: an antique house in Odaiba, Tokyo, reserved for a single party, where a butler remains in the house to attend to you for as long as you stay.
Even on a first visit, the butler guides you from the door
On the day you arrive at Queen's Butler, the butler is waiting just inside the door. After a bow and a quiet confirmation of your name, your coat and belongings are taken, and you are shown into a house prepared for that day. If it is your first visit, the butler will tell you gently what comes next, so there is no need to know the etiquette in advance.
By appointment only, one party at a time: your reserved hours are never shared with another party, and the butler prepares the house for the guest before them. The silver bell on the table, the hand that draws your chair, the pause before the tea is poured, the moment the lights are lowered: wishes you do not put into words are read from your expression and your pace.
The house is never let unattended. While you read in the study or talk by the fire, the butler remains close at hand. When it is time to leave, your coat is arranged and you are seen off beyond the door.
About The Salon
The house sits inside a building in Aomi, Odaiba
The Queen's Butler house is within a building at 2-7-4 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo. It stands in a corner of the waterfront within walking distance of the Yurikamome and Rinkai lines, and the butler welcomes you at the entrance.
From the building's rooftop you can look out over the Rainbow Bridge and the beautiful night view of Odaiba.
On a rainy day the butler takes your wet umbrella and coat and arranges the order of rooms so that you move through the house with ease. As the lighting shifts from the dining room to the study and the fireside, several scenes unfold within a single day without stepping outside. Should the weather keep you from going out, the butler asks how you feel that day and reshapes the time accordingly.
Choose how to spend your time in the house to suit the mood of the day
Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea is a quiet afternoon savoured as the butler sets the cups and pours from a silver pot. You are welcome to bring your own food and drink.
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At the Table
In the dining room the butler draws your chair and, only where needed, quietly shows you the handling of the silver and the placing of the napkin. The house does not serve meals; you are welcome to bring your own food and drink.
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Relaxation
The sofa by the fire, the leather chair in the study, a 19th-century French bed. The butler arranges a blanket and the lights, and waits at a distance that never intrudes on your reading or conversation.
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Theatre
A 120-inch screen rises in the fireplace room, and the butler lowers the chandelier.
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The Butler's Attentions
Head care, attention to the shoulders, foot care, reading aloud, companionship in conversation. As only certain butlers can offer these, please tell us your wishes when you book.
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An Outing with Your Butler
For stays of four hours or more, the butler may accompany you from the house into the Tokyo Waterfront area. Chauffeured pick-up to and from Tokyo Teleport Station and nearby is a service that comes with your plan. As there are days when the car is unavailable, we confirm this when you book.
Read moreChoose the length of your stay by how much you would like to do
| Duration | Suited to | Visitor fee (tax incl.) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | Tea and relaxation, or a commemorative photograph | ¥17,600 (incl. tax) |
| 4 hours | Tea, the table and the theatre at leisure. An outing beyond the house is also possible | ¥35,200 (incl. tax) |
| 6 hours | A daytime or evening slot, moving between several rooms | ¥52,800 (incl. tax) |
| 20:00 to 9:00 the next morning | An overnight stay. For one guest only | ¥102,000 (incl. tax) |
Standard visits are ¥8,800 per hour (tax incl.), for two to six hours. The fee is the same for up to two guests; from the third guest, ¥4,400 per person per hour (tax incl.) is added, up to a maximum of six guests.
From arrival to farewell, the butler shapes your time
Tell us your wishes
When booking, let us know the date and time, the number of guests, what you would like to do and any wishes regarding your butler.
Be welcomed at the door
The butler bows, takes your belongings and coat, and shows you into the house.
The first cup is prepared
The butler prepares tea and your seat, and briefly discusses the order of the day with you.
Move between the rooms
The dining room, the study, the fireplace room and the bedroom, according to your mood and the time.
Ring the silver bell
When the butler has withdrawn to the anteroom, ring the silver bell on the table to call them.
A butler you wish to see again may be chosen as your Buddy
At Queen's Butler, a Buddy is the butler you have chosen as your own at The Salon. More than a single request by name, it is a relationship in which the butler comes to know your preferred tea, the rhythm of your conversation and the corner of the house where you feel most at ease, and welcomes your next visit as a continuation of the last.
Both male and female butlers are in residence. Preferences of gender or age may be discussed when you book. Choosing your own butler is a benefit of Silver membership and above, and only certain butlers are able to enter into a butler contract.
The Salon centres on time spent within the house. A butler contract with a Buddy you have grown fond of is a separate arrangement for attending to you outside the house, at your home for instance. Once you understand the difference, choose the relationship that suits you.
Buddy and membership
What first-time guests may wish to know before booking
| Use | By appointment only, one party at a time. For women, from one to six guests. |
|---|---|
| Butlers | Male and female butlers of the Japan Butler Association. The butler remains in the house for as long as you do |
| Address | 2-7-4 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo |
| Dress | There is no dress code; come as you please. If you have an outfit or accessories you wish to photograph, the butler will help with keeping them and with changing |
| Food and drink | You are welcome to bring your own. The house does not serve meals |
| Photographs | You may take photographs within the house. Tell the butler the scenes you wish to keep: the dining room, the study, the fireplace room, the bedroom. Where a butler appears, please confirm their consent |
The butler's attentions included in the fee
- Welcome and farewell at the entrance
- Taking your coat and belongings
- Guidance through each room and help with the furnishings
- Time to watch, at close hand, tea being brewed and silver being handled
- Chairs, lighting, blankets, the theatre: attentions that shape the way you spend the day
What you bring yourself
- Meals themselves
- Requests beyond the scope of a butler's duties or that compromise their dignity
QMay I come on my own?
Yes, you are welcome to spend the time quietly on your own. The butler asks how much conversation you would like and at what distance to wait, so as not to disturb your reading or your tea.
QHow many friends may I bring?
The standard daytime and evening slots take up to six guests. From the third guest an additional charge applies per person, so please also see the fees page.
QWhat should I wear?
There is no dress code. Choose a favourite outfit for a day of commemorative photographs, or something comfortable for a quiet day by the fire or in the study.
QMay I request a female butler?
Yes. Preferences of gender and age may be given when you book. We check availability and, where a wish cannot be met, suggest an alternative.
QMay I bring food and drink?
Yes, you are welcome to bring your own food and drink. The house does not serve meals themselves. The butler's handling of the silver can be watched at close hand as a scene at the table.
QCan I enjoy it on a rainy day?
Tea, reading, the theatre and photographs within the Queen's Butler house can be enjoyed whatever the weather. On a day when you had planned to go out, we ask your wishes and reshape the time within the house.
Who may visit
- The Salon is a manor for ladies
- Both male and female butlers are in residence. If you have a preference, please tell us when you book
About your Buddy
- A Buddy agreement depends on the butler's availability and requires the consent of both parties. We cannot guarantee that an agreement will be made
- Only some of our butlers are able to enter into a butler agreement
About bringing food and drink
- You are welcome to bring your own food and drink
You may also wish to read
Your first visit to The Salon: how the day unfolds
What to bring, what to wear, and the day from arrival to farewell, in order.
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A Room in an Old Castle
The design philosophy of a house where an English manor and French Rococo meet.
Read more
Frequently Asked Questions
Booking, numbers, dress, food and drink, photographs and more.
Read moreAt a table of roses, the butler awaits you
Tell us your preferred date and time, the number of guests and what you would like to do that day. The butler will prepare the house and the lights to welcome you.