Frequently Asked Questions about The Salon
The nature of the Manor, ways to spend your time, our butlers, fees and reservations
About Frequently Asked Questions about The Salon
The Salon FAQ gathers the points that first-time guests most often wonder about: the nature of the Manor, how the day unfolds, our butlers and Buddies, dress, fees and reservations.
The Manor is reserved for one party at a time, and a butler receives you
The Salon, at 2-7-4 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, is a place in which to experience the care of a butler and time spent at the Manor. At Queen's Butler your reserved hours are for one party alone; you will never share the house with other guests. For up to six guests, the butler arranges seating and movement to suit your number.
When the double doors open, the butler bows and takes your coat and belongings. Inside, the butler brews tea, discusses how any food and drink you have brought should be handled, and prepares everything in line with what has been agreed. If you wish to do nothing at all, you may sit quietly before the fire or in the study.
The Manor is never let unattended. Arrival and departure are handled by the butler, and no keys are handed over. In this house, guarding the door is also the butler's duty. Private hire means receiving your party alone; it does not mean entrusting the care of the Manor to our guests.
About The Salon
The terms of use at a glance
| Item | Our guidance | Before you reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Who may visit | Women | Gentlemen are invited to The Studio or The Footman experience |
| Guests | One party at a time, up to six guests | Late stays are for one guest only |
| Care of the Manor | A butler is present and handles arrival and departure | No keys are handed over |
| Food and drink | You are welcome to bring your own | The Manor does not provide meals |
| Dress | Your everyday clothes are welcome | There is no dress code |
| Butlers | Both male and female butlers | Please state any preference when reserving |
Which way of spending my time should I choose?
Relax without deciding anything
The sofa before the fire, the leather chair in the study, a rest on the bed: simply tell the butler your mood on the day. The butler withdraws until needed.
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Enjoy tea and its ceremony
Silver and porcelain are laid, and the butler brews each cup. If you are unsure how to receive the cup, your usual way is perfectly fine.
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Venture beyond the Manor
For stays of four hours or more, the butler accompanies you on a seaside drive or a shopping trip. Time spent out counts towards your stay, and
Read moreWhat we accept with items you bring
- You are welcome to bring your own food and drink
- Discussing in advance how your items should be handled, and confirming what can be accepted
- Brewing tea or coffee and pouring it into the cup
- Sharing any allergy information when you reserve
What the Manor cannot accept
- Providing meals from the Manor
- Guaranteeing the ingredients or allergen labelling of items you bring
- Opening items you have brought without your permission
- Handling beyond the scope of a butler's duties
What happens from arrival to farewell?
Send us your wishes
Tell us your preferred date and time, number of guests, how you wish to spend your time and any butler preference via the form.
Receive guidance from the butler
We advise by email on availability, hours, fees and what to confirm on the day.
Be received at the double doors
At your reserved time the butler opens the door, bows and takes your coat and belongings. On rainy days, umbrellas and wet coats are taken first, and a moment is left for you to compose yourself.
Choose your first cup
You are shown to your seat, and as the tea is brewed the butler asks about your mood for the day. If you have not decided how to spend your time, your present wish alone will do: quiet, conversation or a keepsake.
Ring for the butler
When the butler is in the anteroom, ring the silver bell on the table once. There is no need to hold back over small requests such as more tea or a lap blanket.
How do a butler and a Buddy differ?
| Butler | One who attends you at the Manor: receiving you, serving, watching over you and seeing you off. |
|---|---|
| Buddy | A butler you choose to keep, who aims to read your intentions as if an extension of yourself. Nominating a Buddy is a privilege of Silver membership and above. |
| Visitor preferences | If you have a preferred butler, we note it when you reserve and advise after checking availability. |
| Butler visit | A set number of visits is included as a privilege of Gold membership and above: eight hours each, within Tokyo's 23 wards, requested at least 30 days in advance. |
| Butler contract | A contract under which a Buddy you have grown fond of attends you at home or elsewhere. Only a limited number of butlers can accept a contract. |
Guarding the door through the night is also the butler's duty
A late stay is a thirteen-hour stay for one guest, from 8 pm until 9 am the following morning. No evening slot is offered on that day, and reservations for the late hours alone are not accepted. From the lamps of early evening to tea the next morning, the butler arranges it as one continuous span of time.
No keys are handed over. Throughout, the butler remains in the anteroom, and you may ring the bell whenever you need anything. The bed is yours to rest in, but the care of the Manor and its arrival and departure remain the butler's responsibility.
As a guide, bring a change of clothes and your toiletries. You are welcome to bring food and drink. If you have wishes about the evening or your departure time the next morning, please let us know when you reserve. On rainy days, rather than forcing plans to go out, you may turn to indoor pursuits such as the theatre room or reading.
See the late stay
QMay gentlemen visit The Salon?
The Salon is a house for women. For photography, meetings and the experience of a butler's attire and deportment there are separate services; please check the eligibility on each page.
QWill I share the house with other guests?
No. We are by appointment only and receive one party at a time, so the Manor is yours alone for a party of up to six. Whether for a quiet hour by yourself or conversation with friends, you need not mind the eyes of others.
QMay I bring food and drink?
You are welcome to bring your own food and drink. The Manor does not provide meals; please discuss in advance how you would like your items handled, and we confirm what the butler can accept.
QAre there rules about dress or what to bring?
There is no dress code, so please come in your everyday clothes. You may arrive empty-handed, or bring books, work papers, sweets and drinks as you wish.
QMay I request a female butler, or the same butler each time?
Queen's Butler has both male and female butlers. Preferences are noted when you reserve; nominating the same Buddy on a continuing basis is a privilege of Silver membership and above.
QMay I take photographs inside the Manor?
The butler will take keepsake photographs for you. Tell us the setting you have in mind: the leather chair in the study, before the fire, beside the suit of armour.
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 late-night stays
- We do not hand over keys. In this manor, guarding the door is also the butler's duty
About bringing food and drink
- You are welcome to bring your own food and drink
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
You may also wish to read
About The Salon
An overview of the Manor reserved for one party, and the hours in which a butler attends you.
Read more
Your First Visit to The Salon: How the Day Unfolds
The flow from arrival to farewell, what to bring and what to wear.
Read more
Fees at The Salon
Compare visitor rates, the late stay and the four membership tiers.
Read more
For any question not answered here, please ask the butler.
Tell us your preferred date and time, number of guests and the ways of spending your time you are weighing, and the butler will answer your questions before you reserve.