Japan is renowned for its exceptional service and hospitality, with a deep-rooted ‘omotenashi’ culture that sees guests treated with the utmost respect permeating all aspects of life.
However, the top luxury hotels in Tokyo – exquisite, high-end addresses dotted across famous neighborhoods such as Shinjuku, Akasaka, and Ginza – really take it to the next level.
The grand chandelier at Shangri-La Tokyo
From an upmarket, modern take on a traditional guesthouse to a landmark hotel and bar immortalized in the Sofia Coppola-directed classic ‘Lost in Translation’, these are the best luxury hotels Tokyo has to offer.
1. The Peninsula Tokyo
From the moment you pull up to The Peninsula Tokyo, it’s clear you’re at no ordinary hotel. A fleet of signature Brewster Green Rolls Royce gleam in the driveway; white-clad porters greet you at the door and offer to assist with luggage.
The Peninsula Tokyo puts a local twist on the original Hong Kong icon
Set on the edge of the premium Ginza shopping district, the five star Tokyo hotel is one of the most highly awarded in the city, and has some of the largest rooms too. The Deluxe is a stunner, while the vast-yet-beautiful Hibiya and Peninsula Suites could almost do with walkie-talkies to help you communicate with your partner.
It’s a feast for the eyes, as well as the stomach at ‘Peter’
The culinary offering is worth relishing too, with 40-day dry-aged striploin and Hokkaido scallops signature dishes at steak and grill restaurant ‘Peter’, while ‘Hei Fung Terrace’ serves modern Cantonese cuisine with views of the Imperial Palace Gardens.
2. The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo
You’ll feel like visiting royalty at The Ritz Carlton Tokyo. Reaching high above the museums, eateries and boutiques of the Tokyo Midtown precinct, with breathtaking views to Mt Fuji, it’s a five star hotel with a well-earned reputation.
The Modern Japanese Suite combines the best of east and west
Within its sophisticated confines are seven restaurants and bars, including Azure 45 French and The Bar, which dishes up a shareable menu and specialty cocktails like the AU$28,000 ‘Diamonds are Forever Martini’, garnished with a one-carat diamond.
The Lobby Lounge throws minimalism to the wind, creating a warm and inviting space
Guest rooms are all a fusion of east and west, though the Modern Japanese Suite truly embodies the philosophy. It combines traditional elements such as tatami mat floors and shoji paper screens with high-tech gadgetry and contemporary finishes.
3. Park Hyatt Tokyo
Shinjuku is one of Tokyo’s most exciting areas; an electric hub of retail and nightlife, with hundreds of hole-in-the-wall bars offering a chance to meet and share a drink with locals.
Take a dip in the hotel’s 47th floor pool
Close to Shinjuku Station, which sees up to 3.5 million commuters pass through each day, Park HyattTokyo is a haven of elegance and calm, yet still within easy reach of the action and the central business district.
‘For relaxing times, make it Suntory time’ at New York Grill
Occupying the top 14 floors of a gleaming 52-storey skyscraper, with a snazzy New York grill and jazz bar – the one featured in ‘Lost in Translation’, a highly-acclaimed day spa and 177 chic guest rooms and suites, it’s a Tokyo hotel tailor-made for Suntory time.
4. Aman Tokyo
There’s a fine line between minimalism and emptiness, yet Aman Tokyo strikes just the right balance. With simply furnished rooms, it allows the design to speak for itself, while still feeling warm and inviting.
Aman Tokyo’s Deluxe Palace Garden View offers a vista worth traveling for
Perched amid the top levels of Otemachi Tower in Chiyoda, the hotel is stunning from every angle. Each room is worth checking into, but the Deluxe Palace Garden View is one worth splurging on.
The hotel’s Lobby Lounge is designed to resemble the inside of a paper lantern
The hotel’s soaring, stone-clad lobby is a knockout too, while each of the four restaurants – including the intimate Musashi sushi and sashimi omakase seating just eight guests – offer dishes that are as exquisite to look at as they are to eat.
5. Shangri-La Tokyo
Step inside any Shangri-La around the world and you’ll find impeccable service and attention to detail, opulent rooms and restaurants that tickle your tastebuds in all the right places. Plus, a quintessential element of the brand, chandeliers for days.
Every room at the Shangri-La Tokyo features a signature chandelier
Adjacent to Tokyo Station, the award-winning Shangri-La Tokyo delivers it all – and more.
It’s both a convenient base for work and leisure, with the top-floor Horizon Club – available to guests in Horizon Club level rooms – granting an assortment of daily perks like breakfast, afternoon canapes and cocktails, and two hours meeting room hire.
Nadaman Restaurant is part of an historic culinary family
Whether you’re in the mood for signature Japanese at Nadaman, part of a culinary group that has served diners since 1830, or modern Italian at Piacere, the hotel has you covered.
6. The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon
Although not yet a household name, Edition is building a deserved reputation with its collection of serene, evocative oases in the world’s greatest cities. The Tokyo Edition in Toranomonin particular, is definitely worth your attention.
Picture yourself in a seat at the Garden Terrace
The 206-room hotel is blessed with mesmerizing skyline views, with The Jade Room and Garden Terrace – its new signature restaurant and rooftop bar from Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens – affording an incredible outlook to the Eiffel-like Tokyo Tower.
The Gold Bar certainly lives up to its name
Beyond the terrace, there’s The Blue Room, with its neon-blue decor and abundant greenery, as well as the Gold Bar and a Lobby Lounge you’d happily linger in. The location is perfect too, with access to Kamiyacho, Roppongi-Itchome and Toranomon subway stations.
7. Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
From the grand Presidential Suite to its entry-level Deluxe, every room at Mandarin Oriental Tokyo affords sweeping views of the city. If you can take your eyes off the decor, that is.
A Grand King Room at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
Situated in the financial district, this luxury Tokyo hotel is split across two buildings – a modern tower and the heritage-listed Mitsui Main Building. Within are 57 retro-futuristic rooms and 22 suites, 10 delicious restaurants and bars, and an award winning spa.
The 37th floor ‘Sense’ restaurant pairs Cantonese cuisine with an impressive view
Celebrating the location, it also offers guests a taste of local culture, with immersive experiences from rickshaw rides to geisha performances, foodie tours and boat cruises on hand.
8. Hoshinoya Tokyo
Combining the intimacy of a traditional ryokan guesthouse with the polish of a five star hotel, Hoshinoya Tokyo is a very different kind of experience. And yet, the sense of luxury and refinement that permeates every inch cannot be denied.
Hoshinoya Tokyo is where tradition meets modern glamour
Just 17 storeys in height, the multi-award-winning hotel’s unique design features extensive use of tatami grass mat flooring, shoji paper screens, and cypress-framed furnishings. Each floor is designed to function as its own six-room ryokan too, complete with a communal lounge.
An unexpected highlight is its rooftop onsena hot spring with two gender-separated bathing halls, each filled with mineral-rich water pumped up from 1500 meters below ground.
The Sakura Room is an inviting sanctuary within Tokyo’s financial district
Guests are also encouraged to wear traditional yukata clothing while staying at the hotel.
9. The Tokyo Station Hotel
Tokyo Station Hotel is an icon of the city. If its red-brick walls could talk, they would tell stories of the renowned writers and public figures who have called it home throughout more than a century, yet it’s not just a hotel for history buffs.
The red-brick Tokyo Station is an icon of the city
First opened in 1915, and extensively refurbished in 2012, the station effortlessly dances the line of classic charm and modern convenience, with 150 rooms and suites that wouldn’t be out of place in a top European hotel.
The two-storey Maisonette Suites are tucked into the corner tower of Tokyo Station
When hunger strikes, diners have a choice of ten distinct restaurants and bars, ranging from French to Italian, Japanese and Cantonese. There’s also a relaxing wellness spa and artificial hot spring onsite to help soothe weary travellers.
10. The Capitol Hotel Tokyo
Amid the political heart of Tokyo, across from the Prime Minister’s Office, The Capitol Hotel Tokyo is a regular haunt of visiting dignitaries and VIPs. It’s also right on the doorstep of Hie Shrine, making it well placed for both sightseeing and business.
The surrounding area is one of the top cherry blossom locations in the city
Fusing Japanese and Western design, with sliding partitions, shoji screens and plush beds, each of its 251 rooms and suites are a calm and inviting sanctuary. Plus, there’s an executive club ‘SaRyoh’ with complimentary dining, drinks and more.
Enjoy a view to the National Diet Building, the hub of political activity in Japan
Multiple fine dining and bar options round out the experience, ensuring guests have ample opportunity to experience the proud ‘omotenashi’ hospitality Japan is so renowned for.
