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Park Hyatt Tokyo Gets a Taste of Jean Georges

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

| June 3, 2009 at 12:39 PM | 0 Comments

Who said American exports are down lately? Our favorite tongue-twisting chef, Jean Georges Vongerichten, is sending his trusty lieutenant, Mark Lapico, to the Park Hyatt Tokyo’s New York Grill from July 6-12.

Lapico’s work at Vongerichten’s famous eponymous Jean Georges restaurant in New York has earned him four stars from the New York Times, three Michelin stars, and the “Most Outstanding Restaurant” title at the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards.

Vongerichten’s own cuisine marries contemporary French and Asian cuisines thanks to his years of working in Asia, and Lapico helps take that concept to another level with dishes like yellowfin tuna ribbons with avocado, spicy radish and ginger marinade.

If you’re planning to stay at this vertiginous high-rise hotel (rooms start on the 41st floor) beloved of Sofia Coppola and “Lost In Translation” fans everywhere, rooms during Lapico’s brief tenure will run you about $375 for a standard king up to $1120 for a Park Suite Twin. Book in advance and ask for a room with a view of Mount Fuji to contemplate after your meal.

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When the Going Gets Tough, Hole Yourself Up in a Ritz-Carlton

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 9-7-1 Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan

| March 20, 2009 at 9:53 AM | 0 Comments

Poor Katie Holmes. She's always seemed so nice and innocent and friendly — but then she married Tom Cruise and now everyone just kinda whispers and gossips about her. Things must be rough, what with the recent speculation about her Scientology-supporting hubby putting her on a crazy-strict diet, her tired-looking face (she's a new mom!) and all that.

So what do you do when you're Katie Holmes and the going gets tough and people are commenting on your appearance and your lifestyle? Well, you fly across the globe and lock yourself in a Ritz-Carlton Tokyo room — and you don't come out until you're feeling and looking like a beautiful new butterfly.

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Chillax With the Biz Class at ANA Intercontinental Tokyo's New Lounge

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 1-12-33 Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 107-0052

| February 26, 2009 at 12:42 PM | 0 Comments

Most leisure travelers will never get to experience it, let along know it exists, but for the busy business traveler, a hote's executive club lounge is a home away from home. Recognizing that Tokyo is a city with a huge executive traffic, the ANA Intercontinental Hotel has emerged as the frontrunner in the race to have the best lounge simply by building the biggest with the best views.

In fact, the new executive club lounge at the ANA is the entire country's largest as such, and the 2,000-square-foot space boasts more than just impressive couches, but six distinct areas: a welcome reception, library, relaxation space, dining room, bar and meeting facility. Instead of aiming for generic luxury with the design, the Intercontinental wants to know that you are kicking butt and taking names in business in Tokyo, so expect cultural touches like transparent divider screens, lacquer ware and bamboo use.

Although the lounge is large, it is far from packed and noisy as only 198 of the hotel's 843 guest rooms have access to it, and its startlingly awesome views of Tokyo's city centre, the Imperial Palace, the National Diet building and Roppongi Hills. Executive rooms begin at $350, which is quite good for Tokyo and the included use of the club facilities; free executive club martinis all around.

[Photo: IHG AHA Hotels Group Japan]

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Park Hyatt Tokyo's Views Don't Get Lost in Translation

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, 163-1055

| January 29, 2009 at 1:55 PM | 0 Comments

We are suckers for a room with a killer view.  We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty--yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.

Wow. This snapshot was sent in by reader E., who went to Japan this fall and nabbed a pic of this view from the Park Hyatt Tokyo. While the shot isn't technically from a room, he offers this explanation:

A snapshot from The New York Bar & Grill at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, floor 52. Since the hotel starts from the 41st floor, this is pretty much what you are looking at from any given room. Jaw-dropping views, good cocktails, all hushed modern elegance - loved it. It's not the best photo, but blame it on the drinks we had.

For movie buffs (or ScarJo fans): yes, this is the bar where many of the scenes from Lost in Translation were filmed. Um, killer views, plus an opportunity to live out a ScarJo/Bill Murray romance and indulge in potent booze? Sounds like perfection to us — though it's a bit pricey.

Rooms here start at 45000 JPY, which comes out to about 500 USD. But in addition to killer views like this, rooms offer deep soaking tubs, Egyptian cotton linens and beautiful green marble and granite finishes.

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The Most Boring, Conservative Hotel Deal Ever

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 1-8-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 100-8283

| January 23, 2009 at 11:11 AM | 0 Comments

We always get wind of the most outrageous hotel packages here at HC, but the opening of the Shangri-La Hotel in Tokyo may just mean the arrival of what is the most boring, conservative deal ever. For the March 2 debut of their first property in Japan, Shangri-La wants to celebrate by offering a "Discover Shangri-La" package bearing the hefty pricetag of ¥110,000, or $1,240 for one night.

Sure the hotel is right next to Tokyo Station in the revitalized Marunouchi district, but for the opening rate of a hotel to be in the four digits, you'd think they'd be offering some serious perks, right? Wrong--this most boring package only includes breakfast and a commemorative gift, which they're keeping under wraps, but it's some sort of engraved silver something.

Why not dinner in their Italian or Japanese restaurants or at least a gift certificate to the shops above which the hotel sits? They should rename the package to "all business, no play" at The Shangri-La, if a guest can't even trade in the silver gift for some spa services. We'll stick to the crazier hotels in districts like Shibuya and Harajuku, thank you very much.

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Peninsula Tokyo's Luxe Loo Gets Rave Reviews

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 1-8-1 Yurakucho, Tokyo, Japan, 100-0006

| December 12, 2008 at 9:49 AM | 4 Comments

Lyh1 has totally become our go-to guy when it comes to Tokyo hotel bathrooms. We all have our roles, ya know? And while he spread the hate on the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo’s bathroom, he’s all about the luxe loo in the Tokyo Peninsula’s deluxe suite.

From the HotelChatter Flickr pool:

It goes without mention that there is a shower cubicle with rainforest shower ( I guess it's the Raindance from Hansgrohe ) that has such powerful water pressure that it was really a joy to use. And rounding up is the mandatory high-tech Japanese toilet, this one comes with proximity sensor so that it will "open up" when you approach it and automatically flush and deordourize after doing the "business". Very impressive!

The only drawback is that this bathroom can be kinda small, esp for a suite. But every thing you need is here and nothing is missing. This is one of the best hotel bathroom I have experienced. Oh Gosh, I sound like an advertisement for this hotel :-P

Uh, yeah you do, buddy, but if you’re happy we’re happy. Also according Lyh1, the bathroom you’re ogling is all marble, granite, and glass, with dual sinks, a full-length spa tub, 20” LCD TV, the Peninsula’s signature DAVI brand toilet--and a window view. Bottom line? “The best that hotels in Tokyo have to offer,” Lyh1 concludes.

Got a pic you wanna share with us? Drop it in the pool!

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Tokyo Ritz Holds Stinker of a Truffle Auction

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 9-7-1 Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan

| November 10, 2008 at 9:15 AM | 0 Comments

Why is it that world’s most unappetizing foods are also its most expensive? Sevruga caviar and white truffles both look like something produced by the digestive tract. Still, tasting these rare flavors is a sign of status, and a group of tycoons gathered at the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo last night to bid for the rare Italian mushrooms.

Maybe they wanted to avoid the bumping nightlife surrounding the hotel, or perhaps the lousy economy is finally hitting the people at the top (who, arguably, caused the whole mess), because, guess what? The event, The 10th Annual Word Alba White Truffle Auction was a big flop.

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HotelChatter Flickr Pool :: A Guest Hates on The MO Tokyo's Voyeuristic Bathrooms

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 2-1-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi | Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 103-8328

| October 14, 2008 at 4:33 PM | 0 Comments

Lyh1 was kind enough to drop this photo of the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo's bathroom into the HotelChatter Flickr Pool -- and the guest who snapped this shot was also kind enough to share a little bit of feedback:

The shower and tub area is fully exposed. And right pass [sic] the foyer, you see the toilet cubicle. Not a room that you want to welcome outside guests.

I hated this bathroom. It's poorly lit and small. ... The dull grey marble give the whole place a dirty look. For a 5-star premium luxury hotel, this bathroom is just awful.

We feel you, bud: we can totally see how doing your business on that toilet may make you feel like you're kinda, uh, doing something private in public. We've felt semi-exposed in bathrooms before (NYLO was particularly traumatizing because the carpetless floors in the room added a hot audio component) -- and we don't feel our sexiest while we're on the throne.

And we hear you on the speckled grey marble too. But on the flipside, it actually probably hides dirt better than straight up black or white so maybe it doesn't look as dirty as it may really be. Oh wait, no, that's gross too. Nevermind.

Thanks for sharing!

Got a pic you wanna share with us? Drop it in the pool!

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Tokyo's Claska Hotel Packs in a lot For Just Nine Rooms

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 1-3-18 Chuo-cho, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan

| April 9, 2008 at 10:57 AM | 2 Comments

How rare, we thought, arriving at the Claska Hotel website and seeing a button for "English." An independent Japanese hotel that has an English version of their site. Alas, it seems that the button labeled English is the only thing in that language, apart from a few other headings that also lead to tantalizingly interesting pages that we can't read, and you can't actually click through on "English"--we hope it's a "coming soon".

Apart from that problem, the Claska looks gorgeous. It's just been listed as one of the top five design hotels in Japan. It's small, just nine rooms, but also features an art gallery, bookshop, organic restaurant and apparently even a poodle parlor. There's even an online shop which sells lovely-looking Japanese stuff: tea sets, a fan, even a broom, all without ugly hotel logos.

A night at the Claska ain't cheap, with double starting at over 62,000 Yen (US$600). The website suggests the possibility of weekly residence rates too, but they probably don't get much cheaper. They might throw in a free broom, though.

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New Years Eve Hotels: Tokyo's Mandarin Oriental

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 2-1-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 103-8328

| December 19, 2007 at 9:15 AM | 0 Comments

If we had to say goodbye to 2007 with a bang, we would hop on a plane to Tokyo and spend three party-filled nights at the Mandarin Oriental. We've never actually stayed inside a Mandarin Oriental room and we are making a point of doing this in 2008.

We've also never been to Tokyo although we done plenty of reading on it. So what better way to see a new city than from the top of this Mandarin Oriental. The lobby is actually located on the top floor (the 38th) and has panoramic views of Tokyo from every inch. So if you can't splurge on a penthouse suite, sipping tea in the lobby lounge is the next best thing.

From there, things only get better. The MO has some of the largest hotel rooms in all of Japan filled with high-tech gadgetry. The hotel also has a killer-looking spa on the 36th floor and several dining options, all with amazing views of the city.

We found a Mandarin Deluxe room from Dec. 30 to Jan. 2 for $635 a night. Wowzsa. So we won't be ringing in 2008 here but we can dream right?

[Photo: General13]

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Room With an Anti-View: Lower Floors at the Keio Plaza Hotel, Tokyo

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 2-2-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 160-8330

| November 1, 2007 at 10:08 AM | 0 Comments

What a difference a room allocation can make. Not so long ago, we featured the Keio Plaza Tokyo as a hotel with a killer view over the night lights of Tokyo. But that picture came from an entirely different side of the hotel to this one, which we can only include as an anti-view.

Checked in to a lower floor and with a view of modern but boring gray buildings, there's nothing inspiring about the view from this particular Keio Plaza window. Please ask for a room higher up if you stay here; only not too high if you're feeling a little on the depressed side.

[Photo: msjacoby]

Related Stories:
· Room with a Killer View: The Keio Plaza Hotel [HotelChatter]
· Two Naked Men Jump From Hotel [HotelChatter]
· Hotels in Tokyo [HotelChatter]

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Sunshine Hill Love Hotel ... Not Just For Love?

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: Otsuka, Tokyo, Japan

| September 25, 2007 at 12:57 PM | 0 Comments

The ever-reliable (but severely lacking in English) LoveHo site has a new list of Japanese love hotels in the Ostuka region of Tokyo, and judging by names alone, we want to book into the Hotel Sunshine Hill. While it may not have the gaudy colors of some of Osaka's love hotels, we think it just sounds cheerful to hang around in Sunshine Hill, no matter what your intentions.

And apparently the intentions of Japanese love hotel guests are not always impure. Recent research suggests that increasing numbers of love hotel visitors have no intention of having sex while they're there; love hotels are simply more affordable than many hotels and have the additional flexibility of rooms that can be rented by the hour if you're just needing a short nap after missing the last train home. Perhaps that's what's going on in Sunshine Hill for 3,750 Yen ($33) an hour instead of something more exotic.

[Photos: Geocities]

Related Stories:
· Japanese Love Hotels Not Just For Love [SMH]
· Japanese Love Hotel Coverage [HotelChatter]