The most romantic hotels in Tokyo
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With its crowded crossings, packed trains and flashing neon, Tokyo may not immediately spring to mind as a place to head for a touch of romance. Yet, there are, without a doubt, few more romantic spots than a window-side table in a skyscraper hotel bar, sipping an exquisitely crafted cocktail as the sun sinks in the sky and the sprawling megalopolis lights up after dark. Add to the mix impeccable service, lashings of luxury, exquisite design, serene five-star spas and too many Michelin stars to count – and it’s indisputable that Tokyo’s top hotels are perfect for romance. Here's our pick of the best.
Shoes slipped off at the entrance. Sliding paper screens. Low futon beds. Hot spring onsen bathing. Tatami mat flooring (even in the lifts). Welcome to Hoshinoya Tokyo, the city’s first luxury five-star traditional ryokan inn, housed in an 18-storey skyscraper. Inside, there is a dramatic double-height genkan entrance with a seasonal flower display, indigo walls, sliding paper screens, expanses of aromatic Japanese wood and modern-style cotton jersey kimono outfits for guests. The 84 guestrooms are split into groups of six on 14 floors – with each floor resembling a self-contained ryokan inn, with its own Ochanoma lounge. Read expert review From £ 547True to the Aman’s signature understated style, the ground-floor entrance is so discreet it’s easy to miss. An ear-popping lift transports visitors to the 33rd floor lobby – where a vast reception steals the show. Centre stage is a dramatic (and seasonally changing) ikebana flower arrangement, surrounded by water and two meditative rock gardens, beneath a 30-metre high ceiling of white washi paper – with surrounding walls of glass giving way to classic urban Tokyo views. The minimal interior, designed by Kerry Hill, taps into Japan’s design heritage with its wood, paper and stone, while tall partitions create loose boundaries between the lobby, lounge, restaurant and bar. Read expert review From £ 1,464Among Tokyo’s top (and best-loved) hotels, the Park Hyatt is a five-star legend, renowned for its starring role in Lost in Translation alongside Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. With its sparkling night views, bold modern artwork and live jazz, the scene-stealing 52nd-floor New York Bar and Grill is perhaps one of the city’s most atmospheric spots for a skyscraper dinner or cocktail. The rooms – designed by John Morford and reached via elegant muted green corridors – are havens of clean-lined luxury. Walls of glass frame sensational views (ask for a room facing Mount Fuji and keep fingers crossed it is a clear day). Read expert review From £ 560• The best things to do in Tokyo
There’s high-rise and then there’s this: a luxury hotel perched atop the tallest building in the world’s most populous metropolis. Every direction offers landmarks – the Olympic stadium, the Tokyo Tower, Mount Fuji – in a breathtaking metropolitan sprawl. Cream marble floors, lacquered sycamore, luxurious silver-grey fabrics and oversized artworks give the interiors a contemporary grandeur. The Hinokizakura restaurant offers the gamut of Japanese fine dining, with areas for sushi, kaiseki, tempura and teppanyaki. The best seats the house are in the private room — a 200-year-old wooden house transplanted from rural Gifu Prefecture. Read expert review From £ 614• The best restaurants in Tokyo
With only 57 rooms and just one scene-stealing restaurant, this is one of the smallest luxury hotels in the city. But what it lacks in size it more than makes up for with its warm and intimate atmosphere. Interiors are chic, modern and resolutely luxurious, with expanses of dark woods, metallic-hued furnishings, glowing lighting, abstract modern paintings and luscious contemporary flower arrangements by Danish Tokyo-based floral artist Nicolai Bergmann. There is also a two-room spa, with indulgent treatments ranging from 24-karat gold facials to seasonal massages. There may not be a swimming pool, but visitors should not miss the small stone hot spring onsen bath. Read expert review From £ 481• The best bars and nightlife in Tokyo
A hotel designed to dazzle. A lift zips you to the lobby on the top floor of a Cesar Pelli-designed tower, where you'll find the check-in desk has a two-storey glass backdrop framing Tokyo Skytree. Behind you, another window shows Mount Fuji in the distance behind a gaggle of finance district skyscrapers. Designer Ryu Kosaka is a master of sexy, grown-up nightlife interiors, and he gave the hotel its alluring public spaces. There's a guilty pleasure: sitting in a sauna, 38 floors up, with a one-way window looking straight at worker bees in their offices. The bathing, fitness and spa treatment rooms are all at that same altitude with views to remember. Read expert review From £ 429This much-needed creative addition to Tokyo’s hotel scene is contemporary and stylish with a modern Japan design edge. There are two adjacent four-storey buildings, with wood and stone facades, tiered terraces and lots of greenery. Inside are abstract artworks of Japanese paper washi art, contemporary paintings, fabric wall hangings, concrete floors and modern wooden furniture. Never mind its 15 guestrooms, there is also a spacious lounge, hosting cocktails and DJs after dark; an outdoor terrace with large white cushions made from old boat sails; Trunk (Store), a 'convenience store' style shop, and a sleek wood and glass chapel on the roof terrace. Read expert review From £ 318Contributions by Nicholas Coldicott
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