Review / 2 stellar luxury hotels to check out in Tokyo in 2023: Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi boasts views of the Imperial Palace while Bulgari Hotel’s sushi bar is headed by a 3 Michelin-starred chef

Hongkongers love Japan, and after finally making my first trip to the nation’s bustling capital Tokyo this summer, it’s easy to see why. Convenient transport, delicious – and incredibly cheap – food, and of course, the shopping make it a hotspot for many global travellers. Being a first-timer though meant having to find my bearings in a sprawling region that’s often regarded as the biggest city in the world. Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi A good place to start was in the heart of Tokyo’s popular Otemachi district, which placed me in the smack-bang midst of it all amid the regal Imperial Palace and its forested grounds and within close access of Otemachi, the city’s largest subway station, and Tokyo Station, the launch pad for the iconic bullet trains. Tourist-favourite shopping districts like Ginza, Shinjuku and Shibuya are only stops away by train. Inside the new Sofia Coppola coffee-table book, Archive – in pictures Now is probably a good time to mention the hotel I stayed at that made this prime location possible. Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, which opened in August 2020 at the height of the pandemic, is the Canadian luxury hospitality group’s second outpost in the city, being just a 10-minute drive from its sister property in Marunouchi, which is considerably smaller in comparison. This stylish new addition is situated in a bustling financial district but offers plenty of greenery with views of the nearby East Gardens of the palace. On clear days, you can also enjoy glimpses of Mount Fuji. Despite being perched atop the Otemachi One Complex office building, the hotel offers a separate entrance and driveway for its guests. The 39th floor serves as the central hub, encompassing check-in services as well as restaurants, a bar, spa, indoor swimming pool and gym facilities. The property houses a total of 162 guest rooms and 28 suites, all situated on the uppermost six floors of the 39-storey building. During my stay, I was in the Deluxe Room with a view of the Imperial Garden, an excellent choice for couples or friends travelling together. The design feels modern and stylish with subtle Japanese cultural elements. There are little touches that make all the difference, like the symbolic duck doll inspired by a 1984 national “duck frenzy” that sits beside the bed and the welcome desserts – a testament to Four Seasons’ stellar hospitality. 4 luxury hospitality giants offering extravagant new ‘yacht’ cruises While many luxury hotels offer bathrobes, this property takes hospitality a step beyond by providing guests with luxurious waffle-textured pyjamas. The bathrooms, reminiscent of a serene spa retreat, is spacious and airy, ensuring guests feel utterly at ease during their stay. Weary travellers can find solace in the hotel’s spa – a perfect refuge for relaxation. Ideal for combating jet lag and sleeplessness, I tried the Yakusugi massage, inspired by shinrin-yoku forest therapy. This restorative experience involved soothing strokes with the tranquil aroma of Yakusugi oil extracted from cedar trees. It wasn’t until after the treatment that I learned the secret behind my deep and restful night’s sleep. Guests also have access to the steam rooms, saunas, ofuro baths, showers and the indoor swimming pool. Many travellers flock to Tokyo for its incredible dining scene, and it’s absolutely recommended that you explore its vast range of local eats outside the hotel. However, should your culinary desires lean towards international fare, rest assured that the hotel also offers exceptional dining options. Pigneto, which has a terrace, offers a delectable array of Italian dishes spanning both coastal and land-inspired flavours. Virtù, an art deco-inspired bar with a Paris-meets-Tokyo flair, is a lively destination that graces the No 20 spot of the World’s Best Bars list, and is where I went for a nightcap. 6 of Hong Kong’s most luxurious hotel spa treatments to indulge in Meanwhile, at The Lounge, society’s finest gather for afternoon tea. During my experience, I watched a live demonstration of matcha making while indulging in a three-tiered assortment of sweet and savoury delights. The crown jewel of Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi’s F&B outlets, however, must be Est, Guillaume Bracaval’s homage to innovative French cuisine infused with Japanese techniques and terroir. This refined establishment presents classic French recipes crafted from seasonal ingredients, accompanied by exceptional wine pairings. As is customary at Four Seasons properties, the service here is exemplary. Coupled with outstanding facilities and unparalleled views, this Otemachi hotel provides a peaceful escape from the bustling crowds while maintaining an unbeatable location. Bulgari Hotel, Tokyo Fancy resorts I get – if you’re going to be frolicking in paradise, you want to have nice digs. But overly nice city hotels can seem like an unnecessary extravagance, particularly in places you’ll likely want to be out exploring. Thus my conundrum upon checking into the Bulgari Hotel Tokyo – one of the nicest hotels I have ever been in, bar none, which sits on the top of Tokyo Midtown in Marunouchi. For starters, it boasts the Bulgari Suite, which the brand estimates is the largest hotel accommodation in a city filled with nice hotels: 4,300 sq ft plus of room, suitable for royals and their entourage, and featuring five separate seating areas along with a dining room, kitchen, private gym and the typical bed and bath (which, obviously, are far from typical). The room goes for around five million yen a night (US$33,500) – a fee that thus far only reigning monarchs and luxury brands have paid. The other rooms are far from shabby, with floor-to-ceiling windows that would certainly keep the eyes occupied with its sky-high views, if it were not for the thoughtful comfort on display: from the incense burner perfectly perched at the correct angle beside the bathtub to the cosy footstool and shoehorn by the door to the pillow spray sitting innocuously by your bedside lamp after turn-down. Everything you need to know about Japanese onsen and ryokan culture It goes without saying that the decor – mostly conceived of by Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel of ACPV – is opulent, combining Italian flair with Japanese minimalism, exhibiting clean lines and restrained elegance but with a mix of muted and exuberant colours that echo the timeless sophistication of the Bulgari brand. But with the energetic sparkle of the metals and gems found in its wares: amber and bronze in the Bulgari Lounge, peach and dark blue sapphire in Il Ristorante Niko Romito, or turquoise and gold at the swimming pool – a pool that is so beautiful that even the most camera shy might be persuaded to pose like an influencer. (But don’t – photography is discouraged for the privacy of other guests.) Meanwhile, the onsens, safely ensconced inside the gendered changing rooms, are also ridiculously nice. It’s not a difficult decision to forgo dining in the city to stay in for just a little bit longer, given the hotel’s restaurants include Sushi Hoseki, created by chef Kenji Gyoten, the youngest chef in Japan to earn three Michelin stars. But given that Bulgari is an Italian brand, a visit to Niko Romito will not disappoint either, particular if one seeks a more spacious, romantic venue. Milanese export Mauro Aloisio headed the kitchen at the same restaurant in Shanghai, and now brings his talents to Tokyo. His work is best exemplified in seemingly simple dishes like a broth made of no more than a few cuts of vegetable and a splash of champagne, that was still one of the tastiest and most nuanced things I’ve eaten all year. What airline to fly, where to stay and what to do on a trip to London, UK Finish off your stay with a treatment or two at the spa – which uses products from Augustinus Bader and Mauli Rituals, two highly lauded beauty brands that should and will most certainly be in your arsenal after you’ve tried them. By the time you are done enjoying the hotel, I imagine that, like me, you’ll have done very little of what you planned to in Tokyo – but with very few regrets.