With cherry blossom season almost in bud and warmer weather on the horizon for the land of the rising sun, there couldn’t be a better time to visit Japan, specifically Tokyo, where the capital’s parks take on a festive feel as Tokyoites and tourists alike gather to coo over the gorgeous blooms.
Travel experts Mr & Mrs Smith have selected three beautiful Tokyo boltholes as your base from which to explore the Japanese capital. The question is, how will you decide between the iconic Park Hyatt Tokyo and its Mount Fuji vistas, Claska’s inimitable cocoon of cool in hip Meguro, and the Gate Hotel Kaminarimon located in Asakusa district, where 7th century Senso-ji – the capital’s oldest temple – is among the ancient attractions…
Park Hyatt Tokyo
Best for: Big city glamour that’s not lost in translation
Style Celluloid sophistication
Setting Chic Shinjuku
Arguably Tokyo’s most famous accommodation following its cinematic debut in Lost in Translation, Park Hyatt Tokyo has it all: Mount Fuji views from the Park Deluxe rooms and Japanese restaurant Kozue, the city’s most famous watering hole, the New York Bar (where Bill met Scarlett) and an enviable location amid Shinjuku, the epicentre of Tokyo’s action.
Located on the 45-47th floors, the city vistas at the Club on the Park – where the spa, fitness centre and 20m swimming pool are located – take some beating. And while all the eating, shopping and dining thrills of Tokyo are located within a stone’s throw of the property, it’s difficult to leave the glitzy surrounds and glittering city vistas of this definitive Tokyo hotel behind…
Rates from HK$3,706.26 (excluding tax) per night for a double room
SASSY SAVING: Book with Smith to take advantage of a special four nights for the price of three offer, from now until December 26. Plus enjoy a Smith-exclusive extra – a complimentary breakfast for two, with every booking.
Claska Tokyo
Best for: Indie shopping and leaving the tourists behind
Style Cool kid on the block
Setting Metropolitan Meguro
Looking for an authentic boutique retreat shot through with classic Japanese design in one of Tokyo’s most hip ‘n’ happening hangouts? Then check into Claska, and bed down in a tatami room or a modern suite, both of which take a minimalist approach to design with wooden floors, white linen and strictly functional furniture.
Stay in this district and you’ll be slurping ramen and knocking back the nihonshu with the locals. Blend in by borrowing a bike from the hotel to explore the chic furniture shops and independent boutiques, or pedal to nearby Rishi-no-Mori Park and Himonya Park. If that holiday money is burning a hole in your pocket, saunter over to Gakugei-daigaku station and board the train to the shopping hubs of Shibuya and Shinjuku.
Rates from HK$1,437.12 (excluding tax) per night for a double room
SASSY SAVING: Book with Smith to enjoy a complimentary half-bottle of sparkling wine at Claska; Goldsmith members also get free breakfast during their stay
The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon
Best for: Exploring old Tokyo from a hip designer setting
Style Minimalism a la Mondrian
Setting Tokyo’s temple district
If you’re more temple hopper than Ginza shopper, check into The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon, situated in Asakusa, the capital’s oldest district, which is home to one of the capital’s top tourist attractions, the Buddhist temple of Senso-ji. Nab room 101 on the 10th floor and you’ll be able to see this incense-cloaked beauty accessed by the scarlet Kaminarimon (“thunder gate”) from your window.
Design lovers will adore the look and feel of the Essential Rooms, where dark grey walls are brightened by Marimekko prints and statement pieces such as light installation mirrors from Shugida Uchero up the cool factor. Once you’ve explored all this charming district has to offer (there’s souvenir and ramen joints aplenty, and Asakusa is also one of the best places to glimpse a geisha!), flop into one of the Uchida sofas at the hotel bar and witness the all-new, neon-lit Tokyo – including the newest addition to the skyline, the 634m-tall Tokyo Skytree – crackle into life.
Rates from HK$1,684.43 (excluding tax) for a double room per night
SASSY SAVINGS: Book with Smith to take advantage of the special room rate offer from HK$919.23 from now until 31 December 2014, subject to availability.
In need of more Japan inspiration? Check out Sassy’s Guide to Tokyo here!
To discover more terrific properties in Japan and beyond, visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or call the expert Travel Team on 800 905 326