The Peninsula Tokyo Hotel

Tokyo, with its dazzling skyscrapers and forward-thinking technology, is one of the world’s most vibrant metropolises. A recent luxury hotel boom has added even more excitement to the Japanese capital. Among the most luxurious entries is The Peninsula Tokyo in the Marunouchi district. It’s near the world-famous Ginza shopping district and across from the Imperial Palace, where the royal family resides. Guests can expect Peninsula hallmarks including white-gloved page boys, top-notch service, and a fleet of Rolls-Royces in the driveway (there are four subways lines on the lower level for more pedestrian guests).

Bamboo-accented ceilings, lacquer furnishings and rice paper lamps in the 314 rooms are a welcome nod to tradition, as are the vistas of the Imperial Palace with its sprawling gardens. But rooms are also astonishingly high-tech — you’ll feel like a kid in a candy store fiddling with the motion sensor lighting system, room phones that convert to cell phones, iPods programmed with city tours, and the marble bathrooms with their futuristic toilets whose lids automatically open and shut. VIPs like Giorgio Armani stay in the 23rd floor Peninsula Suite with a dining room, modern artwork, and a large terrace.

The Peninsula Tokyo has several restaurants including Hei Fung Terrace for Chinese food and Tsuruya for modern Japanese fare. However, the signature dining room is Peter restaurant, located on the 24th floor (accessed via private elevator). Its cuisine is modern French with Asian accents; savor dishes such as raw otoro tuna with osetra caviar and green miso and pepper-crusted beef. As appealing as the food and service is the glamorous atmosphere (dramatic lighting, see-and-be-seen booths) and the spectacular skyline views from Peter's oversized windows.

A popular venue for weddings, The Peninsula Tokyo has a dedicated wedding planner. In addition to its own chapel and traditional Japanese ceremony room, there are several elegant event spaces for nuptials including the Grand Ballroom with its stunning square-shaped crystal chandeliers and natural light. The hotel’s chefs can prepare an Asian or Western menu or dishes from both cultures (sake tastings, noodle stations, steak and lobster, etc.). And couples can arrive in style via the hotel’s vintage 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II.

Wedding couples are entitled to two nights in a suite and other perks can be added. Additionally, they can enjoy romantic liaisons during afternoon tea in the lobby and at Peter Bar, a hip top-floor lounge with ultra-modern décor and martinis and mojitos on the drink menu. On the lower level is a café and gourmet market where you can buy hand-dipped chocolates to nibble on while strolling Naka-dori, a luxe pedestrian-only shopping street outside the hotel’s back door.

The hotel’s ESPA spa is a 10,000-square-foot Zen oasis serenely decorated with shoji screens, bamboo, black marble, and Japanese-style lanterns. Each treatment begins with a tea ceremony — green tea served in traditional ceramic cups. Standout services include the four-hands Purva Karma massage and the shiatsu-style Keilhatsu Enlightenment massage (ideal for couples). There’s also a sauna and mosaic-tiled steam room as well as a fitness center and indoor pool.

The Imperial Palace is across the street. Although you can’t take interior tours, you can marvel at the sheer size and scale of the complex with its imposing gates, sprawling courtyards, gardens, and moat (yes, a moat!). Tokyo’s shopping capital, Ginza is ten-minute walk from The Peninsula Tokyo. You’ll find all the well-known designers here as well as the famous departments stores Matsuya and Mitsukoshi (don’t miss the food hall). You can also catch a train or taxi to neon-lit Shibuya, a Times Square-like district.

The hotel is located in a posh business district so it’s very quiet at night — you can’t simply walk outside to encounter numerous restaurant and nightlife options as you would in other neighborhoods. And although afternoon tea in the lobby is a wonderful experience and especially popular with locals, the often long line for tables creates a bit of crowding in the lobby (and also in the lobby bathroom).

The Peninsula Tokyo attracts a sophisticated clientele (a mix of business and pleasure) that sometimes includes celebrities and other high-profile people who are most likely fans of the other Peninsula hotels around the world — Hong Kong, New York, and Beverly Hills, among them. But no matter who you are, everyone is made to feel welcome. And the service, from the concierge team to the bartenders to the spa attendants, is truly exceptional.

Peninsula Tokyo
1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo, Japan
Tel: 81-3-6270-2888
Official Hotel Web Site

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