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JULY 2012
43
STAY
PALACE
HOTELTOKYO
BACKSTORY:
The origi-
nal building, a fixture
on Tokyo’s old-guard luxury
hotel scene, was knocked down
three years ago and replaced
with a shiny 290-room tower
that opened this past May.
Everything’s brand new, apart
from sca ered artworks and
artifacts from the original
hotel (including its beloved
white grand piano). Oh, and the
staff: More than half of the cur-
rent 480-strong teamworked
at the previous incarnation.
DESIGN NOTES:
The
sleek décor is accented by
exquisite Japanese touches:
a beautifully coiffed red
maple viewable through the
lobby windows; an entrance
featuring Aji stonework
similar to that of the Imperial
Palace; a ernoon tea served
in traditional tiered
jyubako
boxes; and 300-thread-count
Imabari bed linens and towels
fromEhime prefecture.
ROOMWITH A VIEW:
The hotel overlooks the
Imperial Palace moat, with
the green roo op of Japan’s
most distinguished residence
clearly visible from the upper
levels. Ask for a south-facing
room, and you can sip a cup
of Maruyama Nori green tea
on the balcony while taking in
the neatly manicured gardens
and the Imperial Palace
grounds against a backdrop of
skyscrapers, including Tokyo
Tower in the distance.
WHERE TO EAT:
Of the hotel’s 10
restaurants and bars, the
standout is Wadakura,
located on the sixth floor.
It’s home to a tiny sushi bar
that’s run byMichelin two-
star chef Shinji Kanesaka,
as well as Tatsumi, an equally
diminutive and tasty tempura
bar where you can pair your
dish with seasonal flavored
salts (e.g., soba, seaweed or
cherry blossom).
TOKYO
THIS
MONTH’S
HOTTEST
HOTELS