Review: Park Hotel Tokyo (Japan)

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Today (March 28, 2018): Review of Park Hotel  Tokyo (Japan).

• Location: Google Maps
• Address: Shiodome Media Tower 1-7-1 Higashi Shimbashi, Minato-ku 1057227 Tokyo
• Hotel website: Park Hotel Tokyo

Park Hotel Tokyo is a luxurious hotel that satisfies the needs of all international clientele and that is ideally situated in Shiodome, a flourishing center of business and culture in the Japanese capital. The hotel’s logo reflects the property’s DNA: blue represents clean comfort, green is for nature, and red representing warm at-home hospitality. The hotel offers an ART (Atrium, Restaurants and Travel) concept in addition to traditional Japanese hospitality stimulating all your senses. Above all, it is a well-priced design hotel in a destinations known as one of the most expensive in the world.

In this review (more info below the slideshow):

• Pros & things I like
• Cons & things to know
• My verdict
• Tips for future guests & save money
• Best time to visit
• How to get there

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

*** Follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

• Your central location in the Shiodome Media Tower in Shiodome, a flourishing centre of business and culture, means that you are just a short distance from all the main attractions. You are a very short walk to the Tsukiji Market, with excellent access to Subway lines being just 35 minutes to the Tokyo Dome, even less to Ginza and Akihabara.

• As soon as you step into the huge lobby on the 25th floor, a ten-storey glass-topped atrium rises in front of you towards the top of the tower. Contemporary artwork is everywhere you look and it’s immediately evident that the hotel is extremely design-conscious. This hotel demonstrates real character which stands it apart from chain hotels that can sometimes be replicants of each other; its décor is strongly Japanese-influenced; when I stay somewhere I do like to be reminded of where I am, it gives the hotel so much more soul.

• My number one favorite thing about this hotel has to be the seriously-hip, art-inspired guest rooms. There is one floor entirely devoted to art rooms designed by Japanese artists and I’d definitely recommend booking one of these. Your only problem will be which to choose; one of the most memorable rooms is Artist Room Otafuku Face, celebrating plum blossom represented by a local woman with extraordinary pink cheeks! It’s rather kitsch, rather fun and totally Japan! For a subtler look, the room with a navy wall and ceiling covered with gold butterflies is simply dreamy.

• The 270 guestrooms, whether art-inspired or otherwise, all feature colour coordinated curtains and bedcovers, a work desk and chair, and all the luxury amenities that you would expect from a hotel of this calibre; you can also request several extras including a Blu-ray player, a curling hair dryer and even nightwear should you forget your own!

• The views are another of the best things about this hotel, it is surrounded by spectacular skyscrapers and has huge windows to make the most of the views; you can see the iconic Tokyo Tower, along with a great unobstructed view of Mt. Fuji.

• There are several great eateries; Tateru Yoshino Bis is a relaxed bistro serving contemporary French food, Hanasanshou is a traditional Japanese restaurant in a modern setting and ART Lounge is an open space beneath the atrium which almost makes you feel as if you are outside, they serve Western dishes throughout the day, come on a Friday night when there’s a DJ and enjoy the projected artwork. A delicious Western & Japanese style breakfast buffet is served in the ART Lounge. There’s also a café, a bakery and the Society bar; come for the incredible views of the surrounding skyscrapers, stay for the surprising selection of single malt whiskies, excellent cocktails and fine wines.

• Traditional Japanese hospitality awaits, and the staff are friendly and speak English. The check-in process is flawless and the service continues in this vein throughout your stay; nothing is too much trouble and they’re great at the little extras. There is a Concierge and if you’re in an art-inspired room, an Art Concierge too. Other facilities include the Tanagokoro Art Shop, a Business Centre, Parking, a Laundry Service and Room Service.

• For some extra indulgence, book a treatment at THANN Sanctuary, the therapists combine Thai body care with Swedish and Ayurvedic techniques. Or if you’re feeling extra-lazy, book a Japanese shiatsu massage to be carried out in your room instead! There’s also a small Personal Fitness Gym, just make sure you book your session at Reception.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Park Hotel Tokyo is a great hotel, but it is not perfect and you need to know the following before considering a stay here:

• The bar closes at 23h (11 pm), which, although normal in parts of the world, can be a shock if it’s not what you’re used to.

• The art rooms are stunning but the rest of the rooms are starting to look a little tired and some could do with a refresh. They are simple in design with white walls and nice bathrooms, this works well when there is stunning art on the walls, but feels a little lacking in those rooms where this isn’t the case. The rooms are also on the smaller side but as this is central-Tokyo, this shouldn’t be too surprising.

• Breakfast doesn’t vary day-to-day, fine if it’s a short stay but just worth remembering if you are here for a little longer.

MY VERDICT

• Location: 9/10
• Design: 8/10
• Pool: not applicable
• Resort grounds: not applicable
• Rooms: 8/10
• Food: 8/10
• Breakfast: 8/10
• Spa: 7/10
• Service: 9/10
• Value for money: 8/10
• Overall experience: very good: 8/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

• Save money: read my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Park Hotel Tokyo, whether it’s booking a room at the cheapest price or receiving complimentary VIP perks (e.g. upgrade, breakfast, resort credit, etc …).

• Room tip: just to re-iterate, booking an art-inspired room is an absolute must when staying at the Park Hotel Tokyo, if you don’t you really are only gaining half the experience of staying here and these rooms are only marginally more expensive than the standard rooms anyway.

• Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The hot summer months begin with the rainy season in June to July. The warmest month is August, while the coolest is February. Snowfall is common in the city in January and February, while spring is delightful, with mild weather and sunny days

HOW TO GET THERE

Your location in Shiodome, Tokyo’s business district, means it is very accessible from both Narita Airport and Haneda Airport:

• Located 60 km (37 mi) outside of central Tokyo, Narita Airport handles the majority of international flights. T. Check the Wikipedia page of Narita Airport for the lasted updates on airlines that have direct flights to this airport.

• The more centrally located Haneda Airport handles all domestic flights, and an increasing number of international flights. Check the Wikipedia page of Haneda Airport for the lasted updates on airlines that have direct flights to this airport. It’s a 30 minute drive from Haneda to the hotel.

The hotel is 7 minutes’ walk from Shimbashi Station and 2-4 minutes’ walk from Shiodome Station. Once you are within the Shiodome Media Tower, there are access points to the hotel from the B2, 1st and 3rd floors. You can reach the hotel from all the stations in the area via an extensive pedestrian bridge or the underground passage network.

*** Follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***