For us, the Aman Tokyo rates high among the best urban hotels that we have ever stayed in. We knew that Japanese hospitality with an Aman touch would be hard to rival, but the hotel and its staff took our stay to a whole new level of perfection. As you know, we’re not ones to write gushing reviews, but this one is for good reason – we don’t know where to start singing its praises. Perhaps the majestic design of the lobby is a good place to start, with a giant bonsai-like tree (a contradiction, we know – but wait until you see it) set in a still pond, in a serene atrium. Looking up, it seems like an infinite portal to the heavens.
The public spaces of the Aman Tokyo are modelled on engawa (wooden passages between rooms in traditional houses) and walking through the beautifully lit spaces made us feel like members of the Japanese imperial family. Yet despite its sense of place, it’s decisively urban, futuristic, brutalist almost – the hotel designer successfully embellished both. The product is a masterclass in architectural fusion.
Our one-bedroom corner suite just blew us away – grandiose and exceptionally large for the city, boasting beautiful, minimalist design features in light wood and a wrap-around view of Tokyo. It’s everything we’d want from a modern, luxury apartment and more, but much like the communal spaces of the hotel mixes old and new, our room did too – giving the feel of a contemporary, designer ryokan. The highlight? Its in-suite wetroom Japanese bathhouse (with a spellbinding view).
The attention to detail in service is stand-out too. There were plenty of surprises from the polite and diligent staff and each night, beautiful, delicately prepared gifts were delivered in the form of sweet treats in wooden boxes. It’s nice to be loved.
Breakfast was epic, we dined on an elaborate and beautifully prepared, traditional Japanese breakfast each day and on our last day at the hotel, Mount Fuji came into the infinite view to bid us goodbye. The Italian- Japanese fusion dinner at Arva was also good, but the dinner we had to write home about was at Musashi, where Edomae style sushi is served as Omakase (chef’s tasting selection).
And while there’s a lot to praise at the Aman Tokyo, the crowning glory comes in its jaw-dropping 34th floor and pool space.
The Aman Tokyo is a destination in itself, the challenge was that it was hard to leave the hotel to explore the delights of the city beyond. Take it from us, as we hung out there a lot. Luckily it wasn’t our first time in the city!
| Perfect for | Fly into | Right on time |
| The Sophisticate | NRT / HND | GMT +9 |
| While you’re Out There |
| Otemachi, once known as the old village of Shibazaki, is where the hotel is located in the oldest part of the city. It’s hard to tell, considering its bright lights and skyscraper skyline today. Our hot tip is to palace-hop, from yours at the Aman Tokyo to the Imperial Palace that’s home to the Japanese Emperor. The real estate trivia here is that it is the most expensive square kilometre of land in the world. Check with the concierge when the palace is open to the public because it isn’t always. But make sure you pay a visit, seeing you’re just there. |
Photography courtesy of Aman Resorts
