 Four
Seasons Tokyo at Marunouchi
This lovely property is ideally situated just steps from the Imperial Palace and
Ginza. As with all Four Seasons properties, service is exceptional. One of the first of the "new guard" of luxury Tokyo properties, the decor is modern and minimalist with bright splashes of color. The Premiere Rooms are the largest we've seen to date in Tokyo. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook quintessential
Tokyo scenes, allowing guests to gaze out at the passing bullet trains and
the neon lights of Ginza, all from the serenity of their soundproof room.
The spa features Japanese baths and various massage and beauty treatments.
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 Park
Hyatt Tokyo
This hotel is located atop one of Tokyo's tallest skyscrapers. On a clear
day, the hotel provides a rare view of Mt. Fuji from Tokyo. Guest rooms
are some of the largest in Tokyo, with slick modernist decor, spacious bathrooms,
and added luxuries such as an English-Japanese dictionary, a collection
of cds and works of literature, and tasteful Japanese crafts specially-commissioned
for the hotel that are available for purchase. The Park Hyatt is home to
two of Tokyo's most popular restaurants: the New York Grill & Bar and Kozue.
The luxurious fitness club and spa is in a glass atrium with spectacular
views of the city. This is truly one of the world's most elegant urban retreats.
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 Hotel
Seiyo Ginza
Tokyo
If cool minimalism is not your style, the Hotel Seiyo Ginza could be the
answer to your dreams: travelers looking for a sense of warmth and understated
elegance in their Tokyo home will find it in abundance at this perfectly
charming property. With an ideal location in the heart of the Ginza district,
the hotel is small enough (only 77 rooms) to ensure that guests receive
a pleasant degree of coddling -- in fact, there is a dedicated team of butlers
on hand to attend to guests' every need. As an added plus, the hotel offers
the most spacious bathrooms in Japan! Two Japanese restaurants, an Italian
eatery, a bakery, and two bars provide a number of on-site options for those
who wish to leave their rooms but not the hotel grounds.
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The Peninsula
Tokyo
Without a doubt, this new hotel has secured the best location in Tokyo: many of the rooms offer commanding views of the Imperial Gardens and the lively Ginza district is just a short walk away. The contemporary rooms reference Japan with touches like bamboo ceilings, large wooden sliding doors, and Japanese-style deep tubs. Guests should not miss an opportunity to take a dip in the indoor pool, where two-story glass windows offer uninterrupted views of the green park. Unlike many other Tokyo hotels that share space with companies in office buildings, the Peninsula occupies its own building, giving guests a much more exclusive experience than the competition.
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 Hyatt Regency
Kyoto
Kyoto’s first luxury hotel is perfectly located in the traditional and cultural heart of the city, across the street from the Kyoto National Museum and next door to Sanjusangendo Temple. Guestrooms have a minimalist-chic aesthetic – a sleek design featuring natural hues and white oak furniture, with Japanese kimono fabric adding splashes of color and pattern. All rooms have flat-screen televisions and spacious granite bathrooms with extra-deep square bathtubs in the Japanese style. Also on site is the excellent Riraku Spa, which offers treatments like shiatsu, acupuncture, aromatherapy, and moxibustion, an ancient form of heat therapy.
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Gora Kadan
Hakone
This traditional inn (ryokan) is the most decadent place to stay in Japan -- and keep in mind that Japan's luxury property landscape is crowded with contenders for that title. The main building was once the summer residence of the Kan-In-No-Miya Imperial family, and the new wing offers beautiful tatami-style rooms, natural open-air baths, a pool, spa, and jacuzzi. Breakfast and dinner is included in the room rate and is French-influenced seasonal kaiseki cuisine. The Gora Kadan is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, almost spiritual in the serenity and peace it inspires in guests. In a word, exquisite.
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 Tawaraya
Kyoto
The venerable Tawaraya Ryokan is Kyoto's oldest traditional inn, with a
guest book that reads like a "Who's Who" of visitors to Kyoto. We recommend
ground floor rooms that overlook your own garden. Each room is appointed
with ikebana flower arrangements, antique chests and scrolls, beautiful
paper lanterns, and lacquered kotatsu tables. Wind up a busy day of sightseeing
with tea, followed by an elaborate kaiseki dinner and perhaps a visit to
the inn's library.
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 Hiiragiya
Kyoto
Located directly across the street from the Tawaraya, many consider the
Hiiragiya to be Kyoto's most prestigious ryokan. Several of Japan's most
famous literary masterpieces were written here while their authors used
the Hiiragiya as a solitary retreat. Rooms contain some of Kyoto's most
important artistic treasures, including pottery, wooden chests, laquerware,
calligraphy scrolls, and kimonos. The kaiseki cuisine here is better than
that served at any other Kyoto ryokan.
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Destinations & Tours 