Few times has the Eternal City met the Land of the Rising Sun more attractively than the Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo, which has just opened atop the Midtown Yaesu Tower, located near the financial districts of Nihombashi and Marunouchi. Gina’s shopping center and restaurant, and just a few steps from the main train station of the Japanese capital.
Milanese architects Antonio Cittero and Patricia Viel are also responsible for the hotel’s location – the two visionaries have designed nine Bvlgari hotels to date, counting the Bvlgari Roma that just opened in the country of the company this month. We arrived at the Tokyo Hotel a few weeks after its grand opening to check in for a two-night stay.
The hotel is located on the 40th to 45th floors of the ultra-skyscraper Tokyo Midtown Yaesu. And although the entrance to the hotel is difficult to find at first – it has a purpose: to provide its customers with sufficient discretion and privacy when they enter the premises and go to the 40-floor lobby to check in. And upon arrival, the heavy doors swing open to reveal a stunning lobby.
Bvlgari is proudly Roman, and so is the hotel and its elegance – but instead of Italian labels, the hotel is full of luxury. Think Italian modern art with a Japanese flair – Venetian glass, Carrara marble, traditional Kyoto textiles, Zen gardens and wood come together to offer something that makes it beautiful and interesting.
The Bvlgari logo is there – scenting the air and imprinted on the walls with its fan-shaped Diva and like our curled feet above the eight-pointed Stella marble star that hangs in the lobby. And, of course, bright glasses that show off some of Bvlgari’s most iconic designs, such as the round gold and Serpenti steel watch, or the high-end jewel necklace.
Of the 98 rooms and suites available, we find ourselves in a large Deluxe Room with spectacular views of the city below as far as the eye can see. (We spent one night with our blinds closed, succumbing to the glow of the city lights at night and waking up to a spectacular sunrise.) Old advertisements and valuable books decorate the room, which also comes with a living room. Large walk-in closets and a vanity with Bvlgari toiletries.
And if it’s hosting Italian guests to make sure you’re well fed and well rested, trust Bvlgari to do it right. Every night we were there, we were treated to assorted Italian candies and Japanese fruit, along with refreshing tea.
There’s no shortage of places to wine and dine in Tokyo, but inside the Bvlgari Hotel, travelers can still find a surprise of sorts. Sushi Hoseki, a Japanese concept that originated at the Bvlgari Resort Dubai, has been brought back to Tokyo, an exclusive restaurant with 8 seats overlooking the Japanese rock garden and led by Japanese Kenji Gyoten, who has three Michelin stars from his name. Sushi Gyoten restaurant.
Niko Romito’s Il Ristorante is also home to the Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo, offering authentic Italian fare and a scrumptious breakfast. An Italian breakfast comes with plenty of bread and pastries accompanied by imported Italian butter, preserves and olive oil. Japanese breakfast, in our opinion, is a light option, but it comes with many fried and fresh vegetables, meats cooked with salt, hot sauce and seasonal fruits to finish.
Most of the hotels around Tokyo do a great job of getting the traveler to know the city – what Bvlgari does best in addition to this is how it entices you to stay. On a rainy afternoon, we were completely immersed in the pool inside the 1,000-square-metre Bvlgari Spa, including the Bvlgari Hotel’s dynamic pool with a golden wall for the perfect view. The gym is also top-notch, fully equipped and a fun place to work out. Private lessons can also be booked in advance.
And before we know it, it’s time to leave. We say goodbye to dolce vita celebrities and glossy 60s photos that line the walls and return our key cards, then see a detailed photo of bonsai and Mount Fuji among Bvlgari stars on the cover. Attention to detail, we tell you! We ask that you keep a copy and the staff will happily oblige. And right before we leave, they treat us to a bottle of hand-pressed olive oil, specially made to inaugurate the hotel, and a very nice promotional gift. We’ll be back, we promise – if not for the night, which costs HKD 15,000 (INR 156,980) on the official website, at least one night at the rooftop bar.
This article first appeared here.
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