Tokyo, consistently rated one of the world's most
expensive cities, has had a glaring absence of luxury hotels. Certainly, the
Four Seasons is probably the best in town, but up till now
it hasn't had any real competition. The
Mandarin Oriental has just opened
its 179 room hotel in Nihonbashi that balances the natural elements of forest and water. In other words, its designed to
make you feel at one with nature, even though you are on top of a skyscraper is one of the most densely populated cities
on Earth. Joining Four Seasons and Mandarin in 2007 are both
Peninsula and
Ritz-Carlton, who will open new hotels in Tokyo later in the year. The venerable
Peninsula Hotel Group is opening a 315 room, 24 floor hotel in the Marunouchi district of Tokyo. Situated in a area
experiencing a revitalization, the triangular shaped hotel will certainly become a hub of luxury-minded travelers.
Ritz-Carlton is opening 250 rooms on the top nine floors of a high rise in Roppongi district. Part of a mixed-use
facility designed by American architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The hotel will feature a sky lobby,
several restaurants, and a large spa. At long last, a place to lay my head where I can dream of the world's most
expensive hotel bill.
