These are just a few of our favorite accommodations in Japan. Please check back regularly for more additions to Hotels We Love.
Palace Hotel Tokyo
The Palace exudes elegance and the service from its loyal staff is second to none. It sits on an outer moat of the Imperial Palace, across from the East Gardens, has 10 restaurants and bars, and balcony rooms – a rarity in Tokyo – are a plus. 1-1-1 Marunouchi is the address of choice where leisure, business and diplomatic guests all converge. Hotel size: 290 rooms.
Kayotei
When people speak of Kayotei it tends to be in hushed, reverent voices. The father-son team – Jiro, General Manager, and Shuta, Concierge – lead a superlative staff of attendants at this onsen ryokan, and they are happy arrange visits with artisanal food and craft producers in town. Ryokan size: 10 suites.
Benesse House
A stay at Benesse House, the unique museum-hotel on the “art island” of Naoshima, is an aesthetic delight. The four accommodation “wings” – Museum, Park, Beach, and Oval – were designed by Tadao Ando; contemporary art (Sol LeWitt, Yayoi Kusama and many others) adorns the guestroom walls; and installations and museums dot Naoshima and nearby islands. Museum: 10 rooms; Park: 41; Beach: 8; Oval: 6.
Sasayuri-ann
Businessman – and Shugendo mountain priest – Tetsuji Matsubayashi painstakingly restored this centuries-old rice terrace farmhouse outside Nara and opened it in 2016 as a villa accommodating up to 10 guests. Matsubayashi-san personally leads hikes, waterfall meditation and many other activities in the nearby mountains; his wife, Hiromi-san, is an ikebana master. Villa size: up to 10 guests.
St. Regis Osaka
The staff – especially the concierge team and butlers – is outstanding and the palatial 12F lobby and St. Regis Bar feels like the crossroads of the city. Easy access to Honmachi subway station downstairs, and bonus points for the porters – double-breasted, top-hatted, and so friendly. Hotel size: 160 rooms.
TRUNK (HOTEL) Tokyo
Trendy TRUNK attracts creative-class guests to its intimate Shibuya space. Its May 2017 opening heralded the long-overdue arrival of a world-class Tokyo boutique hotel. TRUNK (LOUNGE), the hotel’s beating heart, regularly hosts art exhibits, fashion shows, DJ sets, and more; morning baristas give way to an award-winning bartender in the evening. Restaurants include a bistro and izakaya. Hotel size: 15 rooms.