Otemachi / Imperial Palace

Aman Tokyo

★★★★★

Aman Tokyo was the brand's first city hotel, and it set a new standard for urban luxury in Japan. It occupies the top floors of the Otemachi Tower in the financial district between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, and the arrival is unforgettable: an elevator whisks you up to a lobby beneath an immense atrium whose walls rise like a giant paper lantern, glowing with washi screens framed in dark stone and wood, around a rock garden with seasonal flowers and trees. The design, by Kerry Hill Architects, borrows from traditional Japanese residential architecture — sliding screens, camphor wood, basalt and a disciplined simplicity — scaled up to the drama of a skyscraper. Rooms and suites are among the largest in Tokyo, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the city, the palace gardens or, on clear days, Mount Fuji; deep stone furo baths set beside the windows are the signature. The Aman Spa occupies two floors, with onsen-style hot baths and steam rooms, treatment suites, yoga and Pilates studios and a 30-meter swimming pool facing the skyline through glass walls. Dining options include Arva, the Italian restaurant; Musashi by Aman, an intimate Edomae sushi counter led by master chef Hiroyuki Musashi; The Lounge, beneath the atrium, for afternoon tea and evening drinks; and The Cafe by Aman, set among the trees in the Otemachi Forest at the foot of the tower.

Aman Tokyo is for travelers who want serenity above all. The atmosphere is hushed and contemplative, the staff anticipate needs rather than respond to them, and the spaces are so calm that it is easy to forget you are in the middle of one of the world's busiest business districts. The spa is a destination in its own right: the onsen-style baths, the pool with its skyline backdrop and the treatments using Japanese botanical ingredients make a strong case for a slow morning in. Families are welcome, but the hotel's mood is better suited to couples, honeymooners and solo travelers seeking peace.

The location is excellent for a first visit. Tokyo Station, the hub for the Shinkansen bullet trains to Kyoto and beyond, is a few minutes' walk away, as are the Marunouchi and Otemachi subway lines; the Imperial Palace East Gardens are just across the road, and Ginza is a short walk or taxi ride. The neighborhood is quiet in the evenings and on weekends, which suits the hotel's mood but means nightlife involves a short taxi ride to Ginza, Roppongi or Shinjuku.

Rates are at the very top of the Tokyo market, and the value case rests on space, design and the spa. Ask for a room with a palace or Fuji view, and book the sushi counter at Musashi well ahead. For travelers continuing to Kyoto, the proximity to Tokyo Station makes Aman Tokyo an ideal last or first night. The Lounge's afternoon tea beneath the atrium is one of the most elegant in the city and an easy way to experience the hotel without staying.