What kind of 5-star hotel is The Okura Tokyo?
On a weekend in mid-October, after a hot summer and pleasant, refreshing weather, my husband and I decided to stay at this hotel near Toranomon to celebrate our wedding anniversary. To get straight to the point, everything was top-notch and impressive. The moment we stepped into the hotel, we were enveloped by a dignified ambience, a graceful interior that was modern yet exuded an indescribable sense of nostalgia, and a successful fusion of various elements. I thought it was a very unique place, unlike any other hotels in the world. The attention to detail in the interior design, interspersed with Japanese culture and traditional techniques, made me feel as if I were in a luxury ryokan in the Higashiyama area of Kyoto, and for some reason I felt at home there.
We got off at Toranomon Hills Subway Station around 2:30 p.m., went up to the ground level from Exit A2, and walked to the hotel. It takes about 10 minutes or less, but it can be quite difficult to push a baby stroller or wheelchair up the long slope. If you have a lot of luggage, it would be recommended to take a cab. The station is directly connected to the Toranomon Hills building, which has a cab stand on its grounds. During the daytime, you can also easily catch a cab on the main road. There is no cab stand at Toranomon Hills Station.
After walking for a while, we saw a bright blue sky and two sophisticated hotel buildings. Then next to them, the Okura Museum of Traditional Architecture came into view. The hotel is divided into the 17-story Heritage wing and the 41-story Prestige Tower. The reception desk is also located in each building. This time, we planned to stay in a room in the Heritage Wing, but we entered from the Prestige Tower building.
Upon entering through the magnificent front entrance, every staff member bowed deeply to welcome us. Then, in the spacious lobby, a dynamic, huge hexagonal bowl was decorated with maple trees and stones. It was majestic and overwhelming.
The lobby of this hotel was not flashy or luxurious, but the keynote of the design was a sense of understated elegance that was in keeping with the sensibility of the Heian period. Then looking up at the lobby ceiling, one could see the Okura lanterns hung in the motif of faceted balls that emitted a quaint glow. The hemp leaf pattern covering the upper window surface of the lobby was made of delicate wooden components that were incorporated by hand. Also, the four-petal floral pattern on the walls, based on the native Japanese orchid motif, was very impressive. Then the chairs and lacquered tables in the lobby were arranged to resemble plum blossoms. Also, on the other side of the check-in counter was the famous World Clock. We realized once again that this is a high-class hotel that welcomes many guests from all over the world. It truly created an ambiance unique to The Okura Tokyo.
On the weekend of our stay, this lobby was crowded, but when we told the staff that we had booked a room in the Heritage wing, they directed us to the Club Lounge on the 37th floor of the Prestige Tower. The Club Lounge is available to guests staying on the Club Floor in the Prestige Tower or in the Heritage Wing.
Upon entering the spacious club lounge, we were greeted by large windows offering a magnificent view of Tokyo. During the day, the light pouring in through the large windows created a bright, open feeling. The interior was decorated in beige and brown tones, creating an elegant ambiance that was not overly glamorous. We were seated at a window-side table with a great view. We decided to check in here and enjoy “Afternoon meal”.
The buffet counter was lined with a variety of breads, including salads, three kinds of sandwiches, Danish, French bread, baguettes, focaccio, scones, and quiche. Also on display were prosciutto, salami, cheese, marinated salmon, foie gras, dried fruits, nuts, fruits such as Shine muscats, strawberries, melons, and raspberries, macaroons, canele, cream puffs, and soufflé cheesecakes.
Drinks also included Asahi beer, Heinecken, POMMERY champagne, Louis Roederer champagne, two types of white wine, one from Japan and one from France, two types of red wine, Pinot Noir from Burgundy and Merlot from Bordeaux, Hibiki and Taketsuru whiskeys, liquors and gin, Dilmah tea, coffee, soft drinks, ginger ale, Perrier, Coca-Cola, etc. were available. Non-alcoholic beer and non-alcoholic wine were also available.
The club lounge offers fine drinks and food, and the view of the dynamic Tokyo metropolis was an elegant experience. The champagne and wine were especially good in the daytime. We wished time would stop.
After a while, the staff showed us to a room in the Heritage wing where we would be staying. This time, we stayed in a room with a balcony on the 7th floor.
Once inside the room, there was a bathroom on the right, a living room and twin bed room on the left, and a walking closet in the center. There was a writing desk at the back of the room, a wall-mounted TV set in front of the twin beds, and sofas and a table on the window side of the room. The bathroom also had a window, allowing guests to soak in the bathtub while enjoying a view of the garden. On the table was a welcome gift of Japanese paper cranes and a leaf pie specially made at “The Okura”. The interior was decorated in a white wood grain style, and the objects were also unified with Japanese-style objects. The room size is 60 square meters, so it is spacious and comfortable. On the balcony, there were chairs and a table, Toranomon Hospital was in front of the room, and the hotel’s garden was spread out below. It was a very luxurious time, relaxing on the balcony with a view of the garden, even though we were in the big city of Tokyo.
We decided to grab bottles of The Okura Tokyo’s special fruit juice from the mini-bar and sit on the balcony for a while to relax. The fruit juices came in three varieties: mango, raspberry, and blueberry, and were very thick and rich in flavor. By the way, the rooms with Club Lounge access have a complimentary mini-bar. There were Kirin beer, Sapporo beer, Coca-Cola, Pocari Sweat, Oolong tea, bottled water, chocolates, etc. in addition to fruit juices.
After this, we decided to visit Okura Fitness & Spa on the 27th floor of the Prestige Tower. At the reception desk, we gave our room number and received locker keys. The spacious swimming pool was 25 meters long with 5 lanes, and next to it was a large carbonated spring jacuzzi. The view from the swimming pool was also spectacular. Sitting on deck chairs by the pool and looking out the large windows at the ever-changing view of the big city over time, we felt irreplaceably happy to spend time without thinking about anything else.
Then it also had communal baths, dry saunas with the scent of wood, and detoxifying mist saunas. Next to the swimming pool, there was a cozy relaxation room where one could relax and enjoy the spectacular view. Also, there is a gym with the latest machines. Hotel guests have free access to all of the above amenities.
After this, we decided to go back to the Club Lounge to enjoy “Night hors d’oeuvres”. As it gradually became dark, the lounge offered a romantic view of Tokyo Tower lit up in orange. Gazing at the glittering night view of Tokyo from the lounge, we were reminded that Tokyo is such a fascinating place. In fact, living in Tokyo, it seems like a place where concrete buildings are everywhere and crowds of people are everywhere, but the big city seen from here was a totally different world from the one we usually experience in Tokyo.
The night hors d’oeuvres did not change the drink offerings, as alcohol was served from the afternoon meal. The food menu was slightly changed. The menu included beef stew, sautéed chicken, cream croquettes, shrimp and asparagus terrine, etc. We had been drinking and eating since we checked in and were already full at this point.
Then we realized it was time for Nightcap. The buffet counter was filled with snacks, Pierre Marcolini chocolates, vegetable chips, potato chips, nuts, and olives. Alcohol and beverages were the same as at the night hors d’oeuvres. We enjoyed our final whisky and chocolates before heading back to our room.
The next morning, we woke up before 7:00 a.m. and went for a walk to Atago Shrine, a 10-minute walk from the hotel. The steep stone steps in the precincts of the shrine are called the “Stairway to Success,” and the place was famous as a spiritual spot for increasing one’s work luck. However, the stone steps were much steeper than we had expected, so we gave up going up them.
Back at the hotel, we decided to have breakfast. Since we stayed in a room with a balcony, we decided to have breakfast on the balcony with room service. The breakfast served on the balcony was very pleasant, with a sense of openness. When it was time for breakfast, the staff was very efficient in setting up breakfast. We had a choice of Japanese or Western breakfast. Also, we could choose how to cook eggs from “fried,” “poached,” “scrambled,” and “boiled. I chose the “scrambled” option, which was very creamy and delicious. All the dishes had a taste that made us think, “As expected of The Okura Tokyo.”
After this, we again went to the Okura Fitness & Spa on the 27th floor of the Prestige Tower to enjoy the pool and Jacuzzi, went to the Club Lounge again around 10:00 a.m. to quench our thirst with champagne, checked out before 12:00 p.m., and left the hotel. If we had had more time, we would have liked to visit the museum related to the Okura family on the grounds. We will look forward to our next visit, as it is a free admission for hotel guests.
Finally, if you are going to stay at this hotel, I would recommend that you avoid the busy season and take your time to enjoy the hotel. In particular, Chinese New Year, late April to early May, summer vacation, and year-end and New Year’s holidays would be best to avoid.
Check Availability and Pricing for the hotel on Agoda
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About the club lounge
| Check-in / Check-out | The Prestige Tower 37F |
|---|---|
| Open Time |
Breakfast 7:00-10:30 Afternoon meal 14:00-16:00 Night hors d’oeuvre 17:30-19:30 Night Cap 20:00-21:30 |
| Club Lounge Access | Guests staying on the Club Floor in the Prestige Tower or in the Heritage Wing. |
| Features | There is a wide variety of fine alcoholic beverages, snacks, and food, and a spectacular view of the metropolis. |
*From 16:30 onwards, the club lounge is for use by those aged 13 and over.
**During busy times, the maximum usage time may be limited to 60 minutes.
***An additional fee of JPY4,500 per person per night will be charged for children (6-11 years old) co-sleeping with an accompanying adult to use the Club Lounge.
****Club Lounge services and hours of operation are subject to change.
Is the location easy to access?
The hotel is about a 5-minute walk from Toranomon Hills Station, exit A1 or A2, and go to the ground level. There is an uphill on the way.
Wheelchair users are advised to get off at Roppongi-Itchome Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line and exit through the central ticket gate. There is an elevator, no steps, and it is about a 7-minute walk.
From Tokyo Station, a 15-minute cab ride costs about JPY2,500. From Haneda Airport, it is a 35-50 minute cab ride and costs about JPY7,000.
Rooms I would recommend?
The hotel has two buildings, one called the Heritage wing and the other Prestige Tower. If you want to enjoy the Tokyo City View, we would recommend staying at the Prestige Tower. You can relax the view of the Tokyo metropolis, which dynamically changes from moment to moment depending on the weather and time of day.
The rooms in the Heritage Wing face the Okura garden and overlook Toranomon Hospital and the U.S. Embassy. The rooms are surrounded by a warm and dignified wood interior, full of the serenity that is typical of the Okura. From the window, one could feel the garden and trees outside, making it feel like a private villa, not a hotel in the city. There are also several rooms with balconies.
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How about toiletries & in-room amenities?
All of the amenities were taken care of including enough toiletries, pajamas, bathrobes, a coffee machine with capsules, English tea bags, a Japanese tea set, bottled water, welcome sweets, etc. There were Miller Harris bath amenities and “Three” skincare products in our bathroom. Room service was available for 24H. Turn down service was available. The Free Wi-Fi was excellent. A BOSE speaker and tablet were placed. There are some convenience stores within 10min.
Is this child-friendly?
Staff will arrange bath amenities, cribs, pajamas, etc. upon prior request. One child up to 11 years old co-sleeps free per adult. There are also several nursing rooms.
How about In-house Facilities?
On the 27th floor of the Prestige Tower, there is a wonderful indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gym, and relaxation room, etc. that offer spectacular views of Tokyo. All of these can be used free of charge. The spa area and gym are open from 6:00 to 22:00. Swimsuits, sportswear, and shoes can be rented for JPY800. Rash guards may be required for those with tattoos. Floatation bags and beach balls are not allowed in the swimming pool. The gym is available for use by those 16 years of age and older. The swimming pool is available for use by those 4 years of age and older.
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Then there is a great spa treatment shop on 27F. You need to make an appointment in advance if you have a spa treatment service. The spa shop is open between 10:00 and 22:00.
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Then, in front of the hotel, there is the Okura Museum of Art, which can be visited free of charge. Before going to the museum, you need to go through the formalities at the front desk. The museum is open from 10:00 to 17:00.
Then this is a perfect universal design hotel. There are rooms with handrails and assistive beds in Okura Prestige Tower. Wheelchairs are available for borrowing. If you bring someone with weak legs, you may want to inform the staff in advance as they arrange a room near the lift.
How about meals?
Basically, you can choose between French, buffet-style, and Japanese restaurants for breakfast. The French restaurant is available for ages 12 and up. If you stay at the Prestige Tower and wish to have breakfast at the French Restaurant, there is an additional charge. Breakfast hours are from 6:30 to 10:00. The buffet-style restaurant is crowded depending on the time of day. Especially on weekends.
Then, for dinner, if you want to enjoy Japanese local food near the hotel rather than the fine restaurants in the hotel, I would recommend Toranomon Yokocho in Toranomon Hills. There are many small restaurants serving yakitori, sushi, tonkatsu, ramen, Oden, etc. It is easy to use even if you are alone. After work, I sometimes stop here for a drink.
Check Availability and Pricing for the hotel on Agoda
Info about The Okura Tokyo
| Style | Luxury City Hotel |
|---|---|
| Check-in and out times |
15:00/12:00 |
| Estimated Price | 100,000 JPY for 2 adults per room |
| Contact E-Mail Address |
Fill the form in |
| Internet Connection | Free Wifi in the hotel |
| Facility Information | Wheelchairs are available Pets are not allowed The free parking lot is available |
| Location | The Okura Tokyo’s MAP |
| Access | Refer to the above |
| Address and TEL | |
| Official Homepage | The Okura Tokyo’s HP |
*All information the above is as of the date that I posted on my blog.
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