The Park Hyatt Tokyo is one of the most luxurious and prestigious hotels in the city. The hotel is situated in the high rise Shinjuku Park tower, which is Tokyo’s second tallest building at 52 storeys (235m, 771ft), occupying the top 14 storeys. This gives the hotel superb views over the city and to the scenery beyond. Mount Fuji can be seen from the top of the tower on a clear day.
The Park Hyatt Tokyo has been open since 1995 and has gained a reputation for an excellent level of service from the staff, superb restaurant food and an unsurpassed level of luxury.
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The hotel has five restaurants and bars, which offer a variety of cuisine from Japanese sushi to New York Grill. The 178-room (23-suite) hotel has a spa facility, a delicatessen, a variety of shops, a library, a Venetian ballroom and its own wedding chapel on the 40th floor. Sofia Coppola’s 2004 film ‘Lost in Translation’ was set and filmed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo.
Shinjuku Park Tower
The hotel occupies the top 14 floors of the 52-storey (five basement storeys) Shinjuku Park Tower, which is an innovative and environmentally responsible building, owned and developed by Tokyo Gas Co Ltd (Tokyo Gas Urban Development Company) and designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange (Kenzo Tange Associates). The skyscraper was constructed on an old industrial site that contained Tokyo’s municipal gas tanks.
In addition to the luxury hotel occupying the topmost floors, the design called for a multi-purpose hall, restaurants, upscale shops, and exhibition and office space. The structure was substantially complete in April 1994.
The Shinjuku Park Tower has three elements: the S tower, which is 235m (771ft) tall with 52 storeys; the C tower, which is 209m (686ft) tall with 47 storeys; and the N tower, which is 182m (597ft) tall with 41 storeys. Floors one to eight are occupied by retail stores, floors nine to 37 are office floors and floors 39–52 are occupied by the luxury Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel.
Construction work on the towers was carried out by Taisei Construction, Shimizu Corporation, Kajima Corporation and Campolonghi Italia.
Architecture
The building’s basic shape is three cascading towers each tapering slightly via setbacks, and topped with pointed forms similar to three-dimensional stars. The top 14 storeys are where the Park Hyatt Hotel is based, with its famous views of the twinkling Tokyo skyline. The other 38 floors are occupied by offices, meeting spaces, a medical clinic, restaurants and other assorted businesses.
Inside, these pyramidal atriums are perhaps the most dramatic of Park Hyatt Tokyo’s spaces. The three-tower, stepped-back design is distinctive and also minimises the unwelcome effects of skyscraper construction on sunshine and wind flow.
The offset configuration of the three towers gives an aesthetically pleasing impression of slenderness. Regular variations in the angles of the exterior surfaces of the three towers, which are slightly offset from each other, help to reduce wind vortices on the ground.
The building is also angled and its footprint is tapered to prevent it from casting too much of a shadow on a nearby park, which is a popular place for office workers to go for lunch breaks. The building was designed for continuity with the surrounding business district, large city park, and future cultural district planned around the New National Theatre.
Interior design
Inside the Park Hyatt, efforts are made to allow water, light, stone, and organic life to infiltrate the space. Granite gives the public spaces an earthy feel while mirrors bring in light and reflect the sky. The warmth of wood is used to make sterile furniture arrangements more attractive, and natural textiles line the walls for a cosy touch.
The lobby of the hotel is on the 41st floor of the building and contains jester sculptures by actress Mieko Yuki. The hotel’s interior design is by John Morford. The hotel rooms are panelled with ‘water elm’ from Hokkaido – trees salvaged from the bottom of lakes and rivers. In some cases, the trees have been under water for 2,000 years before being used for the hotel project.
Restaurant and bars
The hotel has five fine restaurants, including the New York Grill, which is situated on the 52nd floor, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows offering breathtaking views of Tokyo. The restaurant holds a wine cellar housing 1,600 bottles of wine and the menu features a wide selection of prime quality Japanese and imported beef, market-fresh seafood and poultry. Kozue is the Japanese restaurant.
The menu at Kozue comprises hearty, home-style dishes, which are uniquely presented on beautiful earthenware, porcelain and lacquer ware. There is also an extensive sake list.
Girandole is a French brasserie offering all-day dining and simple, authentic fare as well as Asian favourites. The Peak Lounge features a sky-lit bamboo garden, and serves desserts and fresh homemade cakes, classical English afternoon tea, light cuisine and cocktails.
The New York Bar is one of Tokyo’s most spectacular venues for live music. The bar offers classic and original cocktails, premium cognac and brandies, and the largest selection of American wines in Japan, in addition to a casual dining menu.
The Peak Bar, with its bamboo garden softly lit by more than 50 washi paper lanterns overlooking a glittering sea of city lights below, offers classic cocktails and light cuisine.
Accommodation
The 45m² Park Twin and Park King Rooms feature modern décor composed of subtle hues of green marble and granite, original art pieces and rare Hokkaido water elm panelling. They both offer excellent views of the city and Yoyogi Park. Park Deluxe rooms provide thrilling views of Shinjuku or Mt Fuji through wide window frames. The spacious 100m² Park Suite rooms feature separate living, dining and work areas with a marble bathroom that includes a deep soaking tub.
The Governors suite offers a mix of Japanese tradition with modern lines in a luxurious 140m² suite filled with natural light. The Diplomat suites comprise living and dining rooms, a grand piano, foyer and a grand bathroom with views of the city and Yoyogi Park.
The Presidential suite is a private residence that includes a kitchen, library, living and dining rooms, a wet bar, guest bath and marble bath with rain shower, sauna and spa tub. A private butler is also available at the disposal of guests. The Tokyo suite is 220m² personalised residence on the 50th floor of the Shinjuku Park tower and features a spacious living room, passageways, a baby grand piano and a separate master bedroom that includes a king bed, a 50in plasma television, a sofa set and a working desk.
In-room amenities
All the rooms and suites at Park Hyatt Tokyo have 24-hour concierge and room service, CD and DVD player and library, plasma television, coffee maker machine, phones, hair dryer, heat control, high-speed internet access and a minibar.
Business facilities
The sun-lit Ballroom at Park Hyatt Tokyo can accommodate 320 people in a theatre-style arrangement. It has a 160in video wall, high-ceiling of 6.5m and a performance balcony for musicians.
The 1,830ft² Venetian room offers an ambience of European ballrooms, with Venetian crystal chandeliers and a hardwood floor, and is set up with an 80in video wall for corporate presentations and meetings. The Drawing room has a 50-seat capacity and offers an exquisite lounge and dining area, perfect for dinner and late-evening drinks.
Activities
The Club on the Park is the hotel’s spa and fitness facility, located on 45th and 47th floors of the tower. It has an indoor 20m swimming pool, and a gymnasium and an aerobics studio on either side of the pool.
A complete spa centre includes seven private treatment rooms, whirlpools, dry saunas, wet saunas, cold plunge pools, 360° body showers and relaxation rooms. The spa treatments include Tokyo Massage, Aromatherapy, Shiatsu and Reflexology.
