Prince Gallery Kioicho

Overview

With 250 rooms, it’s by no means boutique in size – but still manages to feel intimate in the atmosphere it creates. The restaurants are top notch – the buffet breakfast perhaps the best I have had in Tokyo (and, therefore, Japan) and the pool and spa are a delight. All told, the Prince Gallery competes very well against its more illustrious neighbours (Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Four Seasons…etc).

The original hotel in this exact same location opened in 1955, in a then state-of-the-art tower by architect Kenzo Tange. It was truly magnificent in its time. But that was then bulldozed away in preparation for the 2020 Olympics (that never were) and this latest incarnation of the tower hotel is now next level. The hotel spans the top seven floors of a particularly ‘cool ’ skyscraper, and showcases a mix of modern design styles. Just stepping out of the elevators in to the Atrium - dramatic double-height walls of wavy glass, with huge oversize windows framing kaleidoscopic Tokyo views, check-in desks in a row of constantly burning flames and abstract silver sculptures hanging from the ceiling. This is where it is at.

Several of the other facilities are centred around the 30th floor – home to both a good-sized swimming pool, with the inevitable views over Tokyo, as well as the spa. Here, there are steaming communal baths and airy treatment rooms, with treatment highlights including sweet-smelling aromatherapy massages and Swiss Perfection facials (plus a traditional Japanese detox treatment using an ebony cane for the brave).

Guess what? All rooms showcase the views over Tokyo (are you understanding what this hotel is all about, yet?) and they even have a button which allows fresh air to flow directly into the room from outside. They all feature cosy, well-cushioned window seats and many also include a small collection of books of Japanese culture and literature, perfect for curling up with to plan the next day’s adventures. You will sleep soundly in 600-count Egyptian cotton sheets handmade by artisan Spanish textile brand Bassols. Need sleepwear? Take your pick from traditional cotton yukata in red and blue or crisp white pyjamas and nightgowns. With the amenities, East meets West - sip green tea brewed in a traditional Nanbu ironware Japanese teapot out of a set of exquisite bright orange cups made by LSA International, Europe’s leading handmade glassware company. Bathrooms are airily encased in glass walls which frost at a flick of a button, all also feature fluffy Imabari towels, those wonderful Japanese state-of-the-art smart toilets and finally – you guessed it - tubs with views of the city.

Location

The hotel takes centre stage in Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho, a shiny, new development of offices, shops and luxury residences. This is the central Nagatacho district, essentially out the back of the Imperial Palace and close to the Crown Prince’s residence. During the 17th- and 18th-century Edo period of Japan, Kioicho was home to picturesque estates for Japan’s elite Kii, Owari and Ii families. Today, you can feel echoes of their legacy in the neighborhood’s leafy, tree-lined streets.

This location is a good launching point for exploring Tokyo. The Tokyo hotel is easily accessed from either Akasaka-Mitsuke Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Marunouchi Line or the Nagatacho Station on the Nanboku Line. For the latter, follow a tunnel from exit 9-A directly to the hotel’s elevators on the second floor of the Kioi Tower.