There’s no sight on Earth quite like the Tokyo skyline at night. Simultaneously thrilling, calming, otherworldly and recognisable all at once. And arguably there’s nowhere better to see it than this high-end mainstay in Maranouchi.
Eschewing flashy gimmicks and marketing stunts, the Shangri La in Tokyo welcomes business travelers and moneyed holiday makers with the redoubtable confidence that comes from dominating the luxury space for more than a decade. Basically, what these guys don’t know about glossy, high-end hospitality isn’t worth knowing.
The property’s self assuredness is palpable everywhere from the rococo elevators that raise you from street level into the clouds, to the responsive and considerate staff who do the big things and (crucially) the little things impossibly well. In fact the lavish accents are what set the Shangri La apart from its luxury competitors, most of which are situated around Tokyo station. Whereas the others try (with varying degrees of success) to reflect Japan’s austere and minimalist sensibilities, this place is utterly unembarrassed about looking flash and fabulous. The lobby and hallways all stay on the right side of tasteful (caramel and orange tones abound, as does wood paneling), while its restaurants and bars maintain a resolutely fine-dining ambience.
Most importantly: the rooms are brilliant. It’s easy to assume all posh hotel rooms are created equal, but it is sadly not the case. It takes more than a massive budget to make a space feel welcoming, impressive, slick and comfortable all at the same time. Our Shangri La pad, with its dark wood, moody lighting and tanned surfaces, accomplished it and then some. Overlooking the open-aired frenetic circus that is Tokyo Station from high above, it felt like a thoroughly peaceful (and entirely silent) cocoon. With a bewitchingly soft carpet underfoot, bronze-coloured art on the walls and the sleekest, least-conventional sofa I’ve ever seen in a hotel room, it’s hard to imagine a cooler pad to come back to at the end of a long day tramping around Tokyo.
Fans of opulent bathing experiences will also be right at home here. Our bathroom, decked out with all manner of tempting L’Occitane goodies, featured an exceptionally powerful rainfall shower (with a marble bench) by a marble-framed bathtub, all encased in a kind of glass box in the corner of the room. Yes, it has blinds which can be lowered should your traveling companion not be ready for that level of intimacy yet.
The Shangri La’s staff are - as you’d expect - responsive and considerate. On our visit we asked for a few annoying extras and adjustments and our requests. It’s also home to a pair of top eateries: the Japanese restaurant Nadaman (where we had a multi-course sushi bonanza) and also, one floor below, its Italian sibling Piacere.
Neighbourhood
It’s almost possible to step out from Tokyo station and straight into the Trust Tower, in which the Shangri La is located. As a result you really don’t have to spend any time in the city’s swanky glass-and-steel financial district if you don’t want to. If you do want to, then there are certainly nice areas to explore in the vicinity, including the massive and mysterious Imperial Palace, Ginza’s up-market shopper’s paradise and the vibey after-work spots around Kanda station.
Nearby
Glitch Coffee Tokyo has more famous coffee shops, but this one - a few streets over from the hotel - can hold its own with the best in terms of quality.
Daimaru Tokyo One of the city’s best-known and most characterful department stores, with two floors dedicated to food and 10 art exhibitions every year. A perfect way to kill a few hours (and spend a few thousand yen).
Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum A unique building, which exhibits (mainly) western art from the 19th century. The venue was the first western-style office in the whole of Tokyo’s business district.