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Hotel New Otani Tokyo is a truly iconic hotel located in Tokyo’s Chiyoda City, famous for its high standard of service and luxury it offers to its guests.
It is hard to overstate how famous this hotel is in Japan. It was one of the first modern luxury hotels in Tokyo, and for over half a century, it remained synonymous with luxury and class. I had the utmost pleasure of staying in this hotel twice during my trips across Japan, and I am happy to tell you all about it.
This superb hotel is easily accessible and is located only a short walk from the Akasaka-Mitsuke station. Hotel New Otani Tokyo is spread out over several buildings, and these are the “New Otani Garden Court”, “New Otani Garden Tower”, and “The Main”. “The Main” is a 4-star hotel, while a special hotel within a hotel called “Executive House Zen” is a 5-star hotel.
The hotel also features a large Japanese traditional-style garden over 400 years old. Hotel New Otani Tokyo is truly a large hotel, probably the biggest one I visited during this trip, and it can provide world-class accommodation for more than 2,000 guests. Not to mention a variety of different restaurants, bars, and meeting places.
When I arrived at the hotel for check-in, kind staff members escorted me to the exclusive Zen Lounge on the 11th floor, where my check-in would be completed.
On my way there, I had the chance to check out the hotel, and after the check-in, I was escorted to my room, and I have to say I was quite impressed by the luxurious hotel interior and its aesthetics. It was clearly inspired by a fusion of traditional Japanese and modern Westerns style and had a myriad of interesting artworks, flower arrangements, stylish furniture, etc.
When I got there, I was immediately attended to by more staff members. They were so kind and so helpful, assisting me with everything I needed. I was offered a place to sit and relax and even given some refreshment drinks and snacks while the check-in process was completed.
One more thing I would like to mention about the staff is that all of them spoke perfect English and were extremely nice in all our communication.
After the check-in was completed, I made my way to the room, but without my heavy luggage since the hotel staff already took it to my room. There are many types of rooms in this huge hotel, but the one in which I had the pleasure of staying was one of the most impressive ones, the Executive Deluxe Twin room.
Additionally, this room was not strictly part of the Main Hotel. Rather, it is a part of the Executive House Zen, a luxurious boutique hotel within a hotel.
When I first entered the room, I was blown away by its size and everything that was in there. I was also impressed by the bathroom since it was quite spacious as well and included a separate compartment for the bidet toilet and another one which was a big shower. I loved the two large windows in the room, which you can lower with the flip of a switch.
As you might expect, the room was filled with a wide variety of amenities such as free Internet access & Wi-Fi, an in-room safe, a refrigerator, a Japanese tea set, a hairdryer, towels, pajamas, a bathrobe, and a large number of consumable toiletries.
I also got some free complimentary snacks and drinks. And the beds! They felt like sleeping on a cloud! All in all, this was one of the most luxurious rooms I stayed during my trip and I loved every minute of my stay there.
A significant component of the Executive House Zen is the Zen Lounge I mentioned before. Not only is it the place where you can comfortably check in and check out with fantastic service, but it is also a place where you can go relax.
It is open every day from 7 am to 9:30 pm and offers many beverages and light meals six times a day. These include the following: breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon tea, hors d’oeuvre, and nightcap & chocolates. All of it, of course, free for the guests of the Executive House Zen. One interesting thing is that they serve Champagne which is rare for hotels in Tokyo.
I would spend a lot of time here working on my laptop and grabbing refreshments from the lounge. It was so nice, and the staff was there, always ready to assist me. Truly this was one of the highlights of the entire trip and is definitely worth it.
When I first arrived that day, I didn’t even want to go sightseeing. Instead, I just relaxed and spent the rest of the day in the room and the lounge. The only place I visited was the garden itself which is definitely one of the selling points of this great hotel.
The Japanese garden at Hotel New Otani Tokyo has a history of more than 400 years.
The garden is decorated in a traditional style and contains flowers and many kinds of rich foliage that bloom or change colors from season to season.
There are also several ponds containing beautiful and quite large koi fish. In the middle of the whole garden, there is a big waterfall which is a perfect place to take some unforgettable photos.
One more great feature of the Hotel New Otani Tokyo is the large number of restaurants, bars, and lounges incorporated into the hotel. As a matter of fact, there are over 30 restaurants onsite. On my first night, I went to the buffet restaurant “View & Dining The Sky” located at the top of the hotel. This great restaurant offers Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes with a 360-degree view of the surrounding area so you can indulge in tasty meals while enjoying the spectacular view of Tokyo.
The next morning I headed out to the Tower Restaurant located on the 40th floor. As you can imagine, having breakfast here felt magical, with the whole city at my fingertips. I loved the wide variety of meals they offered, both Japanese and international. They had many of my favorite meals, like pancakes, french toast, and omelet. Also, I was quite impressed by the many desserts they have, such as puddings, different kinds of fruit, cakes, and many other things.
I immensely enjoyed that breakfast and made sure to eat as much as I could to be ready for the day of sightseeing ahead of me. That day I explored the surrounding area, which included, among others, the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, and Kanda Shrine. Even though it was quite fun and educational, I was looking forward to getting back to the hotel. After finally arriving, I had a hot bath and headed out to another restaurant.
This time I visited Trader Vic’s Tokyo, a nice restaurant decorated in the South Pacific style. There you can enjoy specialties such as smoked meat, fish, and fowl.
However, this world-class hotel has many other things to offer apart from the restaurants and bars. For example, they have one of the largest outdoor hotel pools in central Tokyo, which you can use during the summer.
The hotel is truly gigantic and has many more facilities, such as beauty salons, fashion shops, a drug store, several clinics, a photo studio, a convenience store, and many meeting and event halls. It almost feels like a small city.
But my favorite facility was the Golden Spa New Otani. Those of you who have been following me know how I love when a hotel has a gym because I struggle with finding time to exercise on a trip. But a gym in the hotel solved that issue and motivated me to work out, so I did! The gym was top-notch and had all the equipment needed for me to do my workout, including a bench and many dumbbells.
But an even better thing about this spa is its huge pool and jacuzzi. The pool is of decent length and enables several people to swim. I had a great time here and was so glad I had free access to the Spa included with my room.
One tip, you do not need to bring your own gym wear, swimsuits, towel, and bathrobe. You can rent them for free in the spa. So convenient!
Finally, let me touch upon the surrounding area. Close to it, you will find the most iconic complex in Tokyo and Japan itself, the Imperial Palace. This huge complex covers a vast area and includes many towers, gardens, moats, and galleries. One famous spot is the Chidorigafuchi Moat which is famous in spring when it is surrounded by beautiful cherry blossoms. Some call it one of the most beautiful places in Tokyo for sakura viewing.
The political importance of this area can also be seen in two additional famous buildings located there. The National Diet Building and the beautiful State Guest House Akasaka Palace. It’s no wonder that many of the world leaders who visited Tokyo stayed in the Hotel New Otani Tokyo.
If you are interested in a more traditional side of Japan, the Hie Shrine is located nearby. It is one of the most interesting shrines in Tokyo. And if you are looking for some nightlife, bars, and dining, the vibrant Akasaka area is close to the hotel.
My stay at the Hotel New Otani Tokyo was an unforgettable one. This hotel has so much to offer, from the fantastic room and a beautiful garden to high-class restaurants and lounges. The high level of luxury and service they offer is truly amazing, and I suggest to everyone who wishes to stay in this hotel to check out their website to learn more.
8 Responses
Shin Edo rooms look spectacular! I didn’t even know that something like that exists! I’ve put it on my list and I can’t wait to experience it!
I’m sure you will enjoy it! Staying in Shin Edo room was truly unique and I enjoyed every second of it!
I think that this is the best hotel in Tokyo! I stayed there many times and I hope to return soon!
I hope you will return soon too! Thank you for your comment!
I am staying in New Otani when I arrive to Tokyo in a few weeks. I am excited to see their garden, it looks amazing!
The garden is amazing! Make sure to check it during the day and night, because the atmosphere is different when the lights are turned on!
Thank you for the review! I am staying there in May and I’m so excited about it!
No problem at all! Enjoy your stay in New Otani Tokyo!