Hotel of the week: Nothing gets lost in translation in the luxurious Peninsula
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Your support makes all the difference.Only the downright lazy stay holed up in their room in Tokyo, where the "different-planet" thrills are felt at every street corner. But it is very hard to leave The Peninsula. An outpost of the historic hotel in Hong Kong, checking in here is an indulgent option.
Eight months after opening, it's a serious rival to the Park "Lost in Translation" Hyatt. But, unlike its peers in this high-rise city, The Peninsula isn't wedged into a mixed-use tower or mall. It is free standing with a mere 24 floors in up-and-coming Marunouchi.
The glowing twin towers are intended to resemble a Japanese lantern. Japanese artworks decorate the hotel: the first thing you see on entering the grand foyer-cum-breakfast room is a giant sea slug fashioned from bamboo.
Maybe it's the pageboys, standing to attention in starched white uniforms at the door, but The Peninsula seems to have values more old-world – even imperialist – than its competitors.
The bedroom
Floor-to-ceiling views of the Imperial Palace – check. Big double rooms with sofa, separate dressing area, and a privacy hatch for deliveries – check. But what really ticks boxes is the in-room tech. You can synch your mobile to the room's landline, which converts to a mobile when you take it outside the hotel. There's web radio and a night light that gently illuminates a path to the bathroom. The toilet seat temperature never dips below 25C.
The food and drink
The top-floor restaurant, Peter, serves adventurous French-Asian dishes for 11,500 yen (£55) for four courses. There's also a fancy Cantonese restaurant and a formal kaiseki/tempura place.
The extras
There's an Espa spa, modern gym, a beautiful pool, and a fleet of chauffeured Rolls-Royces.
The access
Children are welcome, though no under 12s are allowed in two of the restaurants. Guide dogs only. Six rooms are modified for guests with disabilities. Some Braille facilities are available.
The bill
Until 14 May, some rooms cost 42,000 (£203) yen per night; then from 60,000 yen (£290).
The address
The Peninsula Tokyo, 1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0006 (00 81 3 62702888; tokyo.peninsula.com).
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