Imperial Hotel

Located across from Hibiya Park, within walking distance of the Ginza and Imperial Palace, this is one of Tokyo's best-known and most popular hotels. The Imperial's trademark is impeccable service: Guests are treated like royalty. The Imperial's history goes back to 1890, when it opened at the request of the Imperial family to house the many foreigners coming to Japan; it was rebuilt in 1922 by Frank Lloyd Wright, but the present hotel dates from 1970, with a 31-story tower added in 1983. Wright's legacy lives on in the hotel's Art Deco Old Imperial Bar and Wright-inspired designs and furniture in public spaces. (Part of Wright's original structure survives at Meiji-Mura, an architectural museum outside Nagoya.) A full range of facilities includes one of the few hotels with a children's day-care center. Rooms in the main building are quite large for Tokyo, while Tower rooms, slightly smaller, are higher up, have floor-to-ceiling bay windows, and offer fantastic views of either Imperial Palace grounds or, my preference, the Ginza. All come with first-class amenities you'd expect from one of Tokyo's top hotels, as well as such appreciated extras as a hands-free phone, safes with plug-ins for laptops, and one-touch bedside controls for lights, drapes, and music. Tip: Become a member of the Imperial Club (membership is free), and you can use the small pool and gym free of charge.

Facilities: 13 restaurants, including Kamon, Ten-ichi, and the Imperial Viking Sal; 2 bars; 2 lounges; babysitting; children's day-care center, for ages 2 weeks to 6 years (fee: ¥5,250 for 2 hr.); concierge; executive-level rooms; exercise room (fee: ¥1,050; free for Imperial Club members); 20th-floor indoor pool (fee: ¥1,050; free for Imperial Club members); room service; sauna; in-house doctor; tea-ceremony room; post office.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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