This is one of Tokyo's oldest and most respected hotels, with a prime location near subway stations, Ginza, Hibiya Park, and Imperial Palace. First opened in 1890 at the request of the imperial family to house foreign visitors, it was rebuilt in 1922 by Frank Lloyd Wright and survived the horrific 1923 earthquake, only to succumb in 1970 to developers in a complete makeover. Wright’s legacy lives on in the hotel’s Art Deco Old Imperial Bar and Wright-inspired designs and furniture in public spaces. Rooms are spread throughout the main building, popular with Japanese because its showers are located outside of tubs (which allows them to bathe in traditional fashion), and in a 31-story tower added in 1983. Although access to the tower, via a second-floor passageway, is a bit cumbersome, and tower rooms are smaller, foreign guests tend to like rooms here because views are better (with a choice of either the Ginza with its sparkling neon or Hibiya Park and Imperial Palace) and it’s near the pool and gym. Tip: Join Imperial Club International—membership is free—and you can use the pool and gym for free and get other hotel discounts.