JAPAN
AMAN TOKYO
En route to the hotel from the airport, my taxi driver described the new Aman property as “the hottest hotel in Tokyo” – and how right he was.
The 84-room property opened
at the end of last year and takes up the top six floors of the 38-storey Otemachi Tower. The opening has created a real buzz in the city, with a waiting list of three months just to sample the hotel’s Black Afternoon Tea. Even the street-level Aman Cafe has a queue when the doors are flung open every morning. With a lobby that resembles a
giant lantern, Aman Tokyo certainly has the wow factor I had hoped for. Running alongside the lobby
area is the hotel’s restaurant and bar, serving a mix of local and international cuisine with everything from a bento box-style dinner and blackened cod to steak and pork dishes.
The lantern, made from white washi rice paper, is almost 30 feet
doors and a traditional stone bath. If you can pull yourself out of your
room, head to the spa area and take a swim in what I’m sure has to be one of the best pools in the world. The pool wraps around two walls of the hotel and offers spectacularly different views day and night. The spa and relaxation concept
high and is lit up to emulate the traditions of a typical Japanese house. All areas of the hotel are open plan to create a sense of serenity. Aman Tokyo is the brand’s first
city hotel, with the others spread across exotic beach locations or amid remote mountain scenery, in destinations such as Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Morocco and Montenegro. The resort-style property works so well in Tokyo, however, that it’s a wonder that the brand hasn’t dipped its toe in an urban area before. I stayed in a suite far bigger
than my two-bed flat in London (the hotel’s deluxe rooms are the largest entry-level accommodation in the city). With views overlooking Mount Fuji, Tokyo Tower and the Imperial Palace, every room offers an impressive view. And while the design is modern, the characteristics are authentic to Japan, with paper sliding
is integral to Aman Resorts’ ethos. The spa facilities, which include a Japanese bath, several sauna and steam rooms and a large gym, span two floors and is the biggest hotel spa in Tokyo. When we arrived, the hotel staff
asked us to treat the hotel as our home from home. Guests will find it hard to leave this place. Room-only prices start at £400.
AMAN TO EXPAND Aman Resorts is to open its second property in Japan,
following the launch of Aman
Tokyo last year. Amanemu will open early next year on the shores of Ago Bay in Ise-Shima National Park in Honshu’s Mie prefecture. The resort will feature 24 suites and four two-bedroom villas, all of which will have their own hot spring. Amanemu, which will be the brand’s 30th resort, will also offer an Aman Spa, a lap pool,
restaurant and lounge.
AMANEMU.COM
80 — aspire september 2015
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96