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I just had the chance to spend a couple of nights at the 171-key Park Hyatt Tokyo, a stay I booked at the last minute with World of Hyatt points (though if paying cash, I recommend booking through the Hyatt Privé program).
For some background, the Park Hyatt Tokyo is probably the most famous Hyatt property in the world, as it was featured in “Lost in Translation,” and has a bit of a cult following. I’ve loved my stays there in the past, and the hotel has just undergone a 19-month renovation, intended to breathe new life into the property, coinciding with its 30th anniversary.
I couldn’t wait to check out the hotel shortly after its reopening, to see just how significant the changes are. Is the hotel better than ever before, did it lose the old vibe that made it special, or what? While there are a few things I didn’t love (as is the case with any hotel), by and large I think this is an exceptional property that’s absolutely worth staying at, especially if you’re in the Hyatt ecosystem.
While I’ll have a full review soon, in this post I’d like to share some initial thoughts on my stay…
The Park Hyatt Tokyo feels just like old times, minus the rooms
Often when hotels undergo big renovations, they lose their essence, and almost become unrecognizable compared to before. That’s very much not the case at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, as the goal was clearly to fully preserve the vibe of the original hotel, while making it all feel more modern (in terms of design, technology, etc.).
The thing is, much of what makes the Park Hyatt Tokyo so iconic is the very high ceilings of the public facilities, given that the hotel takes up the 39th to 52nd floors of the Shinjuku Park Tower. So in some areas of the hotel, you may very well feel like things are almost identical compared to 10-20 years ago, and that’s a good thing.
But then the public areas that have seen major work done feel really classy, and like a great continuation of the old design. There’s nothing ultra-modern here, and that’s a good thing. I love how the reception still has some dark green color that the hotel used to be known for.
As far as the room design goes, I’m on the fence. While the rooms feel fresh and luxurious, they seem rather bland and muted to me, and they don’t really seem to go with the rest of the property in any meaningful way, other than feeling a bit like a “blank canvas.”
Perhaps that’s intentional, so that the rest of the facilities can shine, because otherwise there would’ve been too much going on? I dunno. For what it’s worth, I was in a deluxe room, one level above the entry room category.
The Park Hyatt restaurants and bars are legendary, good as ever
The Park Hyatt Tokyo has an unbelievably strong food & beverage game, and to me, that’s really what sells this place. Yes, of course one doesn’t always want to eat or drink in hotels (especially in Tokyo, probably my favorite food city in the world), but still, there’s something nice about having some spots with a vibe, especially when they’re also frequented by non-guests.
New York Bar & Grill is the hotel’s most famous outlet, again, due to “Lost in Translation.” This is such a fun space, with live music every night, and it’s always packed. New York Grill is excellent as well.
Then there’s Girandole by Alain Ducasse, which is also where breakfast is served.
The breakfast at the Park Hyatt Tokyo is a delight. If you choose the western option, you can choose an item from the menu, and get access to what might just be the highest quality breakfast buffet I’ve ever seen. It’s not the biggest, but it’s possibly the best. The quality of the pastries (which I try to avoid, but I had to have one) is next level, and all the other dishes are served in individual containers.
We’re talking smoked salmon with caviar, possibly the best yogurt I’ve ever had, homemade granola made with Alain Ducasse chocolate, etc. Then you have the executive chef walking around to tables serving fresh madeleines, straight out of the oven. Yum, yum, yum.
There’s also Kozue, the Japanese restaurant, with a kaiseki concept, which is excellent.
And then there’s Peak Lounge & Bar, which also has a fun vibe, despite basically being a lobby lounge.
I was impressed by all the facilities, in terms of design, vibe, food quality, etc. I also found service to be friendly and attentive across the board (side note — when you arrive at New York Bar, why does it feel like they write a whole novel on a slip of paper before seating you?).
The Park Hyatt Tokyo wellness area is expansive
Club on the Park is the Park Hyatt Tokyo’s wellness area, and it’s a massive facility, spanning 2,100 square meters (nearly 23,000 square feet). The spa area as such has whirlpools, cold plunges, dry and steam saunas, relaxation rooms, and more. I also love the design here, as it maintains that old signature green color.
The 20-meter (66-foot) pool is perhaps the single most easily identifiable aspect of the Park Hyatt Tokyo, and it feels like it remained completely unchanged. Personally I think they could’ve zhuzhed up the pool as such a bit, to make it a bit more inspiring. It’s just a pretty basic lap pool, but I guess the idea is that the overall facility is what has the “wow” factor.
The gym is located on the same level as the pool, as it’s two separate rooms, on opposite sides of the pool. The only downside is that Club on the Park is only open daily from 6AM until 10PM, meaning that the gym at the hotel isn’t accessible 24/7.
As before, the Park Hyatt Tokyo’s location isn’t ideal
My single biggest “beef” with the Park Hyatt Tokyo is the location. It’s located in Shinjuku, and as a visitor, that’s just not where I’d ideally stay. In my opinion, the area immediately around the hotel isn’t particularly pretty (though there are parks not too far away), and this also isn’t where most visitors will want to be. Others will certainly disagree, but that’s my take.
Of course let me acknowledge that public transportation in Tokyo is good, so it’s not too hard to get to where you want to go efficiently. However, if you want a hotel where you just walk outside and are in a beautiful area in the center of all the action, this isn’t it.
On the plus side, I adore the views from the Park Hyatt Tokyo. The area around Shinjuku is largely pretty flat, as it’s one of the older areas of town. I quite like that, as you really feel like you’re very high up. On a clear day, you can even see Mount Fuji from the hotel.
Bottom line
The Park Hyatt Tokyo recently reopened after an extensive renovation, and I’m delighted to see this place open again. All-in-all, this is an excellent hotel — I love how it’s at the top of a skyscraper, the food & beverage outlets are great, the wellness area is awesome, and for the most part, I love the design.
I don’t love the hotel’s location, but admittedly that’s a personal preference. I think the other thing worth acknowledging is that the Tokyo hotel market has simply become so much more competitive over the past decade, so the Park Hyatt perhaps doesn’t shine in the same way it used to. Still, amount hotels belonging to major loyalty programs, I’d say this is tough to beat.
What’s your take on the refreshed Park Hyatt Tokyo? Would you stay here?
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