The Weekly Toyo Keizai (6 February) issued its annual ratings of Japan’s best hotels, with The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka, and the Imperial Hotel Tokyo receiving top marks.
As a basis for international comparison, travel journalist Yasuhiro Obara reviewed three world-famous hotels that offer particularly special experiences. These are The Hay-Adams in Washington D.C. (“Japanese guests are specially provided with yukata”); the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris (“the hotel is an art museum in itself”) and The Savoy Hotel in London (“the place that gave birth to the concept of a hotel being not merely a place to stay overnight, but also one for social exchanges”).
The hotel survey was conducted by 36 experts between December 2015 and January 2016 in Tokyo and Osaka. Points were awarded for rankings in each city: 10 for first, five for second and three for third. Survey criteria were based on categories of comfort (“bathroom lighting of 400 lux or brighter”); courtesy (“absence of audible background noise when reserving by telephone”); functionality (“smooth check-in and check-out procedures”); and safety (“seat cushion height at desk adjustable between 17–25 cm”).
Best hotels—Tokyo
1. Imperial Hotel Tokyo
2. Park Hyatt Tokyo
3. Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
4. Palace Hotel Tokyo
5. Tokyo Station Hotel
Best hotels—Osaka
1. The Ritz-Carlton Osaka
2. InterContinental Osaka
3. Marriott Osaka Miyako
4. The St. Regis Osaka
5. Rihga Royal Hotel Osaka
Best hotel restaurants—Nationwide
1. New York Grill
Park Hyatt Tokyo
2. Les Saisons
Imperial Hotel Tokyo
3. Signature
Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
Best hotel bars—Nationwide
1. Old Imperial Bar
Imperial Hotel Tokyo
2. New York Bar
Park Hyatt Tokyo
3. Mandarin Bar
Mandarin Oriental Tokyo