I’ll review every hotel on the Forbes Travel Guide with a short summary. The general rule of thumb is to stay at Japanese-run hotels rather than international chains.



Aman Tokyo: Exceptional city hotel nonetheless does not deserve $2000 a night. Located in an office tower in the business district.

Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills: Stylish cosmopolitan hotel in a well-heeled residential area. Fairly new but some say service is less than ideal. Not the best location if you’re a first-timer

The Capitol Hotel Tokyu: Formal exclusive hotel frequented by dignitaries due to its location. Has a similar wabi-sabi vibe to the Aman. Very good location easily accessible. One of my favs.

Conrad Tokyo: One of the best Conrad hotels worldwide, if not the best. A perfect city hotel, just the right amount of slickness and warmth. Wonderful design and catering. Location relies more on cabs.

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi: Very small hotel by the train station. As far as I know have not been refurbished even though opened 20 years ago. Unjustified high prices.

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi: Cookie-cutter 2020s Four Seasons hotel. No sense of place or the feeling you’re in Japan. Bad service. Boring glass tower. Bad value

Grand Hyatt Tokyo: Reliable grand-dame type hotel. Fabulous location. Timeless design and aesthetic. Easily accessible to any part of the city and had great meals in the Sushi and steakhouse restaurants.

Hotel New Otani Tokyo: Historic property with a tourist attraction-worthy Japanese garden. Best food hotel ever. Do not miss the Sushi. Grossly underrated and make sure to stay at the Executive house zen.

Imperial Hotel, Tokyo: A Tokyo landmark. Not recommended to stay in because the lobby is like a zoo. Very, very tired rooms. Great location and service.

Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo: High design in a historic neighborhood close to Ginza. Beautiful lobby with a good crowd. However, the service was lackluster and the catering too.

The Okura Tokyo: Midcentury icon makeover. Throughly enjoyed my stay with no issues but some say the service is lacking. Good restaurants. It’s situated in a central location however feels peaceful and almost suburban. A quick hike to the nearest subway station. Great value with spacious rooms.

Palace Hotel Tokyo: Classy establishment with a discerning crowd. Loved the location and the architecture. Beautiful lobby

Park Hyatt Tokyo: A Tokyo old-time icon that needs no introduction. Pristine and throughly luxurious even after 30 years of opening. Did not like the restaurants or the location.

The Peninsula Tokyo: Tired rooms and an abhorrent lobby. Good location. Has a good European restaurant

The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho: The WORST of the worst. Had never encountered such rude service. Was completely discriminatory and disrespectful to us in Feb 2020 because we came from Shanghai (Where we lived). Small lobby. Tiny rooms with ugly interiors. Weird entrance

The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo: Extremely overpriced for what it is. Old, tired rooms with the worst bathroom. Mediocre service and did not like the location.

Shangri-La Tokyo: Tacky chain hotel in a crowded and busy area. Would avoid. Would say its a bit better than most Shangri-Las to be fair.

The Tokyo Station Hotel: Good concierge but just does not feel like a 5 star hotel. Weird and creepy layout inside the train station. Also staying inside of a train station seems completely off to me. Small rooms.