Okura Tokyo – Hotel Review

Since 1962, the Okura Tokyo has widely been considered one of the city’s most beloved stays by both locals and international guests alike, having hosted guests such as King Charles III, Barack Obama and Emperor Hirohito. After a $1 billion rebuild in 2019, the hotel now honours the best of its past with all the mod-cons you’d expect of a 21st-century five-star hotel, including seven restaurants and bars, a five-lane heated pool, expansive traditional gardens and Japan’s oldest private art museum. Read on for our full review.

Where is Okura Tokyo?

Surrounded by embassies and commercial buildings, the Okura Tokyo hotel is located in Minato. From Haneda Airport, it’s a 24-minute drive away, while the journey from Narita Airport will take just over an hour via car. The hotel spans two buildings, the Okura Prestige and the Okura Heritage, which are connected via private walkway so guests can make use of each property’s facilities and venues.

What’s near Okura Tokyo?

The nearest subway stations are Toranomon Hills (five-minute walk), Roppongi-itchome (seven-minute walk) and Tameike-sanno (10-minute walk) – from there you’ll have easy access to Tokyo’s extensive subway network. Tokyo Tower and its neighbouring Shiba Park and Zojo-ji Temple are a 16-minute walk south of the hotel.Roppongi-itchome (7 mins)

Room types

There are 368 rooms and suites within the Prestige Tower and 140 within the Heritage Wing to choose from. As the name suggests, rooms within the Heritage Wing evoke traditional Japanese design with warm timber floors and walls, washi paper lights, gold-toned throws, sliding doors and expansive views. All rooms within the wing come with a Japanese-style steam room, a spa bathtub and heated flooring in the bathroom and, as an added bonus, all beverages within the mini-fridge are free.

The Prestige Tower’s rooms and suites take a more contemporary approach to design: sleek lines, darker timber hues and upholstered furniture create a cosy nest for looking out over the Tokyo skyline. Amenities in both buildings include all the staples you’d expect, as well as a mini skincare kit from Japanese brand THREE that includes a cleansing oil, soap, lotion, emulsion and cream.

Top tip: For shopaholics who like to travel without carrying their goodies, you’ll want to make use of the butler box: a clever compartment that can be accessed by hotel staff outside your room, that you can access from inside. Have your shopping delivered to the hotel and the staff will store it safely in the box so you can retrieve it at your convenience.

Restaurants and bars

With five restaurants to choose from across both towers, the only question you'll have is where to eat first. Nouvelle Epoque, in the Heritage Wing, plates up Japanese-French fusion fare (you’ll need to book ahead if you’re hoping to catch their signature French toast for breakfast) while Toh-Ka-Lin, in the Prestige Tower, dishes up traditional Cantonese-style bites such as hot-and-sour sea bass claypot, braised abalone and Peking duck.

Yamazato, the hotel’s Japanese fine diner, features a main dining room as well as a dedicated tempura bar and sushi bar where guests watch chefs slicing fish with surgical precision as they eat. For something sizzling, head to the 41st floor in the Prestige Tower to Sazanka – a restaurant devoted to the art of teppanyaki. With 11 teppanyaki bars to perch at, you’ll be treated to freshly grilled Kobe beef as well as expansive views over the city. Orchid in the Prestige Tower is the hotel’s buffet breakfast spot and all-day diner offering a diverse menu that spans global cuisines.

For an evening aperitif, pull up a stool at either the Orchid Bar (try the signature Okura Bull Shot – a savoury concoction of beef consomme and vodka) on the 5th floor, or the Starlight bar on the 41st floor of the Prestige Tower, where you’ll enjoy classic cocktails with a side of skyline views.

Sustainability

Guests are encouraged to take any used amenities home with them so that they don’t go to waste and there’s a card you can leave on your bed for housekeeping if you’re happy to keep the same bedding from night to night.

Travel for work

All rooms and suites are equipped with a desk to work from, but the real business perks are reserved for guests with Club Lounge access, which is given to visitors staying in the Heritage Wing or on floors 37 to 40 in the Prestige Tower. On the 37th floor, the Club Lounge is a tranquil retreat filled with cosy alcoves and lounges for working and light meals and refreshments are provided at set times (8.30am, 2pm and 5pm) throughout the day.

Spa, pool and gym

Housed in the Prestige Tower, the hotel’s 25-metre, five-lane heated indoor pool is accompanied by a dry sauna and steam room, as well as a fully-equipped gymnasium that comes complete with onsite fitness trainers, nurse and registered dietitian. Children must be aged 13 and up to use the facilities and visitors will be charged a visitor’s fee of 13,200 JPY. The facilities are open till 10pm all days except Sunday, where they close at 9.30pm. Named the best in Japan at the 2022 Crystal Awards, the Okura’s spa boasts a diverse menu of facial and body treatments that draw inspiration from the five elements: fire, earth, wood, water and metal. Rejuvenate your body with the full Moku treatment and relax as white flower oil and a body scrub reset your muscles.

What you need to know

Guests who stay within the Heritage Wing will find a lacquered orange tamatebako box tucked under the mini-bar filled with goodies (kamifusen/paper balloons, a spa towel and drawstring bags) to take home.

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