In celebration of Palace Hotel Tokyo’s tenth anniversary this May, the highly acclaimed property is cutting the ribbon on a new category of suites.
Six Premier Suites were officially unveiled this month, adding a mid-range category to the hotel’s now-seven categories of suites, which range in size from 75 square meters to 250 square meters (810 - 2,690 square feet).
The hotel turned to the award-winning, luxury hospitality design firm that originally fashioned its interiors, G.A Group, to envision the new suites.
Drawing on the elegant-simplicity aesthetic the hotel is known for and taking into account the growing demand for luxury accommodations that cater to longer-stay guests, the property conceived the 90-square-meter (970-square-foot) Premier Suites to better suit business and leisure travelers who desire more space for work and play.
“The luxury market has proven to be very resilient, as there's always a demand for hotel suites tantamount to pied-à-terres among those accustomed to traveling the world and expecting their accommodations to exude the same level of luxury and sophistication as their own homes,” said Daisuke Yoshihara, president of Palace Hotel Co., Ltd. about the decision to expand the hotel’s offerings.
“The addition of these new suites exemplifies our company’s commitment to continuously raising the bar on the products and services that we offer.”
Each Premier Suite’s living space features two distinct areas – a spacious lounge with ample seating and a separate, multi-purpose space in which to dine or work.
In the bedroom, which comes outfitted with a dressing table, a walk-through closet leads to an ensuite bathroom with double vanity and separate soaking tub and rain shower.
Guests can choose between a king-size bed or two oversized twin beds.
Spread over floors 10 - 15 of the hotel, each of the new suites features two separate balconies on which to dine alfresco while taking in views of Wadakura Fountain Park, the Imperial Palace gardens and the city skyline beyond. In keeping with the original design directive, the verdant landscape surrounding the property served as inspiration for the interiors, with textural elements and an earthy color palette of mossy green, soft browns and light taupe being drawn from the natural environment.
A number of design features add a sense of warmth and richness to the space, including polished timber floors, plush fabric wall coverings and bespoke rugs patterned to echo the wabi sabi beauty of moss as it emerges from untended spaces. Decorative elements range from contemporary Japanese ink wash paintings to sculptural porcelain and ceramic pieces.
The furnishings and artwork are all original and exclusive to Palace Hotel Tokyo, most having been commissioned specifically for the new suites.
Curated by Art Front Gallery, the art pieces were all done by contemporary Japanese artists and chosen to reflect the hotel’s connection to nature and the beauty of its surroundings.
Japanese sumi (ink wash) paintings reflecting award-winning artist Naoto Sunohara’s abstract, aerial perspectives on the vast Imperial Palace gardens and the green-roofed palace buildings situated within hang prominently in each suite.
In addition to the artwork, the destination is further reflected in uniquely Japanese touches such as the bath linens made in Imabari – a city renowned for over a century for the quality of its towel production – the nambu-tekki cast iron teapots, tea cups handmade in the traditional Mashiko-yaki style of pottery, and Echizen lacquerware tea cup saucers.
For optimum flexibility, each Premier Suite can be expanded into a two-bedroom unit when the adjoining Club Deluxe King or Twin with Balcony room is also booked.
Suite guests also enjoy Club Lounge access and privileges, which include private check-in, check-out and concierge service as well as daily breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails and canapés.
A private meeting room that seats up to six as well as an outdoor terrace offering captivating vistas of Tokyo round out the 172-square-meter (1,851-square-foot) space’s facilities.
“There’s been a noticeable increase in the amount of time our guests spend on-property – particularly among domestic travelers, but also overseas business professionals traveling on tight schedules who prefer to host their meetings and entertainment at the hotel,” said Masaru Watanabe, Palace Hotel Tokyo’s senior managing director and general manager.
“So, it’s important that we continue to adapt and expand our offerings to suit the ever-evolving lifestyles of our diverse clientele. With the debut of these new suites, we have every expectation that our guests will want to linger even longer.”
Premier Suites start from JPY 288,000++ per night.
