Hotels - Keeping the flame alive

1 - Leaving a little early Andaz Tokyo is already ready for the Olympic fortnight, which will take place in the Toranomon district.

Tokyo is busy. In the run-up to the 2020 Olympic Games, and in anticipation of this influx of visitors, a great deal of restoration work is being carried out, and above all, new buildings are being built... "This year, 5,000 hotel rooms will be opened and at least 2,000 more in 2016."says Hakuryo Rin, in charge of tourism promotion in the capital. Before the Olympic flame is lit, a total of 20,000 new rooms in all categories should be added to Tokyo's hotel list. And while Japan still has the important task of ratifying a floating, unofficial star system, this is not stopping the major hotels from going beyond the threshold of excellence and aiming for perfection.

One of the finest examples of this Olympic preparation is the complete reconstruction of the Palace Hotel, which opened in 1961 in anticipation of the 1964 Olympics and closed in 2009. Sublimated and magnified, it reopened in 2012 under the auspices of Leading Hotels of the World with 290 very spacious rooms, compared with its original 390. However, more than its size, its trump card remains the same: its location, one of the most coveted in the city, right opposite the Imperial Palace.

Sheltered from the hustle and bustle of the city, its two new towers have been oriented towards the lush Emperor's gardens, and its rooms, located between the 8th and 23rd floors, have for the most part been extended by large balconies. It's a luxury almost unheard of in Tokyo, with a real terrace where you can enjoy breakfast beside the water of the palace moat. Water is also omnipresent in the magnificent Evian spa, one of only four in the world after those on the shores of Lake Geneva, in Shanghai and Hanoi. This element gives the sensation of residing in an oasis of nature and refinement. This feeling is reinforced by the interior design created by Terry Mc Ginnity, an Australian designer based in London and a master of airy spaces partitioned by bookcases and pretty sofas. In this world of beauty, the staff serve matcha - green tea - in lacquered wooden cups and wear kimonos in front of works of contemporary art, including a magnificent panel depicting immaculate white chrysanthemums.

Japanese garden and Zen fountain

Nature, then, seems to be a guiding principle among Tokyo's major hotels. At the brand-new Aman, which opened a stone's throw from the Palace last December, lava stone, papier-mâché and chestnut wood were chosen to decorate the lobby on the 33rd floor, which is unspeakably beautiful. At 30 metres high, the equivalent of five storeys of the Otemachi Tower that houses the hotel, it has a Japanese garden and Zen fountain at its centre. At the far end, the vertiginous bay windows overlooking the trees of the imperial palace recall the tradition of Engawa, the "Japanese garden".temple balcony"In other words, from the patio. This contemplative dimension, which allows you to observe nature and the passing of the seasons, is felt throughout the hotel, from the beautiful library to the smoking room, not forgetting the 84 rooms, located between the 35th and 38th floors, some of which are equipped with antique wooden bathtubs, as in the onsen of yesteryear. "Respect for local culture prevails at all Aman sites worldwide"The hotel's spokeswoman points out, as she displays some magnificent ikebana, those ravishingly sober Japanese floral arrangements.

Further on, to the south of the palace, the Andaz, opened in June 2014 at the top of the emblematic Toranomon Hills tower, also focuses on simplicity and noble materials. In the space dedicated to check-in, on the 51st floor, an immense wooden lace, made of thousands of pieces fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle, welcomes travellers in a soothing atmosphere. The brainchild of New Yorker Toni Chi - not forgetting that Andaz was created by the Hyatt group - and Tokyo-born Shinichiro Ogata, the hotel readily blends design and tradition. Here are a few random images: works of art in Washi paper, a bonsai tree, a pastel-coloured jug placed on a rough wooden table, sliding doors reminiscent of traditional homes, Arco lamps and urban views of the nearby Tokyo Tower and the new local 'Eiffel Tower', the Skytree. In the 164 rooms located between the 47th and 50th floors, travellers will find themselves anchored by the omnipresence of wood. Unless they prefer dreams, which seem to come true here: "We recently opened a sushi restaurant at the request of our guests who wanted a Japanese culinary experience without having to leave the hotel".explains Arnaud de Saint-Exupéry, the hotel manager.

While the extravagant new hotel addresses are attracting the attention of travellers - and locals too, as the Japanese like to visit hotels for a drink or a meal - other older establishments continue to seduce. The Conrad, also designed by Terry Mc Ginnity, overlooks the Shiodome business district from the top of a 37-storey tower. Some of its 290 rooms offer views of the Dentsu building, designed by Jean Nouvel and home to one of Japan's largest advertising agencies. But others look out over Tokyo Bay, with Odaiba Island and the famous Rainbow Bridge in the background. In the foreground, the gardens of Hama-rikyu, the former hunting grounds of the seventeenth-century shoguns...

Still relevant today

Facing this luxuriant park, the Conrad is also banking on its green credentials and nature. The countless works of art that embellish it bear witness to this, like the crescent moon-shaped metal sculpture on each floor in front of the lifts, which is transformed as you climb higher and higher, until it reaches its full glory at the top of the hotel. Let's face it, the Conrad is already ten years old, but it hasn't aged a day and you'd be forgiven for thinking it was brand new. Above all, time has given it a wealth of experience. Witness the unrivalled efficiency of the concierge service and the impeccable, efficient and discreet service, particularly on the executive floors on the 36th and 37th floors with their club lounge where breakfast and cocktails are served.

This feeling that the years have passed without altering anything - quite the contrary - can also be seen at the Peninsula, from which the gardens of the Imperial Palace have been visible since 2007. Resolutely attentive to the needs of its business clientele and always on the lookout for the most cutting-edge technologies, this luxury hotel offers some nice surprises: display of the local time in one's home town on the in-room telephone, which can itself be synchronised with one's own smartphone, a personal fax number for sending and receiving messages, an ingenious newspaper and laundry delivery system, a nail dryer for businesswomen in a hurry, a magnificent spa with swimming pool, terrace and whirlpool, and of course, for those who wish, the availability of the legendary Rolls Royce fleet. In terms of ambience, beige and ivory dominate the 314 rooms, as well as the lobby, where the emblematic bamboo sculpture entitled The Dragon Stretched out takes pride of place, a nod to feng shui and the Hong Kong origins of the famous Peninsula brand.

As for the next arrivals, scheduled for 2016, what will they bring? The Hoshinoya Hotel, a spin-off from the Japanese brand Hoshino, which specialises in traditional ryokans, is set to offer 84 rooms of pure elegance. Meanwhile, the Prince Gallery Tokyo Kiochi, a 250-room hotel about to open on the remains of the former Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka, proudly announces its centrepiece: an immense hanging garden. It would seem that Tokyo turns green when hotels grow.