The Peninsula Hotel, Tokyo

Peninsula Tokyo

The Peninsula Hotels is a brand you can trust, wherever you are in the world. In Japan, service and hospitality are of a higher quality than anywhere else in the world, but The Peninsula Tokyo stills outshines many of its competitors with impeccable attention to detail and thoughtful luxury.

The hotel’s prime location gives guests easy access to many of the city’s most celebrated sightseeing highlights. Opposite the property the Imperial Palace and Hibuiya Park are particularly pleasant in warmer weather, whilst retail and food lovers will enjoy the glamorous Ginza district for shopping and dining. Business visitors will find themselves conveniently close to the Marunouchi area.

In winter, Tokyo can be a punishingly cold place to be and after travelling across town I was delighted to be stepping inside the warm and welcoming Peninsula palace. At the entrance a white-uniformed bellboy opened the door to the glistening golden lobby. A balcony in the ceiling concealed a band of live musicians who provided atmospheric entertainment throughout the day. Check-in was quick and organised and we were soon admiring the views from our room on floor 20.

Peninsula bedroomPenCities Tokyo

The Grand Deluxe Rooms are the ideal balance of cosy homeliness and spacious comfort. Sophisticated shades of cream and silver give the room a stylish and relaxed feel, with plush furniture and attractive decorative subtle artwork. The Peninsula Hotels make their rooms memorable with extra indulgences and amenities… the free VoIP internet phone allows guests to call internationally free of charge, a nail dryer offers female visitors a convenient beauty tool and the in-room printer-fax-scanner complex was extremely useful for me to sort out last minute travel documents.

The bathroom is not dissimilar to a mini spa. The big bath offers a range of mood-enhancing settings and options, from lighting to music. Separate his and hers sinks ensure there are no arguments here! The Peninsula Hotels have a unique collaboration with Oscar de la Renta, so all bathrooms include fragrant toiletries from this high-end designer.

A meal at Peter offers the chance to try Japan’s most prized Kobe and Wagyu beef. In short, it was the best steak I have ever eaten. The Kobe was melt in the mouth velvety soft meat, whilst the Gifu Hidagyu A5 Tenderloin (Wagyu) was evenly and finely marbled to give optimum flavour. Served with handcut chips and a seasonal salad; it was a truly memorable meal. Desserts were a unique mix of Japanese and European flavours. White chocolate and green tea dessert was a beautiful dish, but the unique taste of green tea is definitely an acquired taste.

Breakfast is best enjoyed in the enviably prestigious lobby. Order from the extensive menu of continental and traditional Japanese recipes. We tasted the indulgent French toast with caramelised banana, a bowl of Muesli with yoghurt and berries, and enjoyed the freshly prepared bakery basket of flaky French pastries. It was the perfect sustenance before a morning of outdoor exploring.

Peninsula Hotels work closely with Luxe to present guests with up-to-date guides for their relevant cities. This fold-up companion impressed me, the suggestions were unusual and exciting, with a good mix of local must-sees to hidden insider secrets. It is another initiative that illustrates how Peninsula helps guests enjoy the destinations as well as the offerings inside the hotel.

More information and book a room at The Peninsula Tokyo here.

Peninsula in Pink

Pink AFT Tea LR

The fifth anniversary of the Peninsula in Pink campaign presents pink-inspired artworks by celebrated artists and a charitable pink art auction, plus pink-tinted afternoon teas, cocktails and floral decorations.

The Peninsula Hotels in Asia, North America and Europe are again thinking pink for a purpose this October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Marking its fifth anniversary in 2015, the Peninsula in Pink charitable initiative is undergoing a creative makeover to become “The Art of Pink.” In keeping with The Peninsula’s global commitment to the arts, each hotel will exhibit specially commissioned pink-inspired artworks by acclaimed global artists, including internationally celebrated photographer Chen Man in Shanghai, renowned Chinese contemporary painter and installation artist Qin Feng in Beijing, Thailand’s best-known cartoonist Chiratorn Chirapravati in Bangkok, internationally recognised Peruvian artist Grimanesa Amorós in New York, French sculptor Nathalie Decoster in Paris, and prominent Korean artist Choi Jeong Hwa in Chicago.

The pink masterpieces exclusively created for Peninsula will be exhibited at each hotel and auctioned, with the proceeds donated to local breast cancer charities.

Supporting innovative public art around the world is an ongoing commitment at The Peninsula Hotels. The Art of Pink campaign builds on the partnerships each hotel has created with leading art museums, galleries and private collectors to provide guests with privileged access to ground-breaking art by established global masters and emerging local artists. 

Highlights of The Art of Pink in 2015 also include pink-themed gala fundraising events featuring charitable auctions of the pink art masterpieces, plus special Peninsula dining and spa promotions and exclusive items donated by partner brands. Each Peninsula hotel will adopt its own creative theme for the event. Examples of giving back in a fun way include The Peninsula Bangkok teaming up with selected independent restaurants to present an evening of fine cocktails and cuisine in a pop-up format, and The Peninsula Hong Kong partnering with leading global auction house Christie’s for a first-of-its-kind gala and live auction of pink-themed luxury items.

A popular part of every Peninsula in Pink campaign is the Pink Afternoon Tea. This October, guests at The Lobby of each hotel will relish a creatively themed The Art of Pink Peninsula Afternoon Tea, featuring rose-tinted sweet and savoury treats served on a tiered silver platter, and accompanied by rosé wines and bubbles.

Guests at Peninsula hotels can also participate by purchasing the specially commissioned pink ribbon pin during October, together with enjoying the collection of pink-infused gourmet dining and spa experiences, with part of the proceeds donated to local breast cancer charities.

The creative theming of each Peninsula in Pink campaign is designed to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer charities in the hotels’ local communities. In its first four years, the Peninsula in Pink campaign has raised over USD 500,000. A dedicated webpage, www.peninsula.com/pink, features information on all Art of Pink initiatives, including the campaign’s history, photographs and videos.

The funds raised by Peninsula in Pink help local organisations to provide improved breast cancer-care facilities and services to patients in need. Examples include The Peninsula Manila, which is supporting the construction of a new and improved Breast Care Centre at the East Avenue Medical Centre, and The Peninsula Chicago, which helps transport breast cancer patients to and from medical appointments in the hotel’s fleet of MINI Clubman cars.