Japan meets Italy at The Bulgari Hotel in Tokyo

Tokyo is a riot of sound and motion, neon lights and dense crowds. The contrast of its bustling streets with The Bulgari Hotel Tokyo couldn't be more stark – or, when I visited during an unseasonal May heatwave, more welcome.

The Bulgari is a cool urban retreat of understated chic, a shaded cathedral of high style. It seamlessly blends Italian and Japanese style with a smattering of Bulgari bling, including jewels in display cases and shimmering mosaic walls that evoke the fan-shaped 'Diva' design by the iconic jewellery brand with its origins in Italy. When Bulgari Hotel Tokyo opened in 2023, it became only the company's eighth hotel (increasing to 11 next year), a clear statement of the brand prizing exclusivity over quantity.

Why stay here?

Staying here is as much of an event as touring Tokyo. Occupying floors 40-45 of the new Tokyo Yaesu Midtown skyscraper in the Marunouchi business district, the Bulgari's 98 rooms offer a gasp-inducing view of the city stretching to the horizon. Every time I entered, the panorama stunned me anew, particularly its view of the Imperial Palace. Along with a two-floor spa, top-notch food and an army of discreet staff dedicated to service, it offers all you need to experience the apex of indulgence.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The rooms

Rooms are havens in restful greys and russets. Sleek black Italian furniture is softened by sumptuous silk headboards and a hand-painted gold ceiling. Pops of orange wallpaper add pizzazz. A shoji-style sliding door gives way to a masculine statement bathroom with a bathtub in signature Bulgari black granite, with a vast walk-in rainfall shower and Japanese super-loo.

Crisp linen pyjamas are on offer in the spacious dressing area alongside yukata (simple kimonos) and towelling robes. The latter were handy for a trip to the two-level spa accessed by a special elevator, enabling spa-goers to avoid encountering other guests.

The spa is a big draw. Not the usual below-ground urban grotto, but an oasis bathed in natural light, it provides a sunny showcase for its 25-metre pool of glistening emerald-green mosaic tiles that sparkle like jewels. The bling continues with a giant hot tub backed by a bright mosaic mural of green and gold.

Cabanas with floaty curtains dot the poolside and outdoor terrace, offering beach-style relaxation in the heart of the city. At 1,800 square metres, the spa never feels overcrowded. On the floor below are nine treatment rooms, the only place in Japan entitled to use the luxury German skincare brand Augustinus Bader.

Eating and drinking

Rome meets Tokyo in the food department, ensuring no one leaves disappointed. Breakfast is served in the dramatic curved-ceilinged salon that doubles up nightly as the Michelin-starred Il Ristorante – Niko Romito.

For breakfast, my partner opted for Japanese cuisine, a bento box of succulent tidbits including salmon roe, beef with mixed vegetables and miso soup, while I went for the Italian breakfast of homemade breads and pastries one day, and the hearty American breakfast of bacon, eggs and French toast the next. The Chinese breakfast and health-focused Gymnasium breakfast complete the offerings.

At night, the Michelin-starred Il Ristorante elevates traditional Italian fare by using local ingredients to create spaghetti alle vongole with Japanese clams and risotto alla Milanese with Japan's famous Akaito saffron. Hidden behind a curtain is Hoseki, an eight-seat counter overlooking a peaceful Japanese garden where delectable hand-crafted sushi is served.

The rooftop Bulgari Bar offers sweeping vistas, a buzzing atmosphere and strong cocktails; the mixologist explained which Japanese whisky he chose for my partner's delectable Old-Fashioned. The snacks kept coming to our table, and other revellers were feasting on lobster salad and focaccina with burrata and anchovies.

Things to do

Just steps away from the hotel is the Imperial Palace, home of the emperor, set in 1.3 square miles of parkland and surrounded by an imposing moat. The Inner Gardens are generally closed to the public but the three Outer Gardens offer a peaceful pit-stop after the buzz of the big city.

Ancient Shinto and Buddhist temples offer culture in this city of steel and glass: the imposing Senso-ji Temple in the Asakusa district is approached by a bustling walkway of street-food vendors and bouji shops. Zenkoku-ji Temple in Kagurazaka district comes alive with crowds during festivals, but my favourite was Meiji-jingu Shrine near Harajuku Station, honouring the modernising Emperor Meiji, set in a gorgeous forest of more than 100,000 trees from all over Japan.

Give your credit card a workout in the nearby Ginza district. The Ginza Six is a new temple of shopping in which 241 high-end shops and restaurants (including Bulgari) vie for custom, with a rooftop garden, Noh Theatre and enjoyably bizarre art installation in the atrium of inflatable cats dressed as astronauts.

Also in Ginza, department stores Matsuya and Wako offer luxury goods, and for refreshment, savour green tea at the venerated Uogashi-Meicha Cha Ginza tea shop, open since 1931, or stop at the Miyazawa Café for its famous egg sandwiches.

The verdict

The Bulgari Hotel seamlessly mixes two cultures in high style, with tasteful touches of Bulgari sparkle. Hovering near the clouds in Tokyo's business district, it offers endless vistas, high-end luxury and a peaceful retreat from the bustling big city.

Gabriel Power was a guest of The Bulgari Hotel Tokyo.