The Okura Tokyo Hotel Review: Top Reasons to Stay at This Iconic Luxury Hotel

Here are 4 reasons (for the right client) I am suggesting The Okura Tokyo Hotel for your itinerary:

1. The location

When in Tokyo, you are most likely hardly at your hotel, but that doesn’t mean the location doesn’t matter. Located in the heart of Toranomon, just minutes from Roppongi and the Imperial Palace, The Okura Tokyo feels both central and serene. I personally love how safe it feels and the ease to the nearby stations. It definitely feels like the business area, but I really don’t mind that because once you are inside you just feel like you made the right choice for your stay.

2. The design

The Okuru Tokyo hotel is a perfect balance of refined Japanese aesthetics, contemporary comfort, and architectural brilliance. Reimagined from its legendary 1962 origins, The Okura Hotel Tokyo was designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, son of the hotel’s original architect, Yoshiro Taniguchi. Yoshio is an internationally acclaimed architect best known for his redesign of New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

The Okura Tokyo has two distinct buildings—The Heritage Wing offers a serene, residential-style experience with spacious rooms—ideal for families or those wanting more traditional Japanese craftsmanship, many with views of lush gardens. In contrast, the Prestige Tower (the main building above the iconic lobby) offers sweeping Tokyo skyline views and direct access to the city’s energy—I prefer this one just for the convenience and linear architecture.

3. The staff

Everyone is so friendly and there is not a thing they overlook. For a hotel of this scale, it is truly incredible how the staff at The Okura Tokyo hotel knows you by your name and personalizes your stay. (Yes, I can help with this part as well because they are just as friendly as partners to work with!) It’s lovely to see the sense of pride each staff member has to work there! And they make it a point to hire locals—which we love.

4. The breakfast

The only meal you should eat at your hotel in Tokyo is breakfast, and therefore it’s the only meal that matters for your hotel to do right. You have your choice of western or traditional Japanese. The Okura Tokyo gives you three choices, and none of them are short of amazing. The buffet is unreal—they have a beautiful pastry and coffee bar, and you can enjoy breakfast until 10:30 am, which is late-ish for Japanese hotel standards.

Be sure to ask me about which tower is right for you so we can arrange your accommodations accordingly.

And be sure to bring a book, a board game, your laptop, or grab a cocktail—because you will want to spend time in the lobby—it’s absolutely a work of art!

One area of disappointment is there is a lot of single-use plastic both at the restaurant and in the rooms. The cafe still utilizes plastic straws and plastic cups and the bathroom products are single-use in the rooms. I loved that the rooms offered travel-size beauty care made by locals, but the small plastic bottles and containers for the products felt wasteful. I am hopeful to see this as an area of improvement.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Tokyo page.