Best Luxury Hotels in Japan

Marunouchi’s big sister hotel occupies the top six floors of a 39-storey skyscraper and accommodates 190 bedrooms. Within a stone’s throw of the Gardens of the Imperial Palace, it has an especially regal, and green outlook. Inside are two restaurants with outdoor terraces and a 1920s-era bar; a spa featuring a 3-D installation that was inspired by Issey Miyake textiles; a 20-metre swimming pool; and traditional soaking baths. For the best suites, book one on the 34th to the 38th floors — these were artfully designed by Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston.

The Conrad Osaka occupies the highest floors of Nakanoshima Festival Tower West, its lobby soaring 200 metres above the city on the 40th floor. This is sky-high luxury on Osaka’s cultural island, where world-class museums, galleries and historic architecture sit between two rivers. Contemporary design meets Japanese precision and attention to detail throughout, from the dramatic spiral staircase, the 80-year-old bonsai at reception, and the thoughtful check in ritual.

Marunouchi’s big sister hotel occupies the top six floors of a 39-storey skyscraper and accommodates 190 bedrooms. Within a stone’s throw of the Gardens of the Imperial Palace, it has an especially regal, and green outlook. Inside are two restaurants with outdoor terraces and a 1920s-era bar; a spa featuring a 3-D installation that was inspired by Issey Miyake textiles; a 20-metre swimming pool; and traditional soaking baths. For the best suites, book one on the 34th to the 38th floors — these were artfully designed by Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston.

This secluded retreat was opened by The Banyan Tree Group in 2020, accommodating 25 balconied bedrooms. It faces Nijo-Jo Castle and features interior architecture in a flying geese formation, taking its cue from the castle and Katsura Imperial Villa. The interior design is by the world-renowned Yukio Hashimoto; here the outside is drawn in, with picture windows emphasising its lush garden surroundings; greenery, planting and a calming water feature akin to a serene mini lake with a tree island at its centre. Garrya Nijo Castle Kyoto also accommodates the Singular restaurant serving French cuisine, a kitchen and a well-being lounge.

With 909 rooms and suites, The Imperial Hotel, Tokyo has stood as a symbol of grace and refinement since 1890. Located between Ginza and the Imperial Palace gardens, this landmark hotel continues to embody Japanese elegance and Western sophistication. The interiors blend timeless craftsmanship with contemporary comfort, complemented by impeccable service that has welcomed dignitaries, artists, and royalty for over a century. Dining spans fine French, traditional kaiseki, and teppanyaki, including the celebrated Les Saisons and Kamon, while Old Imperial Bar evokes Frank Lloyd Wright’s design legacy.

Leisure amenities include a spa, fitness centre, and indoor pool, offering sanctuary in the heart of the capital. Currently undergoing a bold renewal under architect Tsuyoshi Tane as part of the Tokyo Cross Park Vision, the hotel’s enduring spirit remains untouched. This is a place where tradition meets innovation, history meets artistry, and hospitality remains an art form.

Patina Osaka introduces a new wave of mindful luxury to Japan’s urban hotel scene. Located between Osaka Castle and Naniwanomiya Park, this 20-storey sanctuary features 221 rooms and suites that blend contemporary comfort with the natural rhythms of Japanese design philosophy. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame sweeping views of historic landmarks, while interiors celebrate seasonal transitions through natural textures and thoughtful details. The hotel is defined by its commitment to wellness and creativity, with The Patina Spa offering pioneering health technology including cryotherapy, oxygen and hydrogen therapies, and LED body treatments. Dining is equally considered, from the hyper-seasonal cuisine at P72 to the immersive audio environment of The Listening Room by OJAS. With creative partnerships, cultural experiences and a design ethos shaped by Japan’s micro-seasons, Patina Osaka is more than a luxury hotel—it’s a place for personal transformation and connection, in one of Japan’s most dynamic cities.

Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto, is a refined 39-room hot spring hotel on the banks of the Hozu River in Arashiyama, where emperors once held boating parties and poets came to write about the passing seasons. This exquisite estate dates back to a 13th-century imperial palace, and two of the hotel’s restaurants occupy century-old villas built for a baron. Today’s guests can enjoy a private open-air onsen fed by natural springs, and gardens carpeted in moss beneath maple and pine trees. Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel is a destination for all seasons, from the first cherry blossoms, when the evening cicadas sing to when the maple leaves turn yellow.

Food lovers who are looking for an elegant place to stay while spending time in Tokyo are sure to love the Mandarin Oriental. Set in the Nihonbashi district, guests are treated to the choice of 178 rooms that are decorated with charming cherry blossom motifs. The establishment really excels when it comes to its dining options and there are twelve different restaurants to choose from in total, three of which boast Michelin stars. The theatrical performances in the Tapas Molecular Bar always attracts crowds, while Sense offers some of the best Cantonese cuisine in the whole of Japan.

Famous as starring in the film Lost in Translation with Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, the Park Hyatt Tokyo has become a bit of an institution among luxury lovers over the years. For people who have seen the film, the hotel’s elegant guestrooms, lounge and business centre will need little introduction. The large indoor swimming pool is a popular place for guests to unwind while splashing around or enjoying a cocktail or two. Guests will want to make sure that they secure a room that faces Mount Fuji.

This hotel broke ground as the first urban resort to launch in Japan, with 134 guest rooms and suites, four restaurants and bars and a signature The Ritz-Carlton Spa. The brand has collaborated with Pierre Hermé Paris, creator of Haute Pàtisserie, to offer a range of delectable French sweet treats, exclusive to guests. Touches like this are typical of the European luxury meets Japanese culture and tradition of the resort. Set beside the Kamo River, and with views of the Higashiyama mountains, The Ritz-Carlton enjoys a picturesque location that’s close to the popular downtown areas of Gion and Pontocho.

This Pan Pacific Hotel provides jaw-dropping bird’s eye views from its perch on floors 39 to 47 and with bedroom windows seven meters wide. It’s a brand new arrival, opened in the forward-thinking and vibrant district of Shinjuku on the 19th May 2023. Its highlights include a three-storey restaurant and a spa that celebrates the country’s four seasons and terroir. The decor is seductive, with dark interiors contrasted by crisp white bedding. If arriving by air, the hotel will gladly send their limo along to whisk you here with ease.

Following The Ritz-Carlton’s British heritage, this hotel has a distinctly Western feel. Pass the doormen wearing top hats and tails and you’ll enter a world of art (over 450 original pieces can be toured inside), cigar and whisky lounges, live piano music and centuries old antiques. Book a bedroom with views of the ocean, tatami mats or futons and an Italian marble bathroom and dine on award winning French, Italian, Chinese, or Japanese cuisine at one of its four restaurants. Its spa offers a range of detox and relaxation treatments, as well as a heated indoor pool, jacuzzis and outdoor hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas.