Moatside garden bastion
Double-height windows frame the Wadakura moat and resident swans, anchored by Aji stone masonry walls and expansive art installations.
“Muted beige and a palette of floral colors subtly mimic the ample views of the Imperial Gardens below…”
What it’s good at
Exceptional
Attentive white-glove omotenashi service, bespoke arrival care, plush Imabari linens, and private balconies overlooking the palace moat.
Remarkable
Soaring double-height glass atriums, Aji stone masonry walls, and over one thousand commissioned contemporary Japanese artworks.
Remarkable
Evian-branded spa therapies, Alpine light-cycle marble saunas, cold plunge pools, and a glass-walled indoor lap pool.
What they say
Three Michelin Keys
Michelin
Forbes Five-Star
Forbes Travel Guide
2026
UK Readers' Choice Awards – Japan
Condé Nast Traveler
2025
Also in The 50 Discovery.
The architecture and design are as perfectly sober and calm as you’d expect from a high-end Japanese luxury hotel, and the modern-Japanese interiors feel perfectly weighted.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Marunouchi's tree-lined business avenues sit on the hotel doorstep, right beside the Imperial Palace gardens and minutes from Tokyo Station.
The rooms
More than half the rooms include private balconies overlooking the moat, paired with open layouts, granite soaking tubs, and Imabari linens.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The 20-meter indoor lap pool sits behind glass walls overlooking the Wadakura moat and palace gardens.
The spa
Japan's only Evian spa includes five treatment rooms and a marble sauna timed to Alpine light cycles.
The gym
Technogym and Kinesis equipment faces floor-to-ceiling windows looking directly out over the Imperial Palace gardens.
Restaurant
Grand Kitchen
Tables spread across an outdoor terrace along the Wadakura moat, beneath timber ceilings and lanterns.
Inside the airy main lobby, double-height ceilings, walls of glass, plush carpets and splashes of modern paintings ensure that the ambiance is more grand residence than luxury hotel.
At the table
Red leather stools line the classic Royal Bar, and other dining rooms serve seasonal kaiseki, sushi, and French fare.
How it began
After opening in 1961, the hotel was razed and rebuilt in 2012, carefully preserving the original dark-wood Royal Bar counter.
“Step inside the double-height lobby and the first thing that draws the eye is a huge window framing a maple tree and the palace moat beyond.”
Good to know
Stay here
Palace Hotel Tokyo
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.