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executive hotel special

Cerulean Tokyu a cut above the restYoko KitaSTAFF WRITER

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Situated a little away from thecrowds and noise of Shibuya,the Cerulean Tower Tokyu Ho-tel is gradually attracting theattention of the internationalbusiness community, sevenyears after opening.

As one of the visible results,the hotel rose to sixth in the‘‘Insider’s Select 2008’’ rankingby Expedia, the biggest globalonline travel agency.

One of the determinants forthe ranking was the hotel’sconvenient location by train orbus for many of the key busi-ness areas in Tokyo, such asShinjuku and Roppongi. Shi-buya Station, served by eightrail lines, is only five minutesfrom the hotel, which also hasa direct limousine bus serviceto and from Narita Interna-tional Airport.

Shibuya is one of Tokyo’smajor fashion districts, togeth-er with neighboring Aoyama,Omotesando and Harajuku.‘‘People in the fashion industrystay in Shibuya becausethere’s always something tosee and it’s close to the otherareas,’’ says Takayuki Ya-mano, marketing and public

relations manager. ‘‘YoyogiPark and Meiji Jingu Shrine,where you can touch base withtraditional Japanese culture,are close by.’’

Two years of refurbishmentand renovation, reflecting theneeds of foreign guests, have al-so helped to raise the hotel’s in-ternational recognition. As partof the renovation, facilities andservice on the executive floorswere enhanced last year.

In addition to the CeruleanFloors (35 through 37), whichfeature darker colors, a staidatmosphere with functionalworking desks and chairs forbusiness guests, the TowersFloors (33 and 34), featuring alighter, more casual atmos-phere, have been added to at-tract a wider variety of busi-ness guests, as well as leisureguests who are seeking highergrade rooms and service. TheExecutive Salon on the 35thfloor has been extended, andnow offers check-in/out ser-vice and meeting space exclu-sively for Cerulean and Tow-ers floors guests, in addition toa complimentary drink andsnack service, and magnifi-cent views.

Situated on the upper floorsof Shibuya’s only super high-rise, sweeping views aresomething the hotel is reallyproud of. ‘‘Many hotels featureviews from upper floors, but itdoes make a difference whenthere is no other building of asimilar height near by. The ex-

pansive, unobstructed viewsare really liberating,’’ saysYamano. Whichever directionyou look has a different char-acter, starting from the urbanlandscape of Shinjuku’s sky-scrapers in the north to thesymbolic Tokyo Tower andRoppongi Hills, and on to To-kyo Bay, stretching from Dai-ba to Yokohama, and to MountFuji in the far west.

For guests on the CeruleanFloors, breakfast is served atthe Michelin-starred top-floorCoucagno French restaurant.Dishes are served individual-ly, one at a time, which is rarefor breakfast, often the mostrushed meal of the day. ‘‘Itmight take you a little longerto finish your meal, but there’snothing more relaxing thanenjoying a good meal, withsweeping views in front ofyou,’’ Yamano says. ‘‘It’s agreat way to start the day. Andsuch a beginning will have agood influence on how youspend the rest of the day.’’

Wellness comes firstat the Westin in EbisuChris JohnsonCONTRIBUTING WRITER

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Long renowned for catering toexecutives, the Westin Hotelin Ebisu, Tokyo, has madehealth a top priority.

It begins with the refreshingfragrance of white tea in theopulent lobby, where a 15-me-ter-high ceiling invites gueststo look up and dream. ‘‘Therearen’t many hotels with a lob-by like this. Many other hotelsare above office buildings and

they don’t have the space,’’says Public Relations Manag-er Kenichiro Yaguchi, whosename card features flowersand a call to ‘‘replenish yourspirit.’’

‘‘Many foreign hotel brandsare coming to Japan. It’s agood thing because it bringsmore attention to everyone be-cause people enjoy comparinghotels,’’ says Yaguchi. ‘‘In ourcase, we’ve been here for 14years at this same location. Sowe have to renovate, build a

spa and wel-come ourguests with afragrant aro-ma in the lob-by.’’

Some of the438 roomshave exercisebikes for per-sonal work-outs. Forguests withd i s a b i l i t i e s ,the Westin hastwo roomsmodified for

wheelchair access. The fifthfloor is set aside for women,with room service performedby female staff.

Floors 16 to 21 are reservedfor Westin Executive Clubrooms, featuring an all-whiteHeavenly Bed II with ergo-nomic mattress, specially de-signed by Westin. Westin To-kyo won the ‘‘Best ExecutiveClub/Floor’’ category in Trav-el Weekly (Asia)’s 2008 indus-try awards.

In October, the Westin willunveil luxurious restaurantsand bars on the renovated22nd floor, featuring a view ofMount Fuji on sparkling win-ter days. Yaguchi says theWestin is constantly improv-ing food services to meet thechallenges of top restaurantsin Tokyo, which Michelin re-cently named the world’s bestcity for dining.

‘‘In the past, many peopleused to think that the best res-taurants were always at ex-pensive hotels. Recently, out-side restaurants are reallyworking hard to serve deli-

cious food. So we have to getbetter all the time as well, bydeveloping specialties and im-proving our service, with mu-sic and lighting that creates aspecial atmosphere.’’

Even with food, safetycomes first. ‘‘Many customerswho often travel or work inChina say that our Chineserestaurant Ryutenmon is bet-ter than what they can find inHong Kong. That’s becauseour ingredients are fresherand customers know that ourfood is safe because it’s all do-mestically produced. Japanhas higher-quality materials

and farmers in Chiba use goodquality soil.’’

Since opening last July, LeSpa Parisian has become pop-ular with housewives in sur-rounding Meguro, and alsobusiness executives who wantto relax after work or discussbusiness with associates whilegetting a massage. ‘‘Men usedto be too embarrassed to go tospas. But now they value themmore. Japan’s business cul-ture is changing. Business-men used to go to Ginza atnight, but now they meet in thedaytime, go to a spa and dis-cuss financial matters.’’

Chinzan-so a hotel for all seasonsMany hotels boast stunningviews of Tokyo. At the FourSeasons Chinzan-so, the prop-erty itself is the spectacularview.

Chinzan-so, a 66,000-sq.-me-ter oasis of greenery in Meji-ro, contains one of Tokyo’smost distinguished Japanese-style gardens and one of Asia’smost charming hotels.Formed in 1878, the gardenspreserve not only flowers but apagoda, originally from Hiro-shima, that would have beendestroyed by the atomicbomb.

As hotel manager DavidMacklin explains, seasons re-ally mean something at theFour Seasons. Winter canblanket the garden in untram-meled snow. In spring,branches bursting with cherryblossoms arch above an out-door Jacuzzi. Fireflies twinkleon rainy-season nights and in-spire ‘‘hotaru’’ packages, in-cluding special menus andfirefly cocktails. In autumn,leaves bleed an otherworldlyred — all outside the windowsof rooms and restaurantsserving, among other delica-

cies, some of the finest blendsof tea in the Orient.

‘‘The garden is one of themain attractions here,’’ saysMacklin, who recently movedto Japan after seven years atthe Four Seasons near theWhite House in Washington,D.C. ‘‘There are a lot of littlehideaways on the grounds be-cause they’re so large. There’sa lot of privacy, even if we arefully booked. It’s where wewant our guests to feel thespace and calm.’’

While a large portion of theweekday guests are CEOs on

business trips, many guestsand diners on weekends arefamilies hoping to get awayfrom Tokyo without all thehassle of leaving the capital.

‘‘It’s a safe, controlled envi-ronment for kids. A lot of fami-lies, even from Tokyo, stayhere. It’s more convenientthan going outside Tokyo andcoming back in heavy Sundaytraffic,’’ says Macklin. ‘‘Whenyou come here, you feel likeyou are in Hakone or some oth-er natural setting. This is oneof our advantages. Guestshere can just unwind and re-lax. They can enjoy the gardenfor 10 or 15 minutes and thentheir productivity increasesimmensely.’’

To contribute to the commu-nity, the hotel helps to orga-nize the annual charity Runfor Hope at Hibiya Park (Sept.20 this year), named after Ca-nadian hero Terry Fox whoran halfway across Canada onone leg.

The hotel prides itself on lit-tle personal touches. Sincemany visitors have jet lag, thehotel has 24-hour access to fit-ness rooms and thick curtainsthat will help you to sleep dur-ing the daytime.

For wedding parties, ninenew bridal rooms have beenadded to a floor with a chef’s ta-ble for personalized service. Itall fits into Macklin’s definitionof luxury. ‘‘Luxury haschanged in the past 25 years.Service at famous hotels usedto be more rigid and cold. Youwould feel tense, and wonder‘Am I sitting right?’ Now it’s all

about personalized service.Our lives are busier, so luxurymeans having time to spendwith your family and enjoy life.You don’t want to be asking formore tea, more sugar. Youwant staff to instinctivelyknow what you want.’’ (C.J.)

To save the environment, hotels go greenWhether in business suits or bathing suits, manyhotel guests are world travelers who have seenfirsthand the devastation caused by globalwarming and reckless development. To attractthese clients, many Tokyo-area hotels are goinggreen by using ‘‘ecology glass,’’ recycled waterand local vegetables.

‘‘A lot of guests, especially nonprofitorganizations, really want to know what we do forthe environment,’’ says David Macklin, managerof the Four Seasons Chinzan-so. ‘‘It becomes afactor when they are deciding which hotel tochoose. So we have a department within the FourSeasons group to identify how we can do better.’’

Rather than public water, the hotel draws morethan 90 percent of its water from two natural wells inthe garden, which is naturally irrigated. Afterrenovating 24 guest rooms last year, it shipped thefurniture to a charity in Madagascar. To save energy,it recycles paper, water, bottles and cans; usesmotion sensors to switch off lights in unused areas;closes or opens curtains depending on sunlight; andturns off power in function rooms that are not beingused. ‘‘A lot of it is common sense,’’ says Macklin.‘‘When you leave a room, turn off the lights.’’

Going green is a trend across Japan’s hotelindustry. In Hakone, the classic Fujiya Hotel andthe new Hyatt Hakone maintain forests rightoutside their windows. The Hilton Odawara grows

a cornucopia of herbs, and treats guests to fruitand vegetables from neighboring farms.

For the past decade, the Hotel New Otani inTokyo has been giving its biodegradable waste,such as banana peels, to farmers in IbarakiPrefecture to use as compost to grow vegetables,which they give to the hotel in a form of bartertrade. ‘‘There aren’t many hotels doing this yet,but we think many more will because it makes a lotof sense,’’ says Tomokage Nakayama of theManagement Service Department. ‘‘Theenvironment is really important to us.’’

As part of a ¥10 billion renovation, the NewOtani last October added ecology glass — a glasssandwich of two panes with air in the middle — tonaturally cool rooms by blocking out the sun’srays. New air conditioning systems also improveenergy efficiency by 22.7 percent while grass andshrubs on rooftops shield hotel buildings fromdirect sunlight. Last June, chefs switched fromgas to electric stoves to reduce heat in some of thekitchens.

Wastewater from bathrooms is recycled, andused to water the gorgeous green garden area ofbamboo, maple, pine and waterfalls that providesrelief from the concrete city. Fireflies, introducedsix years ago, appear every May and June duringthe rainy season, attracting birds and humaninterest as well. (C.J.)

On a clear day: The extended Executive Salon (above) and thetop-floor Coucagno French restaurant (below) offermagnificent views in the direction of Mount Fuji.

(Publicity)

Sweet dreams: Executive Club rooms promise a good night’ssleep in a specially designed Heavenly Bed II.

Green oasis: The historicChinzan-so Garden (right)and its pagoda draped in fallcolors (above)

Exclusive: The Westin Executive Club is forexecutive floor guests.

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executive hotel special

At Royal Park, execsare treated like royaltyAlways popular with execu-tives, the Royal Park Hotelhas expanded its servicesgeared toward the businessand luxury markets.

This month the hotel reno-vated 68 rooms and extendedthe executive floors to the 12ththrough 14th floors, in additionto the 15th through 18th execu-tive floors. ‘‘The most impor-tant reason for the renovationis that we are focusing on thebusiness market. We’ve al-ways had a lot of business peo-ple stay with us,’’ says Takam-ichi Saito, assistant public re-lations manager. ‘‘But interestin our hotel from executiveshas increased, so we decidedto expand.’’

The extra-special servicebegins with an exclusivecheck-in counter in the 16th-

floor Executive Loungestaffed by guest relations offi-cers from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. dai-ly. This lounge features com-plimentary cinnamon Danish,coffee, tea and beveragesthroughout the day, and cock-tails and snacks in the eve-ning.

Saito says that while manyhotels offer only Westernbreakfasts, the Royal Park’sexecutive sections feature aJapanese buffet breakfast aswell as Western favorites.Checkout times until 3 p.m.,which allow people to go tobusiness meetings in themorning before checking outand flying overseas, are alsoavailable in many cases.

While the Royal Park tendsto emphasize its business ser-vices, it’s also a fun place to

be, especially for a countdownNew Year’s Eve party. ‘‘Peo-ple come for their anniversa-ries or birthdays, or other spe-cial occasions,’’ says Saito.

Located in Kakigara-cho,just east of Tokyo Station, theRoyal Park has the competi-tive advantage of having Sui-tengumae Station below it, anairport bus terminal nextdoor, and the main financialdistricts of Marunouchi andOtemachi only minutes away.Many guests enjoy taking thecovered walkway — with thehelp of porters to carry lug-gage — to TCAT (Tokyo CityAir Terminal) for buses toNarita airport, about 60 min-utes away, or Haneda, whichtakes about 25 minutes. Shin-kansen bullet trains, which de-part from Tokyo Station, arejust 10 minutes away by taxi.

Many nonguests take theHanzomon Line to the RoyalPark for lunch or dinner, espe-cially on rainy days becausethey can enter the hotel direct-

ly from the station. A lunchbuffet allows people to eatwithout waiting and then goback to work. ‘‘A lot of busi-ness people get together forlunch meetings,’’ says Saito.‘‘It’s an important part of whatwe offer. The service and theatmosphere are differentfrom a regular restaurant. Soit’s a special environment fora lunch meeting.’’

The Royal Park is especial-ly keen to cater to the growinglegion of women, particularlythose in their 30s, who oftentravel overseas on business.Again, location is the key: Thehotel is near the main shop-ping and entertainment dis-tricts of Ginza and Nihonba-shi. With comfort and health inmind, the hotel offers a spa-cious fitness center, an indoorswimming pool and ‘‘the art ofbeauty’’ from La Prairie, aprestigious Switzerland-basedbeauty products group, whichis popular with celebrities anddiplomats. (C.J.)

Stationed in the perfect locationWhen Swisso tel Hotels & Re-sorts, which places a high pri-ority on convenience of loca-tion, considered expanding in-to Japan five years ago, itchose Osaka’s Namba Station.

Swisso ˆtel Nankai Osaka sitsright above the station, thebiggest in the Minami area,which together with the Kitaarea, forms the twin hearts ofthe whole of the Osaka region.

The station is the hub ofsouthern Osaka, connectingJR, Kintetsu, subway andNankai rail lines, whichmakes Swisso tel Nankai Osa-ka the only hotel with a directconnection to Kansai Interna-tional Airport, just 30 minutesaway. Shin-Osaka Station, ashinkansen bullet train stop, isonly a 15-minute ride away.

The station location also en-ables the hotel to provideguests with a unique luggagepickup service. A quick call onthe courtesy phone on the plat-form will bring staff down tohelp you in a matter of min-utes.

For business executives,each room of the Swiss Execu-tive Club, occupying the ho-tel’s uppermost 32nd to 34thfloors, features a large work-

ing desk and ergonomic chair,which enables guests to workin the comfort of their rooms,while rainfall showers (or Ja-cuzzi in suite rooms) help re-fresh and relax them. TheClub Lounge, exclusive to clubfloor guests, offers compli-mentary breakfast, afternoonrefreshments, evening snacksand nightcaps. With relax-ation and comfort as key con-cepts, the hotel offers all clubfloor guests five differenttypes of pillows to choosefrom, and a massage servicein guest rooms until 3 a.m.

While being of great conve-nience to business travelers,the hotel’s location attractsleisure visitors as well. Manyof Osaka’s most popular sight-seeing spots and shops are on-ly a few minutes away, and theancient capitals of Kyoto andNara, and the scenic harbortown of Kobe are within 45 to 90minutes by rail.

The popular free guestwalking tours, conducted ev-ery evening by the hotel’s con-cierge, visit some of thesespots such as Dotonbori, Osa-ka’s vibrant shopping, diningand nightlife area, and Hozen-ji Yokocho, the off-street courtwith an old-time flavor. Thehotel’s original transportationguide, which explains in detailhow to get to various sightsee-ing spots by train, is anotherpopular guest service.

At the same time that Swis-s otel values ‘‘convenience’’ oflocation, it also puts value onthe ‘‘local character’’ of the lo-cation.

‘‘Kushiage’’ and wine res-taurant Sh’un, which openedon the sixth floor in January, issuch an example. Sh’un trans-forms Osaka’s traditional,rather basic kushiage (deep-fried kebabs) into haute cui-sine to offer visitors to Osaka aunique and stylish alternativeto the same old ‘‘Japanese cui-sine.’’ Many Japanese compa-nies take their overseas cus-

tomers to the restaurant to en-tertain them with somethingspecial but still with real localflavor. The restaurant, whichfeatures an extensive list ofpremium wines, received anaward from the prestigiouswine appreciation magazineWine Spectator in August.

As a hotel chain that has itsorigins in Switzerland, per-haps it is not surprising thatthe Swiss Chocolate and Des-sert Buffet has become such apopular attraction. In fact, the

buffet is so popular that somepeople associate the nameSwisso ˆtel Nankai Osaka withchocolate buffets. Chocolatefountains, which are now com-mon on the dessert buffet ta-bles of many hotels, were arare attraction when the hotelstarted its buffet. Breathtak-ing views of the Osaka metrop-olis from the 36th-floor Tavola36 restaurant, where the buf-fet is served, are also a must-see when you visit Swisso telNankai Osaka. (Y.K.)

New Otani unveils a touch of Zen spiritualityOwned by the grandson of theoriginal founder, the HotelNew Otani has been one of To-kyo’s most venerable institu-tions since the 1960s.

To keep pace with a boom innew hotels, the New Otani hasrecently opened an ‘‘Execu-tive House ZEN’’ with its owncheck-in and security systemfor maximum privacy on the11th and 12th floors of the Mainbuilding. ‘‘It’s a hotel within ahotel,’’ says Tomokage Naka-yama of the Management Ser-vice Department.

Designed by Kyoto-basedYoshio Shibata of Studio M, ithas the appearance and tran-quillity of a Zen temple. Black,white and charcoal-stripedcarpeting pacifies the mindand evokes the profound si-lence of ancient Japanesespirituality.

For the continental break-

fast, Pierre Herme of Parisprovides croissants in thelounge, which features 20 ta-bles and seating for 44, and ex-pansive views of the greenerysurrounding Akasaka Palaceand Shinjuku’s skyscrapers.‘‘It’s a great place to watchsunsets and fireworks,’’ saysNakayama.

To maintain this pristineatmosphere, all 87 ExecutiveHouse ZEN rooms are strictlynonsmoking. The housekeep-ing staff have made the king-size beds into works of art,with a colorful array of pillowsset in formation like rocks in aZen garden while the lightingand interior design evoke thelantern-lit alleys of Gion on afull moon night. Monotonepaintings of ink brush strokesblend well with natural mate-rials of bamboo, charcoal,hemp and ‘‘washi’’ paper, and

luxurious Supima cotton tow-els and robes. Every detailworks in harmony, from theItalian Frette linen to a leath-er stool in the bathroom.

Last June, the New Otani al-so unveiled renovations to itsrevolving rooftop restaurantThe Sky. From the elevators,guests enter a dark, dreamyentranceway and then step in-to a circular space with per-haps the best panorama of To-kyo. While gazing at the sky-lines of Shinjuku, Roppongi,Marunouchi and Ikebukuro,or the 400-year-old traditionalJapanese garden below, din-ers can savor the flavors andobserve their personalized or-ders cooking in any of the fiveimmaculate kitchens. ‘‘Thebasic idea is to bring the din-ers and chefs closer together,’’

says Marketing Manager Ta-kayuki Yashiro. ‘‘It helps din-ers to appreciate the quality ofgood food.’’

While always a place to seeand be seen in Tokyo, the hotelhas maintained its 1960s Olym-pic-era character. ‘‘The NewOtani has been here for morethan 40 years. So we’ve beenthinking about how to renew theatmosphere,’’ says Yashiro. ‘‘Itwould have been cheaper totear down the hotel and build itagain from scratch. But theshape and feel of this hotel has alot of character and history. Sowe decided to keep the best as-pects of the old structures andrenovate within them. Nowwhen you look out the windowsof this old hotel, you can seehow much Tokyo has changedbelow.’’ (C.J.)

(Publicity)

Local flavor: The expanded Executive Lounge, which openedin September, offers a Japanese buffet breakfast.

Spacious: A renovated twin room on the executive floors,which were extended in September.

Mind and body: A deluxe room in ‘‘Executive House ZEN’’

Food for thought: The lounge of ‘‘Executive House ZEN’’serves Pierre Herme’s famous croissants for breakfast.

At the center of things: Swisso tel Nankai Osaka sits above thecity’s Namba Station rail hub (above); the Swiss ExecutiveClub Lounge has served the business community since thehotel opened five years ago. (below)

Haute cuisine: Osaka’s local‘‘kushiage’’ is served as aluxury delicacy at Shu’n.

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executive hotel special

Complete security, privacy assured‘‘Urban hideaway’’ perhapsbest describes the Pan PacificYokohama Bay Hotel Tokyu,which is located a minute’swalk from Minatomirai Sta-tion and directly connected tothe Queen’s Square Yokohamashopping mall. And yet de-spite its convenient location,the entrance to the hotel isbarely perceptible to passers-by, ensuring privacy and tran-quillity.

As you walk into the lobby,your senses are assailed by astriking painting of what canonly be described as an unfurl-ing vivid orange giant bolt of

cloth rising to the blue ceiling.The spiral staircase and thepainting, which expresses thedynamism of magma, makeyou feel as if you are beingsucked into an uplifting vortexof ‘‘chi (energy of the Earth).’’In contrast, the whisperingpalm trees around the centralpillar and the murmuring poolspeak of serenity and calm.

The top three floors of thehotel are the Pacific Floor,which offers a greater level ofprivacy and personalized hos-pitality. There are 61 rooms,including two Grand CornerSuites, the Atlantic Suite and

Pan Pacific Suite, on the23rd to 25th floors, whichare only accessible witha special security cardkey. Upon arrival, a but-ler welcomes guests atthe lobby, and checksthem in while they relaxin the exclusive PacificLounge on the 25th floor.Its high level of securityand service is recog-nized by VIPs around

the world, including the DalaiLama, who left a ‘‘katag,’’ a Ti-betan white scarf, as a token ofesteem.

Complimentary breakfast,afternoon tea and eveningcocktails are served daily bythe Pacific Lounge’s butler. Abutler will also assist you withall your needs, from sendingfaxes and making restaurantreservations to mixing yourfavorite cocktails.

Pacific Floor guests alsohave free access to the exclu-sive bay view meeting roomson the 23rd and 24th floors,which can each accommodateup to 10 people. The meetingrooms offer a sophisticatedand comfortable interior, In-ternet LAN port and screen,and copier with fax. The meet-ing rooms and guest rooms areadjacent to each other, mak-ing it an ideal location for pow-er meetings.

Spacious Pacific Floorguest rooms range from 40-sq.-meter city view twins tothe 196-sq.-meter bay bridge

view Pan Pacific Suite twin.The Pan Pacific YokohamaBay Hotel Tokyu is the only ho-tel in the Minato Mirai 21 areathat offers balcony rooms withfloor to ceiling windows, soguests can enjoy ocean breez-es and views of YokohamaBay while relaxing in a patiochair. The rooms have stylishinteriors that use high-qualitywooden materials designed byHirsch Bedner Associates, achoice of organic body andhair products, Simmons bedsand seven types of pillows.

In February, the facilitiesof the Pacific Floor will under-go a renovation program,which will include installationof flat-screen TVs and fasterbroadband Internet connec-tion, to provide even morecomfort and service. (M.I.)

Heavenly hotel above the cloudsThe Yokohama Royal Park Ho-tel has the highest elevation inJapan, occupying the top floorsof the Yokohama LandmarkTower, the country’s tallestskyscraper and the ‘‘landmark’’of Minato Mirai 21.

Exiting the elevator at the70th-floor Sirius sky lounge,guests are greeted by a heaven-ly view of Yokohama Bay, thecity of Tokyo, Mount Fuji andeven the Tsukuba mountains.Sipping a freshly brewed cup ofcoffee as clouds pass by thewindows, it is beneath you tocontemplate the hustle and bus-tle of everyday life.

Club The Landmark Floor,on the 64th through 66th floors,offers everything to satisfy themost seasoned of travelers,from an exclusive lounge toseparate check-in/out facili-ties and trained staff on handto attend guests’ every need.Club floors are connected bystairs that allow guests to easi-ly move about without the has-sle of waiting for an elevator.

The Club lounge with vault-ed ceiling, expansive windowsand a classic European interi-ors makes you forget that youare in a futuristic concretebuilding. Complimentarybreakfast, tea and cocktailsare served daily, all of whichcan be enjoyed from the com-fort of a cozy sofa. Two high-quality ‘‘lomi lomi’’ massagechairs and the scent of aro-matic oil will help you unwind.

The rooms on Club TheLandmark Floor were reno-vated in March 2007 to create a‘‘relaxed and luxurioushome.’’ The interior design isinspired by the curvature pat-terns of natural objects likeleaves and nuts, and a colorscheme of rich golds and

warm browns completes thenew look. The sophisticateddecor and made-to-order clas-sical mahogany furniture cre-ates an ambience of a stylishyet warm and comfortinghome. Upgraded room ameni-ties such as a flat-panel TV,DVD player, CD player withiPod dock and security boxthat can store laptop PCs arejust some of the little extratouches that will make yourstay special.

If you feel you need somepeace of mind, make a reser-vation at the Japanese tea cer-emony room Kaikoh-An on the65th floor, and experience apiece of traditional Japaneseculture and learn tea-servingetiquette from a professionaltea master for ¥1,115 per per-son. There’s nowhere elseclose by that offers a daily teaceremony service. Listen tothe sound of the bubbling, sim-mering water, and enjoy thearoma of just mixed ‘‘mac-cha’’ in a traditional tatami-mat room while your caresfloat away among the clouds.

Since 2006, guest roomshave been undergoing renova-tion that will be completed inspring. In March, the lobbywas remodeled to create an‘‘urban resort hotel’’ look andfeel. The contemporary Vene-tian glass chandeliers, sleekilluminations, deep-purplefurniture and carpeting createthe ambience of somewhereyou can relax, and be re-freshed.

The hotel seeks to attractnew guests and clients by ap-proaching new business estab-lishments, offering new ser-vice concepts targeting resi-dents in the Minato Mirai 21area and flexibly respondingto the needs of a dramaticallyevolving city. (M.I.)

Japan’s pioneer in executive floor serviceThe InterContinental Yokoha-ma Grand Hotel, built in 1991as the first hotel in MinatoMirai 21, is located at the tip ofYokohama Bay, with directaccess to the Pacifico Yokoha-ma international conventioncenter and exhibition hall.

Its unique crescent-shapeappearance, expressing ayacht under sail, has becomethe symbol of Minato Mirai 21.A stay at the hotel is indeedlike a voyage on a cruise liner.Nothing but unobstructedspectacular views of Yokoha-ma Bay stretch out from thewindows and foghorns can beheard in the distance. The wa-ter is so close you feel as if youare floating.

The InterContinental Yoko-hama Grand hotel was a pio-neer in Japan in offering clubfloors with exclusive check-inand lounge service. Since itsgrand opening, the hotel hasbeen providing special ser-vices for VIP guests stayingon the Club InterContinentalFloors (26 through 29) underthe concept of ‘‘a hotel within ahotel.’’

Upon arrival, guests arewelcomed at a special recep-tion desk and treated to a pri-vate lounge on the 28th floor.Trained under the InterConti-nental Hotel group’s interna-

tional service standard, thehotel’s bilingual staff are allexperienced and can flexiblyrespond to the various needs ofinternational travelers, frommaking airline reservations,photocopying and faxing tosewing on buttons, pack-ing/unpacking and even press-ing trousers.

At the Club InterContinen-tal Lounge, you can kick-startyour day with a complimenta-ry continental breakfast buf-fet served with the hotel’s re-nowned assortment of Danishpastries, toast and croissant,all baked fresh every morningin the hotel’s bakery. In the af-ternoon, you can bring yourlaptop to the lounge and sip acoffee or tea while you checke-mails and news on the Inter-net by connecting to the freewireless LAN, which is avail-able throughout the hotel.During evening happy hours,you are invited to enjoy yourchoice of alcoholic beveragesor soft drinks accompanied byfreshly prepared sushi, cana-pes and other seasonal horsd’oeuvres.

Various room types areavailable to Club InterConti-nental floor guests, from clas-sic European-style rooms withwhite and blue color schemes,and Asian-style rooms that

evoke the ambience of a luxu-rious and exotic Oriental re-sort to the Jim ThompsonSuite, which is decorated in fa-mous Thai silk and features aJacuzzi with a Yokohama har-bor view. All rooms offer aview of either the bay or har-bor city lights.

And no stay at the InterConti-nental Yokohama Grand Hotelwould be complete without ameal at La Vela Italian Grill,which will take you on a gastro-nomic excursion to Kamakura,the historical beach city in Ka-nagawa Prefecture. FreshKamakura vegetables andcatch of the day selected by thechef are simply grilled, sauteedor roasted to bring out their nat-

ural flavors and goodness.After a long, hard day, the

hotel’s relaxing ambience, thehealing power of the ocean andgastronomic delights are sureto help you to unwind. (M.I.)

Minato Mirai plans to attractnew business and travelersMinami IijimaCONTRIBUTING WRITER

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Minato Mirai 21, Yokohama’sneofuturistic waterfront dis-trict, is a large urban develop-ment, construction of whichbegan in 1983. Under strictlandscape management, thearea has flourished, andgrown into a beautiful water-front commercial and residen-tial zone, attracting touristsand locals for business, shop-ping, dining, entertainment,or simply to enjoy the breezesfrom Yokohama Bay.

Symbolic of the area is Ja-

pan’s tallest high-rise, the Yo-kohama Landmark Tower,which houses the YokohamaRoyal Park Hotel (on the topfloors), the wave-shapedQueen’s Square Yokohamashopping mall and adjacentPan Pacific Yokohama BayHotel Tokyu, and the crescent-shaped InterContinental Yo-kohama Grand hotel.

The opening of the Shonan-Shinjuku Line in 2001 and theMinatomirai Line in 2004 dra-matically improved access,connecting Tokyo and MinatoMirai 21 in 30 minutes. In 2012,the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin

Line will begin a regularthrough service to the Minato-mirai Line.

Such improvements in in-frastructure have attractedinvestment to the area. In2009, the headquarters of Nis-san Motor Co. and in 2010, FujiXerox Co.’s R&D center willrelocate to Minato Mirai 21,and developments by W Ho-tels, Mori Trust Co. and TOCCo. are in the pipeline.

Unique to Minato Mirai 21are the strong ties of the localbusiness community. Everymonth, the PR representa-tives of various industries

meet to discuss how to pro-mote sales and the area itself,which is one of the major fac-tors behind Minato Mirai 21’sharmonious and welcomingatmosphere.

Along with the celebrationof the 150th anniversary of the

opening of Yokohama Portand JR’s Yokohama Kanaga-wa destination campaign nextyear, local industries plan tolaunch new promotions andservices to further attractbusiness and visitors fromaround the country.

(Publicity)

The high life: The living area of the Jim Thompson Suite(above) and its Jacuzzi overlooking Yokohama harbor

Eye-catching: The lobby features astriking floor to ceiling mural.

Rooms with a view: Executive twin guests can look out oneither Yokohama Bay Bridge (pictured) or Yokohama Bay’slandmark Ferris wheel.

All lit up: A night view of Minato Mirai 21, Yokohama’swaterfront development

Back to nature: The nature-themed interior designs of ClubThe Landmark Floor rooms create a warm and comfortingambience. (below) Kaikoh-An offers peace of mind with adaily tea ceremony service.