The Park Hyatt Tokyo is one of the most anticipated hotel openings in Japan this year following a more than one year closure as the property underwent a major refresh that began in May 2024.
First opened in 1994 within the top 14 floors of Kenzo Tange’s Shinjuku Park Tower, Park Hyatt Tokyo quickly became the standard-bearer for luxury hotels in the buzzing metropolis over the next two decades. It was the hotel of choice for movie stars, creatives, and well-heeled travelers. (Full disclosure: I worked there as a sommelier during the property’s heyday.)
Eventually it was joined by other ultra-luxe competitors, including the Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, which opened in 2005, and the Peninsula, which debuted in 2007. When Park Hyatt Tokyo first opened in the mid-90s, Japan was welcoming approximately 3.5 million tourists per year. That number has since increased tenfold, with the country seeing 36.9 million visitors in 2024. Times have changed, and Park Hyatt Tokyo is changing, too.
The jewel of a hotel is probably most famous as the setting for Sofia Coppola’s hit indie film Lost in Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson and released in 2003. The property got a second dose of fame when scenes were shot there for the 2013 Tokyo episode of Anthony Bourdain’s wildly popular CNN travel series Parts Unknown. These big and little screen moments put the hotel on the radar of travelers around the world.
You can’t beat the city views from New York Grill & Bar on the top floor of the Park Hyatt Tokyo.
Courtesy of Park Hyatt Tokyo
Most recently, in May 2024, Park Hyatt Tokyo closed for a major restoration. During that time, staff members were sent to other Hyatt properties across Japan to remain in the Hyatt ecosystem while experiencing different regions of the country; senior management remained on site to help with the transition. Paris-based design studio Jouin Manku is overseeing the new look, which respects the original interior designer John Morford’s vision. Jouin Manku was also the mastermind behind other notable hotel updates, including La Mamounia in Marrakech and Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris.
The biggest transformation will be to the guest rooms, which have been completely redesigned with, among other details, newly added marble and wood accents in the bathrooms.
The New York Grill & Bar on the top 52nd floor, Japanese restaurant Kozue on the 40th floor, and the Club on the Park fitness center and spa are being spruced up but will maintain their original designs and allure. These venues, too, have become destinations unto themselves, with locals often reserving a table to celebrate special occasions with friends and family. The bamboo grove in the two-story glass atrium at the Peak Lounge & Bar, known for its afternoon tea service and evening drinks, will continue to welcome arriving guests as they exit the first bank of elevators.
Guests will recognize the headline features of the Park Hyatt Tokyo as those haven’t changed, like the indoor pool at the Club on the Park fitness center.
Courtesy of Park Hyatt Tokyo
The biggest change to the culinary program will be at French Japanese restaurant Girandole by Alain Ducasse. Chef Ducasse will continue to serve brasserie-inspired dishes, but this time with a subtle nod to healthy cooking techniques. The black-and-white photos by Vera Mercer remain, but a new central marble bar will serve breakfast in the morning and drinks later in the day.
“One of the things that I missed the most when the hotel was closed was making my madeleines each morning at Girandole and then sharing them with our guests at breakfast and talking about their stay and day ahead,” says executive chef Thibault Chiumenti. “While we introduce Girandole by Alain Ducasse when we reopen, this is one tradition that will not change. So, I am very much looking forward to our first gourmet breakfast from 7 a.m. on December 10.”
The staff at the Park Hyatt Tokyo is what puts the property at the top of the game, including some who have been around for decades. Even for regulars, a visit to the Park Hyatt Tokyo is almost always special. Guests look forward to the traditions that remain and what new ones will emerge.
As of September 24, reservations are now being accepted for a reopening date of December 9, 2025. Nightly room rates start at $880, not including taxes and fees.
