The Ritz-Carlton is a name synonymous with luxury lodging. Japanese culture is renowned for its unwavering attention to detail. So when the two converge in the middle of Tokyo, a certain level of splendor isn't at all surprising. But somehow the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo is able to surpass even the loftiest of expectations. Earlier this spring the property debuted three reimagined dining concepts, marking it as more than just a premiere hotel, but also a premiere dining destination within the bustling Roppongi district.
Along the 45th-floor lobby, Azure 45 is the Ritz's crown jewel; A Michelin-starred, French-inspired outpost led by Chef Shintaro Myazaki. Here, continental cuisine is reinvigorated with Japanese ingredients in dishes such as the Hamaguri Clam Jus and the Roasted Lamb, scented with lavender. A nightly omakase tasting showcases a wide array of the fusion, arriving tableside in this elegantly appointed, newly-refurbished space.
Its stature is lifted, literally, by high-level placement atop the city's tallest skyscraper. There is nary a window across the restaurant offering anything aside from stunning panorama. On one side you see the Imperial Palace -- a bed of green punctuating the otherwise uninterrupted cityscape. On the other, snow-capped Fuji peers over the distant horizon.
On the opposite end of a lofted atrium, La Boutique recently opened, bringing bespoke pastry options into the fold. French Pastry Chef Jimmy Boulay crafts his signature sweet here: miniature cubed cakes, brightly colored and filled with fruit purees. They're all proudly displayed in a sleek space lined with dark matte walling. The treats, like small jewels, can be taken to go in customized gift boxes.
Beyond the cuisine, the Ritz carries a lengthy list of unique amenities befitting its heavenly perch. On the 46th floor guests enjoy Green Tea Salt Exfoliation Therapy. At the concierge, an Experience Curator leads tourists down onto the streets below for guided cultural excursions. During sumo season, a tour is offered bringing visitors up close and personal with the Rekishis (wrestlers) for morning training sessions and warmups leading up to the actual competitions. You can even feast on Chanko Nabe -- the traditional (and sizable) hot pot dish consumed by Sumo wrestlers at breakfast. It's one of many immersive experiences available, depending on the season.
And it's an indispensable service to offer. Indeed, if they didn't, you'd be tempted to never leave the property's comforting clutches.
While many hotels in Tokyo work hard to provide a sense of relief from the frenetic pace of life in the world's biggest metropolis, the Ritz employs a distinguishably effortless approach. You feel at once removed, but also right in the thick of all of the action. When you enter your room -- conspicuously spacious by Japanese standards -- the cityscape dominates the frame. The view beyond imparts a sense that you're floating on a cloud directly above downtown. As you stare out over the masses from atop your featherbed, it's easy to fool yourself into seeing tranquility flowing far below. Maybe it's not a trick, after all. For the length of your stay here, this city is whatever you dream it to be.
