Stay & Play
The Tokyo Ginza Edition Hotel: A Comforting Experience
Article and photography by Steve Gillick
The Japanese term “Omotenashi” refers to ‘hospitality, mindfulness, and treating others with respect’. It perfectly describes the customer service ethic of The Tokyo Ginza Edition. Eric Annaheim, the Director of Rooms, referred to it as “unscripted service,” treating guests and visitors kindly and respectfully. When we arrived at the hotel, we were warmly welcomed, invited to sit on the lobby sofa for the check-in details, and treated to coffee and cookies with soft, classic Jazz music playing in the background. From that point forward there were greetings and smiles from all the staff throughout our stay.
The 5-star, 86-room boutique property opened in December 2023 and has already established a reputation for repeat bookings with ‘high net worth individuals and families’ traveling for leisure from North America, Asia, and the Middle East. They are looking to stay in Ginza, and the location is pretty unbelievable. Next-door and just-around-the-corner neighbors include Adidas, Bulgari, Itoya, Cartier, Chanel, Rolex, Prada, Louis Vuitton, YSL, and the Matsuya and Mitsukoshi department stores. Hotel guests can leave their purchases at the store and arrange for the hotel to collect them.
Three subway lines are a few minutes walk away (as is the Nissan Crossing futuristic car showroom). And for those who wish to explore the Imperial Palace and beyond, the hotel will arrange bicycles.
While some clients buy out entire floors for their family stay (there are nine rooms per floor), most guests stay in one of the Kengo Kuma/Ian Schrager-designed rooms or suites. There are 10 suites; however, some clients prefer to combine two penthouse rooms to create a closed-off suite. There are 10 twin rooms, with the remainder King rooms. Our Superior room was a massive 45 square meters (484 square feet). It included two Queen beds, a flatscreen television, lots of outlets for charging phones and laptops, a large bathroom counter with Le Labo amenities, a shower, a bathtub, and the hotel’s signature black tea, next to a photo-worthy crafted traditional teapot. The beds and pillows were very comfortable.
We were at Sophie’s bright and early for a delicious breakfast included with the room, which featured absolutely ‘perfect’ eggs Benedict.
Other relaxing places in the hotel include the Rooftop Bar, the Scissor Grand Stairs (where people just come by to pose for photos), and the Punch Room, a super cool bar with cozy blue-satin couches, chairs, and more of the hotel’s personalized service.
Eric described the hotel atmosphere as “the place to be; eat, sleep, entertain and enjoy a taste of Japan in an international environment”.
We noticed a throw on the couch in the lobby and on the beds in the suites and rooms. We were told that this is one of Ian Schrager’s signature touches, dating back to his childhood comfort (security) blanket. He wanted to impart that same sense of comfort to hotel guests. In a word, he did. The Tokyo Ginza Edition is a truly comforting experience in an unrivaled Ginza location.
