Levitate in central tokyo

The Prince Gallery at Kioicho offers a picture-perfect glimpse of the city's elegance, Song Mengxing reports.

The first sights and experiences in a city are always the most lasting. I arrived in Tokyo on a drizzly day in September and as a first-time visitor, I found the city clean, calm and orderly.

The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, a Luxury Collection Hotel, is just as pleasant as the city. Inside it, I thought I was in a fabulous gallery. Works by local artists are arranged well, with metallic decorations hanging from the lobby ceiling, glass artworks displayed in show cabinets along hallways and exquisite paintings hanging in some rooms.

What I enjoyed most was lying down on a day sofa in the guestroom and taking in the outside greenery, high buildings and endless sky through the window, which is like a large frame.

The area offers guests a feeling of levitation, which is a key concept of the hotel's design, said Nobuo Ohmori, general manager of the hotel.

Located on the 30th to 36th floors, the hotel was designed by Rockwell Group's Madrid office. It features a striking modern aesthetic inspired by the sprawling sky and colors of the surrounding city, the hotel's staff said.

Like other Luxury Collection hotels, this one also provides concierge services. The concierge team can plan a personalized trip for guests who want to watch sumo matches and find them a local experienced tour guide; or the team can prepare a special itinerary for tourists going to Shinjuku, a special ward and major commercial center in Tokyo.

The general manager said that because Tokyo is preparing to host the Summer Olympics in 2020, the hotel expects that more travelers will visit the capital of Japan to have exciting and unique experiences with the help of its concierges.

The hotel is ideally located in the geographical center of Tokyo and many sightseeing spots are dotted around it. The hotel is located about a 20-minute walk away from the Imperial Palace, a large park-like area and the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan, a 10-minute walk from the National Theater of Japan and 15 minutes from the Tokyo Tower by car.

Nearby, Akasaka-mitsuke metro station connects to the popular districts of Ginza, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro and Shibuya.

The hotel is in the Kioicho area, which has a venerable history as it was the location of the estates of the Kishu Tokugawa, Owari Tokugawa and the Hikone Ii families, three landlords of the Edo period (1603-1868). The area was named after the families. Today, the historic sites remain tranquil with a sense of the past, interspersed with rich terrain and native plants that are unique to the outer moat region.

Adjacent to the hotel building is the Akasaka Prince Classic House, a Western-style property completed in 1930 and the former residence of Yi Un, the last crown prince of Korea.

Preserving its historical ambience, the house is now home to La Maison Kioi, a modern French bistro, and the cozy Bar Napoleon. It also offers an elegant banquet hall that can accommodate up to 140 guests.

The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, the first Luxury Collection branded hotel in Japan's capital city, is managed by Prince Hotels Inc, a Tokyo-based hotel chain company.

The company hopes the cooperation with the Luxury Collection brand will bring the hotel more international travelers, the Prince Gallery General Manager Ohmori said.

The hotel, which opened in July, is becoming popular among businesspeople and leisure travelers to Tokyo. Its four restaurants and bars are always busy, attracting guests from different places.

The hotel's bigger bar, Levita Sky Gallery Lounge, features a two-story floor-to-ceiling window, offering large space and unlimited imagination. Guests can take their time to relax and have a cocktail in the bar, alone or with friends, while enjoying the night view of Tokyo in tranquility.

The dignified neighborhood, spacious guestrooms and good food and drinks will ensure guests at the Prince Gallery a comfortable stay in Tokyo and leave them with fond memories.

Contact the writer at songmengxing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 10/15/2016 page10)