BELLUSTAR TOKYO, A Pan Pacific Hotel

BELLUSTAR TOKYO, A Pan Pacific Hotel

On the top floor of BELLUSTAR TOKYO, A Pan Pacific Hotel, the Sky Private Villa gives a 360-degree view over Tokyo, one of five penthouses on that level built around unique culinary experiences and a spa drawing on the blessings of Japan's nature. It is a scale of privacy few hotels in this city attempt, and it sets the tone for the rest of the property, whose 97 rooms occupy nine floors starting at the 39th, each one furnished with interiors drawn from Japanese tradition and framed by views over Shinjuku. The location, five kilometres from central Tokyo and close to Shinjuku Central Park and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, rewards guests willing to walk the surrounding streets rather than be dropped into the middle of the busiest districts; anyone wanting to step straight out into neon and crowds may find the distance a small trade-off. Inside, the amenities match the height: a spa, a fitness centre and gym, a bar and restaurant, and rooms fitted with bathtubs, indoor fireplaces, minibars and room service. Business travellers have a conference hall and multilingual staff to work with; families can arrange babysitting, though it is worth checking the extra bed and additional breakfast charges against the room rate before booking. Parking costs 3,600 yen a day, and a deposit equal to one night's stay secures the reservation. What stays with you afterward is not the neighbourhood but the elevation, a hotel built to be looked out from rather than simply slept in, with the fireplace lit and Tokyo settled into the window like something finally in order. BELLUSTAR TOKYO occupies the top nine floors of its Shinjuku tower, its Sky Private Villa built around 360-degree views and five penthouses few Tokyo hotels can match. It suits those chasing height and privacy over street-level buzz, not those wanting to be dropped straight into the crowds.