Immortalized on celluloid in the film Lost in Translation, the modernist Park Hyatt may have the sexiest cocktail bar in all of Tokyo. The rest of the property—set on the upper floors of the three connecting columns of the 770-foot Shinjuku Park Tower—is just as attractive, with a bamboo garden, swimming pool, and restaurant seated high in the sky. The interiors are the work of Pritzker Prize–winning architect Kenzo Tange and designer John Morford, ornamented with wood, woven abaca, and granite to add warmth to the hotel’s sleek glass surfaces. Starting at just under 600 square feet, guest rooms are practically palatial and include glass knobs that let you control everything from the lights to the curtains right from your bed, as well as walls paneled with rare water elm from Hokkaido, some sourced from trees that were submerged in lakes for up to 2,000 years.
Park Hyatt, Tokyo
Park Hyatt, Tokyo
Park Hyatt, Tokyo
Park Hyatt, Tokyo
Park Hyatt, Tokyo
Park Hyatt, Tokyo
Park Hyatt, Tokyo
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Japanese Breakfast
Here, a room-service breakfast meant an amazing variety of food with an incredible view of the metropolis. The Park Hyatt Tokyo is famous for the location where Lost in Translation was filmed.
Lost in Translation Bar
The New York Bar on top of the Park Hyatt in Tokyo is featured in the 2003 film Lost in Translation. Jazz is played every Sunday, and the bar could indeed be in NYC—until you look out the windows and realize you are a world away. The Park Hyatt is an excellent hotel, and travelers should understand that Hyatt in Asia is a premium set of hotels, much more premium than they are in USA. The movie captures the mood of the bar very well, but not the hotel rooms, which are in fact wonderful in real life, but filmed with a light blue green filter in the movie.
Kobe and Cocktails with a View
Although I didn’t have a chance to stay at the Park Hyatt Tokyo as a guest, I did take a tour of the property and was beyond impressed by the decorative art on the walls and the amount of amenities available. I did, however, have the opportunity to eat and drink in one of their restaurants. Their New York Grill is situated on the 52nd floor and guests have a 360-degree view of the city. Even if you aren’t staying at the hotel, I recommend stopping by the bar for a cocktail. You can’t go wrong with a bird’s eye view of Tokyo by night. Besides the view, the restaurant itself has some pretty stylish decor. The overall feel is contemporary and sophisticated, with work from Italian artist Valerio Adami serving as artistic scenery. I sampled a bit of everything including a salad, pasta and of course the famous kobe beef. Before heading to bed, I listened to a few songs from the live jazz band that was performing that night.
