When the going gets tough, the tough sometimes check into a luxury serviced apartment for a staycation. This is exactly what we felt like doing after months of pandemic news and staying at home, out of the COVID-19 virus’ way. We felt like we needed a break from the everyday, and to treat ourselves to a mini-break in a safe and secure way.

ABOUT OAKWOOD PREMIER TOKYO

We chose the Oakwood Premier Tokyo because it has wonderful two-bedroom serviced apartments in an excellent location just minutes away from Tokyo Station and the food halls and department stores of Marunouchi and Nihonbashi.

As frequent travelers all know, hotels are great; but if you’re traveling with family or going for an extended period, serviced apartments are an excellent choice for comfort, convenience and cost. In this case, it was also about safety. Having a kitchen and a dining room meant being able to go away somewhere while also avoiding the crowds and the places that bring the risks of COVID these days.

A PRIVATE CHEF TO COOK IN TOKYO

Happily, the Oakwood Premier Tokyo has gone one step further by also offering the services of a private chef. The chef will do all the shopping and bring the ingredients to the apartment, and he or she will cook the meal on the spot. So it was akin to fine dining in a restaurant without having to leave our serviced apartment.

Once we checked in, we really didn’t want to leave. The apartment is well-designed and comfortable, and it has wonderful views from every window. So even just looking out was already a nice escape from the reality of the pandemic. We could see life outside while staying safely inside.

FINE DINING IN OUR APARTMENT

Meanwhile, it was so relaxing to have a private chef cook for us at the Oakwood Premier Tokyo. Like most of the world, we’ve been home-bound, relegated to eating our own cooking for a great part of 2020. So it was nice to take the back seat for once and just relax and anticipate a delicious meal, in a setting that is somewhere between a hotel and a home. Better than room service and safer than a restaurant.

A PRIVATE CHEF COOKS A FRENCH DINNER AT OAKWOOD PREMIER TOKYO

Prior to our arrival, we were asked: ” Would you like Japanese or French for dinner?’ Yes, there was a choice. We excitedly chose French food. Soon afterwards, the menu was sent over to us. Dinner began with an appetizer plate of green eggplant and a carpaccio of scallops drizzled with soy sauce.

This was followed by a cold soup of white corn and a first main course of pasta with lobsters and sauce Americaine. The chef prepared two more main courses: Pan-fried mackerel with clams in a butter sauce, and New Zealand grilled lamb chops in a mustard and red wine sauce. The finale was a lovely gateau chocolat made in our oven by our chef.

For people trying to have it all amidst this pandemic, while also trying to remain safe, this was a most enjoyable evening in Tokyo.

READ MORE ABOUT THE BEST HOTELS AND RESORTS IN JAPAN

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When it comes to traveling, luxury serviced apartments like the new Oakwood Tokyo Premier are in a unique category. These were previously the accommodations of choice of expatriates who lease by the month. However, recently, some of these apartments have been allowed to open up to shorter periods of stay. Consequently these have become great options for families, couples who like to cook, and solo travelers looking for more space and home comforts, among others.

WHY CHOOSE A SERVICED APARTMENT IN TOKYO?

The case for choosing good serviced apartments over other options is very persuasive. For one thing, the units are generally larger and therefore more comfortable. Sop guests have spacious rooms, plus all the amenities of a hotel. They also have a kitchen and essentials like a washing machine and dryer. There is also full-time reception staff and daily housekeeping services, just like in a top four-star hotel.

IMPORTANCE OF LOCATION

The Oakwood Tokyo Premier is one of the best serviced apartments in the city. Located just steps away from Tokyo Station and the shopping districts of Ginza and Nihonbashi, it’s an ideal base for guests looking to stay in the center of everything.

Moreover, getting around Tokyo and the rest of Japan is easy with such a location. There are buses and trains straight to Tokyo Station from Tokyo’s airports, and all the bullet trains to the North and the South of Japan depart from here as well.

ALL THE SERVICES OF A HOTEL

The serviced apartment itself is furnished with a refined feel similar to other modern luxury hotels in Tokyo. It has all the services provided by a top four-star hotel. It also has a much better location, too. Moreover, Oakwood Premier Tokyo offers more quiet and privacy since only guests access the lobby.

On the lobby floor is a cafe, two floors high, that serves breakfast, coffee and tea, and cocktails. It’s a lounge for relaxing and meeting other guests. We always thought we would try this lounge. However, our apartment was so comfortable that we never felt the need to leave it.

A HOTEL THAT FEELS LIKE HOME

By Tokyo standards, this apartment is perfect for holidays and spacious enough for long-term residency. The two bedrooms and two bathrooms are all spacious, as are the kitchen and the combined living room and dining room.

Usually, kitchens in serviced apartments in Tokyo are afterthoughts rather than well-designed spaces because most guests prior to the pandemic never really planned to do anything more difficult than heat up a packaged meal in the microwave. Our kitchen at Oakwood Premier Tokyo was furnished completely so that we could roast lamb chops and cook lobster spaghetti with great ease at the same time.

READ ABOUT THE PRIVATE CHEF EXPERIENCE AT OAKWOOD PREMIER TOKYO

YES, YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL

A visit to Tokyo is notoriously expensive, especially for those wishing to travel with the family in a style of luxury. Quality accommodations in Central Tokyo are prohibitively priced, as are restaurant meals. However, with options like the top-of-class Oakwood Premier Tokyo serviced apartment, Tokyo can feel more like home and happy trips need not break the bank after all.

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