The first thing you notice is the quiet. Not silence — Hanoi doesn’t do silence — but a particular hush that takes hold the moment you step through the entrance of the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. Ceiling fans turn overhead. The marble stays cool even in the heat. Outside, motorbikes. In here, something that feels borrowed from a different century.
Which is fitting, because a different century is more or less what you’re standing in.

Graham Greene stayed in this building in 1951, working as a correspondent for Paris Match. He wrote The Quiet American here. Somerset Maugham came in 1923 and finished The Gentleman in the Parlour in the parlor — the room, the book title; it was that kind of era.

Charlie Chaplin honeymooned here in 1936 with Paulette Goddard, after they married in Shanghai. The hotel named suites after all three of them. The concierge at the Bamboo Bar will make you a Graham Greene martini, and it’s worth having one just to sit with the absurdity of that for a moment.

From Historic Hotel in Hanoi to

Luxury Hacienda and Wedding Venue in Spain

Inspired by the timeless elegance of Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi? Continue your journey at La Esperanza Granada, an award-winning romantic hacienda surrounded by olive groves and mountain views in southern Spain.

DISCOVER LA ESPERANZA GRANADA PRIVATE ESTATE IN SPAIN

The Sofitel Metropole Hanoi: One of Asia’s Most Historic Hotels

The Metropole opened in 1901, built by two French entrepreneurs — Gustave-Émile Dumoutier and André Ducamp — just as Hanoi was becoming the capital of French Indochina. Six dollars a night got you a room, three meals, and the run of what was immediately the finest hotel in the city.

Within a few years it was also the first place in Indochina to screen motion pictures.

For the next several decades, the hotel served as the social center of colonial Hanoi — the place diplomats ate, writers worked, and anyone passing through with money or influence made a point of stopping. The guest list was not subtle: Ho Chi Minh hosted political meetings here. Fidel Castro stayed. Presidents Bush, Clinton, and Trump all came through at various points in history.

In February 2019, the hotel hosted a two-day nuclear summit between the United States and North Korea; Kim Jong Un took an entire floor.

That breadth — colonial French society to Cold War summits to 21st-century diplomacy — is what makes the Metropole unusual. Most historic hotels claim heritage. This one has receipts.

The Bunker Beneath the Bamboo Bar

The war years left a more physical mark. During the American bombing campaigns of 1972 and 1973, the hotel sheltered journalists, diplomats, Joan Baez, and Jane Fonda in an underground bunker below the building.

When the war ended, the bunker was sealed and eventually forgotten entirely. It was only rediscovered in 2011, when engineers renovating the Bamboo Bar jack-hammered through 280 millimetres of reinforced concrete and found a network of flooded corridors and chambers. Baez apparently sang one night while sheltering down there. The hotel has a partial recording. The bunker is now part of the daily Path of History tour.

From Government Guesthouse to Luxury Landmark

After independence, the hotel was renamed Thong Nhat — “Reunification Hotel” — and operated as a government guesthouse. By the 1980s the building had deteriorated badly. Its revival came through an unlikely figure: a French hotelier named Jacques Herbert, who happened to have married the daughter of Ho Chi Minh’s first finance minister. He negotiated what became Vietnam’s first successful joint venture between a foreign company and a local partner.

The Metropole reopened in 1992 under the Pullman name, later passing to Sofitel. In 2009 it became the world’s first Sofitel Legend property.

Two Wings, Two Eras — Heritage vs. Opera Wing

The hotel now has 358 rooms across two buildings that share a courtyard but not much else in atmosphere.

The Heritage Wing — the 1901 original — has dark hardwood floors, louvred shutters, vintage illustrations on the walls, and art-deco marble bathrooms. Meanwhile, the Opera Wing, added in 1996, is neoclassical and considerably quieter, with higher ceilings and larger rooms. Families and people on work trips tend to end up there. People who want to feel like they’re somewhere specific book the Heritage Wing.

About the Coffee a Bartender Invented During Wartime

Le Spa du Metropole was named Vietnam’s Best Hotel Spa at the 2026 Tatler awards. The signature treatment is a Kansu bowl massage, and French skincare lines SOTHYS and Anne Semonin cover the facial menu. There is a heated outdoor pool in the garden courtyard.

The six restaurants and bars include Le Beaulieu, which boasts of serious French cooking, and La Terrasse. The latter is a pavement café where the thing to order is Vietnamese egg coffee.

The Vietnamese egg coffee has its own Metropole origin story. In 1946, with milk impossible to find during wartime rationing, a hotel bartender named Mr. Giang started using whipped egg yolk instead. The result — thick, sweet, served over strong Robusta — is now one of Hanoi’s most copied drinks. You can still get it where it was invented.

What the Condé Nast Traveler Triple Crown Actually Means

This year, Condé Nast Traveler gave the Metropole what it calls the “Triple Crown” — a simultaneous listing on the Hot List, the Gold List, and the Readers’ Choice Awards. Only 396 hotels in the world have achieved all three.

Travel + Leisure has had it on the 500 Best Hotels list for six years running. Neither publication gives those distinctions out lightly, and neither readership is easily impressed.

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Discover Zambia’s hidden gem

Zambezi Grande guests can choose from many adventures and experiences. Aside from the usual safari experiences, the lodge offers fishing excursions in the great Zambezi River. Guests have the opportunity to see and catch the Tiger Fish and Vundu.

After the safari expeditions, guests can also unwind on the pool deck. It has a photo-worthy infinity swimming pool that looks out onto the river. They can also enjoy a sundowner river cruise or dinner, under the stars on a private island. It’s also fun to simply pass time watching the wildlife from the lodge’s terrace.

Authentic Zambia design

Previously a Cape Dutch-style homestead on the river banks, Zambezi Grande was meticulously designed to celebrate a bygone safari era. Michele Throssell Interiors recreated a vintage lodge amidst breathtaking natural surroundings. The interiors reflect the warm tones of its verdant setting.

Zambezi Grande sleeps just 20 guests with two room categories: Luxury Rooms and Superior Suites. Each offers unobstructed views of the Zambian wilderness in total privacy.

The five Superior Suites enjoy unique riverfront locations. Meanwhile the Luxury Rooms are perched high up in the wilderness. These rooms boast private verandas and inviting interiors.

Similar to La Esperanza Granada in Spain, local artisans produced much of Zambezi Grande’s furniture. The pillows and other soft furnishings are also made especially for the lodge. All the rooms at Zambezi Grande have a handmade drinks cabinet curated explicitly for each guest. Usually these are stocked with South Africa’s finest wines, local Zambian gin, and homemade fresh juices.

Sustainability in Zambia

Zambezi Grande protects the local community and preserves the natural beauty of the Lower Zambezi Valley. The lodge offers a sustainable income for households in the region and inspires local youth.

Guests can join the lodge’s Chengetai Tree Project. Chengetai, which means “to keep” or “to preserve” in the local Gova language. This epitomises the project’s ethos. To participate, guests can purchase and plant trees in the Muguramano or Chijata villages.. By slowing deforestation and desertification, the Chengetai Tree Project encourages environmental regeneration.

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GREAT EXPECTATIONS

On my way up, I was of course anticipating a beautiful hotel typical of
the Aman group. And perhaps more so in this case, as the bar to impress guests is certainly higher in Tokyo, the city with the most number of “Aman junkies” in the world.

“I was completely unprepared for the cavernous space of light, 30 meters high, that awaited me once the elevator doors opened. Talk about making first impressions count.”

Tokyo is also ground zero for design and technology pushed to the limit. So the pressure was definitely laid thick on Aman to come up with a Tokyo property that would dazzle. Moreover, it had to do so in a most subtle way — if this is even possible. After all, most of its jaded guests have already stayed in amazing hotels all over the world.

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THE LOBBY OF AMAN TOKYO

I was one of these jaded guests and these were my lofty expectations. However, surprise greeted me upon arrival. I’ve stayed everywhere wonderful, but I was completely unprepared for the cavernous space of light, 30 meters high, that awaited me once the elevator doors opened. This was the lobby. Talk about making first impressions count.

Quite unlike any other hotel lobby in Tokyo, this is literally the equivalent of eight floors of space and soft bright light that deliberately extends one’s vision all the way to the top.

WHAT TO DO WITH WASHI PAPER

Then the designers covered the walls of about six of these floors in textured “washi” paper. They stretched these on a wooden shoji frame to resemble a traditional Japanese paper lantern. This gave the lobby an aura of unearthliness appropriate for a hotel so high up.

Meanwhile, at eye level, a calm pool of water lay at the center of attention. This was located somewhere between polished wood, rough grey stone, two Zen rock gardens and a mammoth arrangement of fragile ikebana-inspired greenery.

Then there were the views to take your breath away if you still had any left. I saw the breadth and width of the Tokyo skyline before me. This certainly made for a good combination of earth, sky, and, of course, luxury.

THE PERFECT FIT

Admittedly, this truly 21st century hotel is not for everyone. However minimalists and enthusiasts for Japanese design will immediately appreciate its aesthetics. It is stark, crisp and so seamless. Like a simple but perfectly cut little black designer dress.

READ ABOUT THE AMANEMU IN ISE

At least, this is how I felt, checking in one recent Sunday to happily call Aman Tokyo my home for four days. I was already sufficiently enamored at the outset. Nevertheless, this hotel grows on you and ends up fitting your lifestyle. By the end of my stay, I most definitely would have stayed four months or four years instead of four days — had my credit card allowed this.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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Not all junior suites are created equal, and the one at the Intercontinental Hotel Singapore is among our favorites in the Lion City. We love the classic interiors, the white color base, and the Peranakan design accents that make it a room to remember.

Full suites are lovely, of course, but these also come with an appropriate price tag. On the other hand, junior suites offer more space and comfort for just a small additional amount compared to deluxe double rooms.

The junior suite at the Intercontinental Hotel Singapore is perfect for a business trip, a special occasion visit for couples, or a holiday for a family that needs an extra bed. Full of natural light since it has four windows looking out onto a cityscape, it has a soothing atmosphere that’s perfect for work or leisure, in spite of being in one of the liveliest neighborhoods of one of the most vibrant cities on earth.

The junior suite has a separate living room from the bedroom, and once you close the sliding doors between these, the world falls silent. It is one of the quietest bedrooms I have ever slept in.

WHAT WE LOVED

What makes this junior suite so attractive?

First, the interiors are designed wonderfully in neutral hues — the camel brown curtains complement the Peranakan-inspired headboard with touches of gold ever so nicely — and with clean lines to match any taste or preference. It is hard not to feel comfortable in a suite done up in tasteful whites and grays, with elegant streamlined furniture to match.

Then there’s the layout that is both practical and easy. All the luggage racks are by the entrance corridor opposite a spacious bathroom, and this corridor leads to a bright and airy living room. To one side of this room are sliding doors that open to a cozy cocooning bedroom.

Also, this is practically a full suite rather than a junior suite, with a proper foyer and living room. And have we mentioned the unique and colorful welcome basket of local goodies that awaited us in the room along with a handwritten note? So few hotel executives take the time to write or sign guest cards but the team at the Intercontinental Hotel Singapore does. And it makes all the difference.

READ :

THE PERANAKAN INSPIRED INTERIORS OF THE INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL SINGAPORE

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The Park Hyatt Kyoto is a wonderful blend of modern and traditional. It’s located in one of the loveliest neighborhoods of Kyoto, near the Kiyomizudera and the Yasaka Shrine. It is also at the doorstep of the old entertainment district of Gion, home to the geisha and maiko. There are not a few famous restaurants and tea houses in this area too. Because of this, it’s a joy to walk around even late at night.

The hotel also has amazing provenance because of its relationship with the legendary Kyoyamato Restaurant of Kyoto. This is a traditional kaiseki restaurant that has been serving fine Japanese food since 1877. The current owners belong to the sixth generation of the original family.

This association with Kyoyamato has also provided many benefits to the Park Hyatt Kyoto. For one thing, the hotel has access to some of the best artisans of Kyoto, many of whom already have some relationship with the Kyoyamato.

THE BEST ARTISANS OF KYOTO

The Park Hyatt Kyoto uses these traditional Kyoto crafts throughout the hotel. For example, the Kyoto Bistro is the hotel’s casual cafe with an entrance right along the Ninenzaka Street. It’s known for comfort food which can be enjoyed in the restaurant or ordered as take-out.

This cafe uses tea cups and bowls called Asahiyaki. Asahiyaki dates back 400 years. It’s currently produced at a pottery kiln in a city called Uji, which is near Kyoto.

WHERE TO FIND YOHEN TENMOKU TEA BOWLS IN KYOTO

The hotel also uses Tenmoku tea bowls. These are beautiful pottery with incandescent colors that change hues depending on the light reflected on it. The highest quality Tenmoku tea bowls are the Yohen Tenmoku, and Takeshi Furukawa is one of the rising potters in this field.

These much admired bowls have an 800-year history, and these have been created amidst much secrecy. Only the potters themselves know the exact formula for creating the beautiful glaze of the Yohen Tenmoku. However, it is common knowledge that Yohen Tenmoku bowls are made with natural soil rich in iron and then glazed with oxidized metals.

KANAYA COPPER CRAFTS IN KYOTO

Meanwhile, many of the copper items used by the Park Hyatt Kyoto have been created by Kanaya Gorosaburo XVI. Kanaya-san is heir to a long and revered tradition of copper making. His family has been involved in this craft for over 400 years.

Kyoto is a conservative city that does not easily welcome newcomers. So most new hotels — especially foreign ones — may find it hard to become involved in its old traditions. However, because of its association with the Kyoyamato, the hotel enjoys the equivalent of a hotline to some of the best artisans of Kyoto.

Read more about the best hotels in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

Photos credit : Park Hyatt Kyoto

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Hokkaido is an outdoors destination all year round. Visitors go skiing during the long winter and then hike and bike the rest of the year. As most of the activities are outdoors, many dining options are also outside. Everyone in these parts loves going on picnics or sitting on benches in parks with a snack.

WHERE TO GO FOR BARBECUE IN HOKKAIDO

Meanwhile, families who visit Hokkaido never leave without having at least one barbecue dinner. It’s the quintessential Hokkaido experience, to hold a barbecue under the stars.

Of course, we were part of the majority who were keen to experience a summer evening barbecue dinner at the Kiroro Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Hokkaido. This is quite famous all over Japan because the ingredients from Hokkaido are considered the best quality of food. Then there’s the fact that the weather in the summer is just amazing. You want to sit outdoors all night long.

DINNER AT THE KIRORO TRIBUTE PORTFOLIO

The Kiroro Tribute Portfolio offers a summer evening barbecue on the terrace of the hotel. It’s very popular among guests and locals, so bookings are required in advance. The hotel team sets up tables in a circle around the fountain, with a large tent in the middle. Lounge music or live music plays all night and there’s a chill vibe all around.

The team sets up a barbecue station for each group, So on every table there is a table-top barbecue grill that’s fired and ready to cook. It holds just enough cooking bricks for about three hours so guests can relax and cook and eat at leisure.

THE BEST INGREDIENTS IN JAPAN

Several trays of food come with the standard package, and it’s really a lot of food. There are assorted cuts of pork, beef and lamp. Then we also had a lot seafood. We had giant shrimps and scallops, and sliced squid. Plus bread to roast and even onigiri.

Of course, there are also vegetables for grilling like tomatoes and asparagus, and traditional Hokkaido food like corn. Dessert is also roasted on the grill, just like everything else.

DESSERT ON THE BARBECUE

Towards the end of dinner, the waitstaff brings a package wrapped in foil. “Place that on the grill and it’ll be ready to eat in a few minutes,” our waiter told us, with a smile. We did as we were told. The result was a delicious mash of warmed up marshmallows, bananas with brown sugar and some crumbled cookies. It was so good that I wouldn’t have minded getting seconds.

THE BEST GRILLED CHEESE

Aside from the dinner package, there’s also an a la carte menu. We ordered a Hokkaido Camembert cheese for roasting from this menu just to try what it was like. It arrived with slices of bread and toast. Again, we were told to place the Camembert cheese on the grill for a few minutes.

When we finally opened it up, it was warm, soft and gooey. Perfect for spreading on toasts for an appetizer. Who would have thought that grilled Camembert cheese could be so delicious?

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Just as we were enjoying dessert, there was a commotion at the other end of the Kiroro Tribute Portfolio. It turned out that the fireworks were about to start, so many people were on their way to the field to watch. Of course we joined the crowds to watch. So in this sense, we actually had two desserts.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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The entrance to the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono is deceptively simple. A winding road passes through fields that are green in the summer, with houses in the distance. Then it ends at the entrance of a building inspired by somber tones and minimalism. An extreme design to complement the extreme nature of Hokkaido.

MINIMALISM AT ITS BEST

However, the stark lines of the hotel should not put the upmarket traveler off. It is precisely because the hotel is so luxurious in every sense that it can confidently create maximum space with minimum lines. It’s literally a paradise where you can leave your troubles at the door, especially during the time of COVID-19.

This was our experience, arriving for a much-needed holiday at the end of July, just as Tokyo was announcing record figures for COVID infections and fatalities. The world seemed dreary and bleak at that particular time. In contrast, the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono was like a breathe of fresh air in a world of masks and viruses.

SAFETY IN SPACE

Here, space was a big factor in the feeling of safety. The hotel is a mammoth eight-stores complex with 11 restaurants, some of the largest hotel rooms in Japan, and corridors so wide you could play football in them. In such an environment of great distances, the coronavirus suddenly felt very far.

As with many places, space is always a valuable commodity. The sheer amount of it at the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono is enough to make anyone’s jaw drop. Then there are the beautiful views visible from almost every room. These transport you out of the everyday. On one side is the Annapuri mountain range , while Mount Yotei is on the other.

THE INTERIORS OF THE PARK HYATT NISEKO HANAZONO

Finally, in case you ever tire of the views outside — all white in the winter and all green the rest of the year — the views inside are equally compelling. It’s a mixture of industrial materials and exquisite finishing. Basically, a most unlikely combination that works.

The impressive lobby is a massive counter in front of a giant mural in a cavernous lobby that can basically double as a running track. Next door is the lounge which is jumping with apres-ski activity in the winter. Families hang out by the sweets bar for cakes and ice cream by Pierre Herme, while couples sit by the fireplace for dinner.

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At the end of the lounge is a floor-to-ceiling bar where one can easily imagine ending the day with a shot of whiskey, happy and checking one’s phone for a next possible date to return.

Read more about the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono in Travelife Magazine.

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Foodies staying at the new Park Hyatt Kyoto are in for a special treat. If they order a Japanese breakfast during their stay, the famous 150-year old Kyoyamato Kyoto kaiseki restaurant will be cooking.

ABOUT KYOYAMATO RESTAURANT IN KYOTO

Kyoyamato is one of the most famous kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto. It’s also one of the most beautiful in a pretty crowded city. The old capital of Japan has narrow streets lined with long and narrow wooden houses. In these houses, the people of Kyoto lived, worked, played and served food.

Amidst these less than spacious conditions, there are some special restaurants known for their food, service and beautiful surroundings. The Kyoyamato is one of these. It’s lovely wooden structures are set in a traditional Japanese garden that dates back to the Edo era. One of the reasons to book a meal at Kyoyamato is to enjoy its gardens.

POSSIBLY THE BEST ROOM SERVICE BREAKFAST IN KYOTO

Until the Park Hyatt Kyoto opened, this kaiseki restaurant was only serving lunch and dinner. However, now, it makes breakfast too, just for guests of the Park Hyatt Kyoto. Those who order the Japanese breakfast set at Kyoto Bistro or via room service get the special Kyoyamato Japanese breakfast set.

Kyoto Bistro is the the all day dining restaurant of the hotel. It’s also the breakfast restaurant. However, those who wish to have breakfast in private, enjoying the views from the room, can dial room service.

This is exactly what we did every day. We ordered the Kyoyamato Japanese breakfast via room service at 9 AM. This was brought over daily by two lovely ladies bearing one table each, each full of bento boxes.

WHAT IS A KYOYAMATO BREAKFAST?

What’s in a Kyoyamato breakfast, you might be wondering?

In many ways, it looks like a typical luxury ryokan breakfast. However, when you eat it, you realize that the ingredients are very good and the taste of each tiny dish is excellent.

KYOYAMATO BREAKFAST AT PARK HYATT KYOTO

Genmai tea

Grilled eggplant with dashi jelly & sesame sauce

Japanese Miyama egg omelet with grated radish

Kurokawa squash with baby potatoes

Wheat gluten cake

Simmered radish

Sautéed wagyu beff tendon and burdock

Kyoto tofu with bonito flakes

Sautéed baby sardine and Fushimi pepper

Roasted fish cake and cod roe

Simmered kelp with bonito flakes

Japanese pickles

Miso marinated silver cod

Lotus roots with simmered sweet potato

Koshihikari rice from Tango

Miso soup with Shijimi clams and Mitsuba lead

It has the usual assortment of cold appetizers to start. These are mostly tofu and vegetable dishes since Kyoto is famous for its vegetables. Then it also has the simmered egg roll found in sushi restaurants and ryokan breakfasts.

READ ABOUT THE PARK HYATT NISEKO IN HOKKAIDO

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EGG

This egg dish looks so simple to make but it actually isn’t. Only the best Japanese restaurants are able to make a proper one. Meanwhile, the main course is usually grilled fish accompanied by rice, pickles and miso soup. In this case, the miso soup had tiny clams.

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As a finale, Kyoyamato includes a plate of fresh seasonal fruits in a very restrained way. There are no huge platters of assorted fruits, as you will find in Western countries.

This is Japan, after all, where everything whispers rather than shouts. So the dessert at breakfast is two modest slices of seasonal fruit. Today we had one grape and one slice of a peach. But these were the tastiest fruits I’d had in a long time.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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“What a beautiful room,” I exclaimed, as soon as I entered the garden suite of the Hotel Chinzanso in Tokyo. Just like many Tokyo residents spending the summer in Japan amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we had decided to book a staycation at a hotel in the city.

Tokyo has many luxury hotels. However, for many people living here, the Hotel Chinzanso occupies a special place full of nostalgia and good memories.

HOW TO TIME TRAVEL

So many new hotels have sprouted up all over Tokyo. Many of them occupy the upper floors of skyscrapers and upscale buildings. However, the old-fashioned Chinzanso, with its sprawling estate, is a testament to the fact that some good things should never change.

This hotel is a great favorite among Japanese aristocrats. For one thing, it is located in a quiet and genteel residential neighborhood, away from the tourist areas of Tokyo. Also, it is perhaps the most spacious hotel in the city. When you’re at Chinzanso, you feel like you’ve traveled elsewhere both in location and time. You see, this hotel with its garden full of history harks back to the days of Old World Japan.

A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN IN TOKYO

I booked the premiere garden suite because it comes with a view of the gardens. I love waking up and seeing the gardens and the temple first thing in the morning. The gardens are also easy on the eyes as I enjoy my room service breakfast. Even when I’m working on my laptop on the desk in the suite, I feel that the entire Tokyo is literally at my fingertips.

In the evenings, I often can’t take my eyes off the pagoda in the garden. It’s lit up dramatically and it makes quite a picture. In the distance is the skyline of Ikebukuro, a modern suburb of Tokyo. Meanwhile, in the foreground are the lush gardens of Hotel Chinzanso.

ABOUT THE GARDEN SUITE OF CHINZANSO

The hotel has many kinds of suites, each with its own decor. The garden suite I stayed in was a combination of Western and Asian interiors, with Japanese accents. It was very comfortable to spend several days here, just relaxing away from the heat and the stress of the pandemic.

The furniture are classic antique-style pieces merged with chintz, everything in elegant proportions. Meanwhile, the main bathroom is massive by Tokyo hotel standards, and there’s a second bathroom in the foyer. Even with years piling on it, the Hotel Chinzanso is so impeccably maintained that the rooms look fresh.

READ ABOUT SPAIN’S MOST ROMANTIC NEW HOTEL

It was so easy to feel at home here, especially as room service was excellent. I stayed three nights and only checked out with the greatest reluctance on the last day, determined to find some reason to return to this beautiful garden suite again someday.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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Chinzanso in the residential neighborhood of Meijiro in Tokyo is a grand hotel well loved by the old families of Tokyo. It’s luxurious, beautiful and full of Old World charm. It’s the best of traditional Japanese hospitality and Western comfort put together.

If you’ve been to Tokyo many times and wish to see a less touristy side of this city, this is the perfect hotel to stay in. It has a hot springs on-site, so many excellent restaurants, and a beautiful garden. So once you check-in, you’ll probably not want to leave.

DREAM WEDDING VENUE IN TOKYO

In fact, the garden of Chinzanso is very famous in Tokyo. Many Tokyo residents book staycations and meals at the restaurants just to enjoy the garden. Many couples also regard Chinzanso as their dream wedding venue in Japan. So it is extremely popular to hold an exclusive wedding reception here, in the adjacent banquet hall.

This is probably the most beautiful garden in Tokyo that is privately owned but accessible to the public. Guests can view the gardens from the premium rooms, the best tables in the restaurants and banquet halls.

HISTORY OF CHINZANSO

The history of Chinzanso’s land goes back to the 15th century, when it was already famous for camellias blooming on-site. However, the gardens itself really began in 1878. This was when Aritomo Yamagata, a former prime minister of Japan, bought the property from the aristocratic Kuroda family.

Yamagata-san then hired Katsugoro Iwatamo, who was then known as the best gardener in Tokyo, to work for him. The gardener created a series of pocket gardens and hills, plus a pond. These all remain to these day.

Actually, Yamagata-san was a great connoisseur of art and culture. So Chinzanso is just one of three gardens he commissioned. However it is his only beautiful garden in Tokyo and it is also the most famous one.

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ABOUT THIS BEAUTIFUL GARDEN IN TOKYO

In 1918, Yamagata-san sold his estate and in 1948 it eventually became the property of Fujita Kogyo, the company that still owns Chinzanso. The founder of Fujita Kogyo also loved gardens. So he planted 10,000 trees to recreate the glory of Chinzanso, as it had been damaged during World War II.

Today, Chinzanso is synonymous with the grand life of pre-war Japan. It’s especially refreshing to see, amidst all the sleek high-rise new hotels made of glass and steel. One only has to walk through the garden, a beautiful oasis amidst a cityscape of Tokyo apartments and office buildings, to transport one’s self to another world and another era.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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