HYPEBEAST Road Trips Japan: A Stay at the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo

While on our latest adventure out to Tokyo and subsequently Japan as part of the HYPEBEAST Road Trips, we checked into The Mandarin Oriental, located in the Nihonbashi business district. As our base of operations, it wasn’t too far located from transportation (and therefore ideal for our hectic travel schedule) and the quiet character of the area especially at night was a welcome and relaxing contrast to Tokyo’s more well-known hotspots like the Shinjuku and Roppongi districts. Accessibility to the usual HYPEBEAST-approved shopping destinations such as Shibuya and Shinjuku were generally a short 30 minute train ride as a station is located directly below the hotel.

We stayed in a generously-spaced Deluxe Room, which faced out towards the Tokyo Skytree Tower. Now, we know a lot of the locals are divided on its visual design, but there’s no denying that it’s truly a beautiful sight to behold when it’s lit up at night and blended in with the absolutely amazing view from the 30th floor (the hotel itself is positioned at the upper echelon of the building, while offices occupy the lower floors). As for the room itself, all the typical amenities and comforts of a luxury hotel were discreetly tucked into a simplified combination of traditional Japanese and modern aesthetics; it was inviting without overwhelming.

The room itself featured an extensive open bathroom inclusive of both a Jacuzzi and rainforest showers while the general sleeping area was accommodating despite featuring two queen sized beds. Needless to say, you never really felt restricted in regards to space as the Mandarin Oriental boasts some of the largest hotel rooms in Japan. Other details include services included nightly complimentary snacks and highly attentive staff. For those looking to stay within the confines of the hotel, both spa and gyms are available. While we did peek our head into the gym, it certainly wasn’t of the same size as some travelers might be used to stateside. Of course high-quality Internet is a must, nobody likes to need to buck up. Unfortunately Internet comes at a cost but you can register up to six wireless devices.

As an added bonus while we were there, we also had the exquisite pleasure of dropping by the Tapas Molecular Bar located inside the Oriental Lounge on the 38th Floor which we’ll outline in an upcoming piece. This was just one of the several different high-end restaurants and bars packed into the hotel, which may make for a difficult decision come dinner time.

Unfortunately, our short stay didn’t afford us a chance to take advantage of some of the convenient but pricey cultural activities like learning to make sushi at Tsukiji, but aside from the amazing personal experiences I had while exploring on foot, The Mandarin Oriental really felt like home after a long day out and a comfortable place to rest our heads.

Stay tuned over the course of the next few days as we highlight food, fashion, design and more. For more HYPEBEAST Road Trips adventures, check our inaugural trip to Portland.

HYPEBEAST Road Trips aims to take you across the world and provide you insights into some of the lesser known cultural institutions relevant to our culture. Follow cultural connector and creative Toon fan, Simon Wainwright, Nicole Fung of That Food Cray !!! and writer Joy Yoon (who authored The Best Things to Do in Los Angeles: 1001 Ideas) as we examine and experience some of the most interesting entities across fashion, food, design and art through our HYPEBEAST Road Trips.We’d like to thank TUMI, Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, Onitsuka Tiger and Aoi Kyoto Stay for their support of this opportunity.