Inside Look: Bulgari Hotel Tokyo Review

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Astrid Taran, Forbes Staff

Forbes Vetted

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Italian luxury brand Bulgari, best known as one of the world’s most prestigious names in jewelry, successfully broke into hospitality with its first hotel, Bulgari Hotel Milano, in 2004. Since then, the brand has opened eight more properties, including Bulgari Hotel Tokyo, which debuted in the city’s central Yaesu neighborhood in April 2023.

As Bulgari’s first outpost in Japan, Bulgari Hotel Tokyo provides a Rome-meets-Tokyo escape for travelers seeking a luxurious blend of both worlds. On a recent trip to Tokyo, I checked into the hotel to experience it firsthand. Read my full review below.

Bulgari Hotel Tokyo

Reserve At Booking.com

Who Will Love It: Well-heeled travelers seeking a blend of Italian design and Japanese craftsmanship

All-Star Amenities: Spa with Augustinus Bader products; gym; pool; on-site onsen; in-room tea selection sourced from Saga Prefecture; dining at Sushi Hōseki, Il Ristorante Niko Romito and Bulgari Dolci; drinks with rooftop views at The Bulgari Bar

What Not To Miss: The Bulgari Mount Fuji brooch, made of gold and mother of pearl, on display in the lobby

Location: Yaesu, Chūō, Tokyo, Japan

All-Star Amenities

Housed in a skyscraper (not unusual for Tokyo) in Chūō Ward’s Yaesu neighborhood, Bulgari Hotel Tokyo occupies the top six floors of Tokyo Midtown Yaesu tower. Guests are greeted at the ground floor by a walkway comprised of Roman sanpietrini stones and Italian marble, then led up to the 40th floor check-in, where black granite walls and displays of—what else?—vintage jewelry set a sophisticated tone. Three of the hotel’s dining options—Sushi Hōseki, Il Ristorante Niko Romito and Bulgari Dolci—are found on this floor, alongside a modern and well-equipped gym with expansive views of the city below.

The Bulgari Spa makes an immediate impression upon entrance. Featuring a gorgeous 82-foot swimming pool and hot tub bathed in glittering jewel tones, it was hard not to spend the entire day here; the private cabanas set up along the window-lined walls make it easy to do so, as does the outdoor terrace, ideal for sipping tea. After soothing tired muscles in the sauna and steam room, I took a soak in the jewel-toned Japanese onsen—one of my most unique hotel experiences—featuring expansive city views. My skin appreciated the Augustinus Bader Exclusive Bulgari Facial, especially after a long flight.

Rooms

The property is home to just 98 rooms and suites, all featuring handcrafted elements like wall-mounted bamboo basket vases and curved, hand-painted gold ceilings. I stayed in a Premium category room, an entry-level room that measured a little over 600 square feet, with a separate closet and vanity space as well a spacious bathroom featuring a tub, shower and a Toto toilet. It goes without saying that the usually luxe amenity of Bulgari toiletries were plentiful here—and in large bottles, to boot.

The room’s design included framed vintage Bulgari advertisements along with gold-speckled throws made by the Kyoto-based kimono textile company Hosoo. Leather Bulgari jewelry holders were found on the vanity and bathroom countertop to protect guests’ most prized possessions, while my favorite amenity was the room’s fully stocked tea selection, all sourced from Japan’s Saga Prefecture.

Food And Beverage

As a massive sushi lover, I was most looking forward to my reservation at Sushi Hōseki (translating to “jewel” in Japanese), helmed by celebrated sushi chef Kenji Gyoten. With only eight seats at the omakase restaurant, the meal felt intimate, with every detail meticulously thought out. Upon seating, I was asked to select a cup from a tray of Japanese ceramics, which was then promptly filled with sake. Over the next 45 minutes, a parade of tuna, eel, squid and other delights were presented on the wooden counter in front of me as I eagerly reached out to pop them into my mouth, savoring every morsel.

I also enjoyed a meal at the Michelin-starred Il Ristorante Niko Romito, which is quickly becoming a staple of the Bulgari hotel experience (it’s also present in five of the other properties). Here, classic Italian dishes are served with a Japanese twist, like spaghetti with Japanese clams or fettucella with Ise-ebi lobster from Mie Prefecture and botan ebi shrimp from Hokkaido. A true standout, however, is the 45th-floor Bulgari Bar, where I enjoyed an Uva cocktail, made from a unique blend of pisco, grappa, sake and banana-infused dry vermouth. Small bites, including beluga caviar, were on hand for aperitivo, while unbeatable panoramic rooftop views could be found from every angle.

What To Do In The Area

Bulgari Hotel Tokyo is located in the Yaesu neighborhood of Chūō Ward in central Tokyo. It’s walkable to popular sites like the Imperial Palace and the Ginza shopping district, and is about a 15-minute drive away from the famous Shibuya Crossing. It’s also right across the street from Tokyo Station, where travelers can explore many underground shops and restaurants as well as hop on a bullet train (called a shinkansen) to Kyoto or Osaka. During my stay, I took a car to the recently opened Ueshima Museum in Shibuya, an excellent new collection of contemporary art located in a renovated three-story schoolhouse. And in a true testament to “when in Tokyo,” I also visited a micro-pig cafe in Harajuku (about a 20-minute drive from the hotel), where three piglets fell asleep on my lap.

How To Get There

The hotel is approximately a 40-minute drive from Haneda Airport (HND), the closer of Tokyo’s two airports to the city, and around a one-hour drive from Narita Airport (NRT), the further of the two airports. It’s also easily accessible from train lines via Tokyo Station, as well as a quick walk from the Kyobashi Station and Nihombashi Station on the Tokyo Metro.