Take the elevator to the 34th floor and open the door to your room. Stepping inside is like stepping inside a child’s daydream. Mobiles hang from the ceiling and paintings of cherry blossoms line the tiles of the bathroom walls. The tiny figure of a little girl flying atop a carp animates the space above the bed; a fluorescent pink tree rises from beside the flatscreen TV.
Yume Aoyama, from Ibaraki, Japan, was one of several local artists granted creative control of one room on one floor of the Park Hotel Tokyo. Here, above the Gucci and Prada stores of Tokyo's Ginza district, are some of the boldest rooms in the city. Aoyama's is room number 3419 — with a blank slate and four walls, her swirling paints are a surreal representation of forest, wave, and sky, inspired by the Japanese folk toys that thrived between the Edo and Meiji periods and which often represent local Japanese legends.
That explains the girl with the carp, and the painting of a tree growing from a bathtub. The contrast with the more traditional facets of the hotel room — the large picture windows, the tightly made white bed, the wood-framed minibar — make for the most satisfying part of a stay here. Don’t call it sleeping in a museum. Call it waking up in a painting.
The Hotel
Where is the Park Hotel Tokyo?
The Park Hotel Tokyo is conveniently located inside of the Shiodome Media Tower in Ginza, on a quieter street close to the heart of the high-energy neighborhood. The location, just beside the Shiodome Subway Station (the station is accessible from the hotel’s own elevator), makes for a simple jaunt to the airport or Tokyo's other must-visit neighborhoods.
Who is the typical guest at the hotel?
A mix of visitors from around the world in search of a reasonable price and a boutique experience. Business travelers will fit right in, but the hotel is positioned more for young couples or friends eager to spend their days exploring the city.
Dining and room service?
Park Hotel Tokyo has room service available for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks, with a full menu that includes Japanese and American favorites. The hotel also has three restaurants from which to choose. There’s Hanasanshou, a Japanese kaiseki restaurant that offers more than 50 types of sake, Art Colours, which also serves breakfast every morning, and The Society, the first bar in Japan to gain official recognition by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
One hint for visitors:
Stay on a Wednesday. On that day each week, at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., the hotel hosts two 45-minute tea ceremonies. Each includes a matcha experience and Japanese sweets.
Another bonus: FamilyMart — one of the most beloved and well-known Japanese convenience stores — is right downstairs. Take the elevator to the basement level and follow the signs. Perfect for a snack on a rainy day, you won’t have to step outside to access it.
How to book room #3419:
Head over to the hotel page and request rates. Add a special note for the Yume Aoyama room.
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Hero Image: An artist room at Park Hotel Tokyo features hand-painted walls and the endless creativity of Yume Aoyama.
