Grand Hyatt Tokyo

Less opulent than Shinjuku's notorious Park Hyatt, the Grand Hyatt Tokyo is proof that modern design can work in the context of a big business hotel. From the vast lobby, with its massive sculpted heads (trust us) to the unique red granite swimming pool, the design is far from the anonymous corporate style all too common in corporate chain hotels.

The rooms are no less impressive, starting with the halls, where the doors are mounted flush with the walls, as if to mimic the traditional Japanese sliding doors. Once inside one can't help but notice that these are some of the most stylish hotel rooms anywhere, utterly contemporary in design and totally up-to-date in terms of comforts, with Frette sheets, wi-fi, and entertainment centers seemingly straight out of science fiction (technophobes may wish to bring a friend to help with the remote control).

Most remarkable, though, are the bathrooms, with a separate shower and an overflowing tub, in the traditional Japanese ofuro style. The effect is like a private spa or personal water park — definitely an experience, not just for bathroom fetishists. There is a small LCD screen in the bathroom as well, so as long as you go easy on the steam, you could spend the whole day in the bath and still keep up with the news.

The Roppongi location is excellent, very convenient, and rooms on the hotel's west side have views of Mount Fuji — though all rooms have remotely controlled blackout curtains, for jetlagged guests. The hotel, overall, is quite impressive, up to the standards set by the Park Hyatt and the Four Seasons, though without the cachet (or the price tag). Definitely a luxury hotel with personality — and that's all we ask for.