Bulgari’s Tokyo Hotel Fuses Japanese Minimalism and Italian Glamor

Luxe jewelry brand Bulgari, which stepped into the world of hotels and resorts in 2004, expands its portfolio with the Bulgari Hotel Tokyo. The eighth gem in Bulgari’s collection, housed in the new skyscraper Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, overlooks Mount Fuji and the Japanese Imperial Gardens.

The ground floor to Bulgari Hotel Tokyo features a Roman sanpietrino and an exterior facade trimmed with Italian marble sourced from quarries in Aosta.

All Bulgari hotels are designed by Milan-based architecture firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (ACPV,) and the brand’s imprint is immediately noticeable. The new hotel spreads across floors 40 through 45, but before reaching the elevator, guests stand on the street that’s paved with a cobblestoned Roman “sanpietrino” and see an exterior facade trimmed with Italian marble sourced from quarries in Aosta.

In the lobby, Bulgari’s eight-pointed star logo is embedded into the floor’s travertine stone, and vintage jewelry is on display, including the “Mount Fuji” brooch Bulgari designed in 1972 that sets the mountain in gold and mother of pearl. Furniture from brands like Flos, B&B Italia, and Altai represent some of the best of contemporary Italian design. They are juxtaposed with Japanese motifs, like a peacock tail pattern fabric to pay homage to the country’s rich textiles, as well as bell-shaped windows known as katomado, commonly found in temples. Cultural exchange is frequently showcased in pieces like the Carrara marble tables, designed by Naoto Fukasawa for Marsotto Edizoni, which are topped with Gaya ceramic vases and ikebana arrangements.

A suite at the Bulgari Hotel Tokyo features Flos’ IC Lights floor lamp by Michael Anastassiades.

Guest rooms continue the design dialogue between Italy and Japan. The bedspread, produced by Hosoo, has been making kimono textiles in Kyoto for centuries. Custom made, dark-stained oak furniture was commissioned from Ritzwell, a handcrafted wood furniture fabricator in Fukuoka. Complementing these pieces are Flexform armchairs and Maxalto desks, manufactured in Italy. The rooms’ walls are the ultimate blend of cultures: Japanese elm timber boiserie, or wood paneling, is paired with a silk fabric, mimicking traditional Japanese patterns, designed by the ACPV architects.

Calligraphy by Toko Shinoda decorates the Bulgari Suite’s entryway.

There is one guest room that takes all of Bulgari’s luxurious touches to the next level. Surpassing 4,300 square feet, the Bulgari Suite is one of the largest rooms a traveler can find in Tokyo. Its entryway is decorated in Japanese calligraphy by Toko Shinoda and leads to a bedroom, office, private gym, living room, and kitchen with a bar. A Murano glass chandelier, made by Barovier and Toso, glistens over a dining room table that can seat ten guests.

Guests can find more of these touches through the hotel’s spa, which has a custom mosaic inspired by ancient Roman Baths, and the throughout the dining options: Il Ristorante – Niko Romito, which serves contemporary Italian cuisine in Japanese temple-inspired environment; the rooftop Bulgari Bar; chocolate shop Bulgari Dolci; and Sushi Hõseki, which has its own zen garden.

ACPV and Bulgari have thought of every way to fuse cultures in the 98-room luxury hotel, merging Italian decadence and Japanese minimalism. Bulgari Hotel Tokyo is the crown jewel in an already impressive collection.

Enjoy fine Italian dining at Il Ristorante Niko Romito.

The vanity in a standard guest room

Sample chocolate at Bulgari Dulci.

bulgarihotels.com