The Ascott Marunouchi — Tokyo, Japan
In the crowded concrete canyons of Tokyo, developers are engaged in fierce turf wars to secure increasingly scarce prime locations. The solution has, invariably, been to push ever upwards, and pile on the value-adds by way of views, wonderfully spare décor, and impeccable service for which the Japanese are justly famed, especially at the upper category accommodation.
For their first foray into Japan, the Singapore-based The Ascott group of serviced apartments have picked the shiny Mitsubishi Estate Co-designed skyscraper in tony Marunouchi.
Taking up the 22nd to 29th levels, the property features not just views of the Imperial Palace, but also a team of eager butlers and concierge.
Meanwhile, the 130 suites comprise studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom configurations that are dressed by MDI and Kian Liew, The Ascott’s Head of Global ID Management, Product & Technical Services. The inspiration – a loose interpretation of the seasons by way of porcelain sakura blossoms, wooden sculptures, Bellagio marble, Pierre Frey furniture and solid oak – are just the thing to soothe nerves frayed by Tokyo’s freneticism.
The direct connection to the Otemachi station is handy, as is the in-house restaurant Triple One (a reference to the address) whose Singaporean-based menu is anchored by homey standards like laksa and chicken rice.
ADDRESS
1-1-1 Otemachi Chiyoda-Ku
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Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
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