PARK HYATT, Tokyo

Although it's part of a global chain and served as a backdrop for a major Hollywood film (Lost in Translation was shot here), the Park Hyatt Tokyo is a remarkable exhibit of superior service in Asia. From the moment you are whisked away from the chaos of supermodern Tokyo up to the 41st-floor lobby, you enter a carefully pampered private bubble that you may never want to leave. The service here is so exemplary that hotel school students should be sent on field trips to see how it's done right: Bellmen and bartenders remember your name even if you are not a visiting celebrity (and there are many) and execute every request immediately and effortlessly. We love the large rooms that look out onto Mount Fuji and the pulsing city skyline (it's like watching a video game with the sound turned off), as well as the glassed-in 45th-floor swimming pool. At the very top, you can relive Bill Murray's languorous scenes at the New York Bar (pictured), where disconsolate moguls and jet-lagged visiting actors sip Johnny Walker Blue while waiting for their offices to wake up stateside.

Park Hyatt Tokyo
Tel: 81 3 5322 1234
Doubles from $632

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