In an out-of-the-way location on the Tokyo Bay waterfront, this 17-story hotel is linked to Takeshiba Station on the Yurikamome monorail line, 1 km east of Daimon Station. This is a surprisingly posh hotel to be stuck out in the boondocks (though admittedly, the Ginza is only a five-minute taxi ride away). Slick with chic artistic decor and natural colors, this hotel actually registers higher on the luxe-o-meter than the Meridien Grand and Nikko, both of which are on the same monorail line.
Arrivals spin through revolving doors into a sophisticated residential-style lobby with sofas, a marble fireplace, a shimmering chandelier and a player piano (mornings only), which many find a welcome alternative to the flashy expanse of Tokyo's larger hotels. Reception hides out around a corner.
Few will find fault with the dining options. Those seeking kaiseki fare should head to Wake-tokuyama on the third floor, which is also home to the colonial-style Asian Table, which specializes in traditional specialties from Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, along with panoramic views of Tokyo Bay, and Dining Bar C4U, which combines cocktails with American cuisine. International buffets are offered three times a day in the breezy Blue Veranda, and formal dining takes place in the elegant La Provence off the lobby, where the southern French cuisine is offered up in a posh Louis-Something setting. Bartenders mix drinks in the Chart House bar, and the sixth-floor Sunset Lounge provides great sweeps of Tokyo Bay through floor-to-ceiling windows and live entertainment during cocktail hour. The Patisserie satisfies cravings with freshly baked pastries and cookies.
Wedding parties often commandeer the banquet space, the largest of which can accommodate 250 guests for a reception and several of which provide panoramas of Tokyo Bay. The business center is available around the clock, as is room service. There's a third-floor fitness club, which requires the usual fees, and guests can recover at the hotel's Relaxation Salon, which offers Swedish-style oil massages and foot reflexology massage.
The lodgings are larger than expected (40 sq m) and show muted beige, green and gray color schemes. Furnishings include high-quality desks, armoires and cocktail tables, club chairs paired with ottomans, dual- or triple-line phones, TVs with on-demand movies, high-speed Internet connections, minibars, quilted spreads and safes. The baths have deep tubs and separate stall showers, scales and bidet toilets. There is one handicapped room, along with five floors of smoke-free 
rooms. All rooms afford at least partial views of the water, but the most expensive Deluxe rooms go a step further by offering views even from baths. Premium rooms on the top five floors have access to a peaceful lounge where complimentary breakfast and beverages are served.
This gleaming beauty is one of Tokyo's best-kept secrets. Business travelers, a quarter of which are American, account for weekday visits, and weekend guests tend to be leisure travelers attracted to Odaiba with its many sights and views. Although the Meridien Grand and Nikko provide more entertaining surroundings and the ANA InterContinental Tokyo has a more central location, this hotel is perfect for those who just want to hole up in smart, comfortable rooms and work.
