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Right in the heart of Tokyo, in Nihonbashi, just above the Ginza district, is another hotel that occupies the higher floors of a commercial tower, in this case one thought up by architectural innovator César Pelli. The bold, striking design apparently was inspired by the themes of forest and water, in the service of which natural materials were employed throughout. A water feature in the 37th-floor entranceway and the leaf motif throughout create a relaxed atmosphere; lavish use of wood and fabrics in the rooms, together with the design’s sense of harmony, also give the Mandarin a boutique feel. It is located right in the center of the financial district and slightly east of the Imperial Palace gardens. Rooms from $785.

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Everyone who is anyone lays their head here for a night: passing-through movie stars, big-name musicians, corporate head honchos. This simply superb hotel was groundbreaking in so many ways, not least for being situated on the upper floors of an office building. The rooms are packed with all kinds of technology, including various gimmicks in even the smallest room, such as soothing fans that are activated by the touch of a button. You reach the hotel by switching from one elevator to another along a walkway, which sounds like a pain, but the hall’s book-lined walls make this a rather comforting and soothing experience after a hard day’s negotiating or sightseeing. Famously the setting for the film Lost in Translation, the Park Hyatt was where Bill Murray spent jet-lagged, sleepless nights chatting to Scarlett Johannsson, answering the whirring fax machine and propping up the New York Bar. Rooms from $680.

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Trust the Hong Kong–headquartered group to snag the very best hotel site in town, flanked by the Imperial Gardens park and the lively bustle of Ginza. Oddly, for a city renowned for its service and love of luxury, it was not until recently overloaded with fabulous five-stars. The Peninsula, already a huge favorite with the Japanese, who know the group from its flagship Hong Kong property, has raised the bar way higher than previously with a state-of-the-art, boutique-in-feel hotel that is understated elegance at its most exquisite. A traditional Japanese lantern was the architectural inspiration for the 314-room Peninsula, and throughout the property, there are other subtle nods to the nation’s rich heritage. The wooden latticework in the lobby is reminiscent of decor found in the ancient capital, Kyoto, and the polished cherry wood reception counters and marble floors also showcase time-honored Japanese craft techniques. The rooms, among the largest in the city, feature generous use of cherrywood, chestnut, handwoven cedarwood panels and red lacquer. The cavernous bathrooms, fitted with granite, aim to replicate the ambience of traditional Japanese hot springs. As always in Peninsula hotels, high-tech devices, tested by the group’s specialist team of 20 engineers, are liberally employed and include Internet radio with 3,000 channels, a phone that can be synchronized to guests’ personal phones and another that works in-house and around Tokyo. Female guests will be delighted with the nail dryer the experts invented to put in every room! Scattered throughout the hotel are almost 1,000 works of art, including the lobby’s centerpiece bamboo sculpture, a Chinese dragon, a symbol of strength, harmony and good luck. All in all, the Pen is the place to stay in terms of location, luxury, exclusivity and novelty. Rooms from $600.