Hyatt’s 2 new The Unbound Collection hotels around Tokyo to book now: Hotel Toranomon Hills will excite city types while Fuji Speedway Hotel offers something for nature-lovers – and motorsport fans

May 22 , 2024

New hotels in Tokyo’s Toranomon Hills and at Fuji Speedway offer guests a choice of being based in an entertainment hub, or outside the city in a base ideal for nature-lovers and lovers of motorsport. Photos: Handout

In case you need yet another reason to visit Japan, Hyatt has just added two Japanese properties to its exclusive The Unbound Collection portfolio. With only nine properties across the Asia-Pacific, the collection promises “story-worthy” hotels, each with a distinct character, making them ideal for travellers looking for something out of the ordinary.

Hotel Toranomon Hills

The newly opened Hotel Toranomon Hills is Tokyo’s first – and the collection’s most unexpected – addition. It’s connected to Station Tower, the latest skyscraper in the Toranomon Hills complex, which also houses Tokyo Node, a 10,000-square-metre innovation hub that includes multiple restaurants, a multi-format hall, and lab space with a state-of-the-art video studio. Unlike many Tokyo hotels, it can also be accessed via street level and is especially inviting with its leafy outdoor terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows.

The lobby’s contemporary open-concept design creates a warm, buzzy atmosphere minus the pretension. This vibe continues in each of the 205 rooms designed by Space Copenhagen, which feature minimalist interiors inspired by Japanese and Danish aesthetics, as well as luxe essentials like filtered water drinking stations, hi-tech Japanese hairdryers and work stations. The bigger Toranomon Suites even come with flexible multipurpose areas that can be converted depending on your needs.

While the rooms are a blend of style and function, a major draw for business travellers will be The Lounge, a two-story, multifunctional space available to guests 24/7. Unlike your bog-standard executive lounge offering a few snacks and drinks, it also provides showers, private relaxation areas where you can take a snooze, storage lockers as well as co-working spaces – a cool new blueprint for what a hotel lounge should offer.

Le Pristine Tokyo restaurant at the Hotel Toranomon Hills

Also generating buzz is the hotel’s casual fine dining restaurant, Le Pristine Tokyo. Helmed by Antwerp-based Sergio Herman, it marks the first time that Hyatt has partnered with a Michelin-starred chef to bring his dining concept to one of their properties. It’s worth noting too that Herman oversees all the food and beverage at the hotel, including at the more casual Le Pristine cafe.

Food at Le Pristine Tokyo restaurant at the Hotel Toranomon Hills

Every detail has been conceived or selected by Herman, from the custom tableware and squashed disco-ball art works, to the exclusive list of natural wines. The dishes take inspiration from his Italian roots (many are meant to be shared) and highlight produce from his native Zeeland in the Netherlands as well as from Japan, as evidenced by mouth-watering dishes such as the seafood pasta Orecchiette Zeelandaise. There’s no doubt the restaurant will become a go-to destination for foodies. (A second outpost is scheduled to open in Singapore later this year.)

Fuji Speedway Hotel

Also new to The Unbound Collection is the Fuji Speedway Hotel, which opened in October 2022 about 1.5 hours from Tokyo. Here, two different world views coexist, offering visitors a choice of very diverse experiences.

Villas at the Fuji Speedway Hotel make the connection with cars perfectly clear

Its location in the foothills of majestic Mount Fuji makes it an idyllic base for a retreat where you can take in jaw-dropping views, fresh mountain air and nature. At the same time, the hotel’s proximity to the iconic Fuji Speedway, a world-class FIA Grade 1 racecourse, makes it a magnet for thrill-seekers. Each of the 120 rooms embrace both experiences and are elegantly designed with racing green and orange touches, and balconies offering views of Mount Fuji or the racecourse.

The motorsport-themed Bar 4563 at the Fuji Speedway Hotel

Racing fans can channel their inner Michael Schumacher and drive the speedway in their own car or a go-kart. (Really obsessed guests who can’t stop looking at their cars can even stay in one of several villas with glass-enclosed parking spaces.) They can also discover vintage cars in the adjoining Fuji Motorsports Museum, which details the history of motorsport with a collection of over 40 vehicles from the likes of Bugatti, Porsche and Toyota – the latter owns both the museum and hotel. Even the hotel’s speakeasy, Bar 4563, is decorated with 270 mini-sized cars, and features a race simulator so you can drink and drive responsibly while sampling whiskeys from local distilleries.

Many rooms at the Fuji Speedway Hotel have views of the circuit

There is also plenty on offer for those who want to embrace a slower pace of life. There’s a tranquil onsen with stunning views of the famous mountain, while the Omika Spa highlights natural treatments using indigenous ingredients such as green tea. (The surrounding area is the biggest producer in Japan.)

Also adding to the local flavour is Italian restaurant Trofeo and yakitori-style eatery Robata Omaya. Both showcase produce from local farms including meat, vegetables and even mozzarella cheese made with local milk. The hotel has also partnered with local eateries to introduce native dishes, including tororo-jiru, a yam soup, from Choji-ya restaurant that has been using this same recipe for over 400 years.

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Hotel Toranomon Hills has a Michelin-starred chef, Sergio Herman, and is connected to Station Tower that also houses Tokyo Node, an innovation hub
Fuji Speedway, meanwhile, has rooms overlooking the FIA Grade 1 racecourse while others offer contrasting views of Mount Fuji – oh, and there’s an onsen and spa, too