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Japanese billionaire Minoru Mori wanted the Grand Hyatt Tokyo - part of his Rockefeller Center-like Roppongi Hills development - to be perfect, and he pretty much succeeded. The hotel's subtle architecture keeps Tokyo's commercial hubbub at bay. Guest rooms aren't large, but they are beautifully appointed, with Frette sheets, deluge showers and Ethernet connections. On the TV, the language miraculously converts from Japanese to English at the touch of a button; the toilet seat is heated; and the window's 'blackout shades' work by remote control. The only problem with this paradise is you need a manual to operate the room. But waking up to a view of Mount Fuji is adequate compensation. Then there is an early morning swim in the ethereal spa (with a flying-saucer-like Jacuzzi cantilevered over the rough stone pool).
Skip the 'Italian breakfast' at the ground-floor restaurant, not because it's bad but because the buffet at the second-floor French Kitchen is stupendous. If you're
in the mood to shop (and see great architecture), the Prada store designed by Herzog & de Meuron is a taxi ride away. But Roppongi Hills has its own cornucopia of stores and restaurants. The best-value may be Joel Robuchon's Atelier, which has a long counter instead of tables, just like the Paris original. And next door to the hotel is the 53 storey Mori Tower, with its contemporary art museum and views for miles.
WHEN TO GO
When the pound is strong and the yen is weak.
ROOM TO BOOK
Any west-facing room (for the view).
CONTACT
Grand Hyatt Tokyo, 6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032, Japan (00 81 3 4333 1234; fax: 4333 8123; www.grandhyatttokyo.com). Doubles from ¥55,600 (about £250)
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