← Go back Jul 07, 2023
Forbes Lifestyle Travel The New Kimpton Shinjuku Hotel: Bringing NY Cool to the Heart of Tokyo Erica Wertheim Zohar Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I am a Journalist, Speaker, Advisor & Strategist for Luxury Brands. Following Jul 25, 2023, 08:00am EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The entrance to the Kimpton Shinjuku. Kimpton Tucked away on a quiet corner in Shinjuku, a stone’s throw from the venerable Park Hyatt Hotel, lies Tokyo’s most unlikely 5-star property. More Manhattan than Tokyo, the Kimpton Shinjuku Hotel is nothing like most traditional Japanese luxury hotels. Inspired by New York’s art and fashion scene, and housed behind an art deco-style façade reminiscent of the skyscrapers of the Big Apple, the Kimpton is a breath of fresh air in a mostly staid luxury market – modern, youthful, stylish, whimsical, and edgy. It is everything a New York boutique hotel would want to be, only it is located in the heart of one of Tokyo’s most popular areas. Zebra crossing in Shinjuku, Tokyo at sunset. getty Slated to open in the run up to the much-anticipated 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the very first Kimpton property in Japan, the hotel’s plans ran smack dab into the middle of the pandemic - which not only turned the delayed Olympic Games into a virtual non-event for local hotels, but all but put a halt to international travel to Japan until late 2022. Yet, the Kimpton Shinjuku managed to open in October, 2020, and to persevere through the rest of the pandemic. Leading the way from the outset was General Manager Maxime Hotelier (yes, his name is actually Hotelier !). If there was ever someone born to run a hotel, it is the Frenchman Hotelier, whose Maxime Hotelier, the General Manager at the Kimpton Shinjuku in Tokyo. Kimpton enthusiasm for the Kimpton is infectious, no doubt due in part to the difficult early days that the hotel and its staff were forced to endure and overcome. In fact, I sensed a certain fortitude and mettle in the spirit of the hotel likely rooted in its emergence from the pandemic. Hotelier leads an attentive, energetic and very international staff – and, notably, a very English-speaking staff (which is not always the case in Japan), making communication with the front desk and with the hotel concierge much easier for yours truly. MORE FOR YOU The Sky s The Limit Crypto Now Braced For A Multi Trillion Wall Street Earthquake After Bitcoin Ethereum BNB XRP Cardano Dogecoin Litecoin Solana Tron And Polygon Price Boom New iPhone 15 Exclusive Reveals Stunning Apple Design Decision WWE Raw Results: Winners And Grades On July 24, 2023 Social Hour at the Kimpton Shinjuku in Tokyo. Kimpton At the heart of the Kimpton are its social areas, particularly its dining and lounge areas – and this is no accident. The Kimpton brand, owned by IHG Hotels & Resorts, prides itself on promoting social interaction among its guests. Every day at the Kimpton Shinjuku, the hotel hosts a social hour with drinks and lite bites for its guests. This Kimpton tradition started back in 1981, when the founder of the brand, Bill Kimpton, held daily wine and cheese fireside chats with his sales team - and has since evolved in the spirit of creating connection as a signature Kimpton activity taking place every evening at its hotels around the world. The District restaurant has a cool Manhattan vibe and serves as the main restaurant of the Kimpton ...
Read more: forbes
