Lost In Translation: Staying at the $1000 Park Hyatt Tokyo & New York Bar

Note: I’ve included a
few photos from my previous stay at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, along with a few
movie stills for illustrative purposes

Sitting on top of Shinjuku Park Tower, the Park Hyatt Tokyo
was the first western luxury hotel to open in Japan in 1994. Since then numerous celebrities have called
the Park Hyatt home.

Director Sofia Coppola loved the hotel so much that she made it a
centerpiece in her award winning film Lost
in Translation.

Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray from Lost in Translation at the New York Bar in Park Hyatt Tokyo.

Rooms at the Park Hyatt Tokyo don’t run cheap, with rates
during the peak Cherry Blossom season starting at a staggering $1000 a night.

Screenshot showing Park Hyatt Tokyo room rates in Japanese Yen, with advance purchase at ¥102,000 JPY.

120,000 Yen a night
after taxes

Instead I used 30,000 Hyatt Points to book a one night stay
for my dad and me at this iconic hotel, with no additional cash payment required.

A screenshot of the Hyatt website showing a Park Twin room with Yoyogi Park views available for 30,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

Upon arriving at Shinjuku station, we took a quick five
minute taxi ride to the entrance of the hotel, where a check in assistant was
waiting for us.

The granite entrance to the Park Hyatt Tokyo features a large metallic face sculpture above glass doors and a uniformed staff member at a desk.

Hotel staff assist a male guest with luggage outside the Park Hyatt Tokyo.

After taking our luggage and confirming our reservation, we
were personally escorted up to the check in area located on the 41^st
floor.

On the way up, we passed through the lower lobby and up the
elevator which subtly adjusts the brightness depending on which direction your
heading. Naturally, the lighting increases as you go higher.

A brightly lit, modern hotel lobby features a large abstract sculpture, dark wood accents, and pale green backlit walls.

Upon arriving on the 41^st floor, we walked past
the Girandole restaurant and also the hotel’s library before arriving at the
check in desk.

A sophisticated study space featuring a wooden desk with an open atlas and three warmly lit bookshelves filled with books.

Park Hyatt Library

After a brief stop at the check in desk, we were handed off
to another associate who personally took us to our room.

An elegant, modern hotel lobby with a reception desk, beige armchairs, and warm accent lighting.

Instead of mere plastic keycards, guests are given physical Tiffany
metal keys.

A hand holds two hotel keys on a unique metal keychain.

As a Globalist member, our room was upgraded to a deluxe view
room, which was greatly appreciated given the peak demand.

The bedroom was extremely spacious for Japanese standards
with the two twin beds closer to full size. A pair of lounging chairs
compliments the room, along with a separate work desk.

A Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel room at night features a panoramic city lights view, a bed, and two armchairs by the window.

On my previous stay, I
used a DSU and was upgraded to the Park Suite, you can find a short review here.

An upscale hotel suite with a city view, a dining table, and a lounge area with champagne.

Park Suite

Unlike the Park Suite, the room doesn’t have unsightly bars
lining the window and blocking your view. The views are breathtaking, with the sea
of buildings looking like small pieces of legos.

A dense Tokyo cityscape seen from above, with a long street cutting through countless buildings.

The bedroom itself could almost pass for Charlotte’s room,
with an almost identical interior design.

A room with two armchairs facing large windows that offer an expansive city view.

A person lies on the floor of a disheveled hotel room with a large window overlooking a city skyline.

The twin beds were quite large (near full size), and my dad was able to see
the beautiful skyline from his bed and literally fall asleep among the city
lights.

Night view of Tokyo's sprawling cityscape with a brightly lit skyscraper at its center.

A sliding door separates the bedroom from the bathroom,
which keeps the same elegant checker patterned marbled floor found in the Park
Suite.

An elegant hotel bathroom with a large bathtub, two white bathrobes, a colorful painting, and a view into an adjacent bedroom.

A luxurious hotel bathroom featuring a large bathtub, vibrant artwork, and an open doorway to a dressing area.

The bathroom has a gorgeous sunken tub, and when you’re
feeling lazy in your tub, has a small TV for your viewing pleasure.

A vibrant painting of a person in red in a dramatic landscape hangs above a bathtub filled with water.

View from a bathtub in a hotel bathroom, showing a news program on a TV mounted above a vanity with mirrors.

A hotel closet area featuring wooden hangers, a bench with slippers and a black amenity, and a futon mattress leaning against a beige wall.

Behind the bathroom is a separate wardrobe area. If you’re feeling like recreating some of that Lost In Translation magic you can dong
your own pair of green robes featured in the movie and create your own Bill
Murray poster!

Movie poster for Lost In Translation with Bill Murray sitting in a robe on a bed.

A man in a dark green patterned yukata and white slippers sits in an armchair, looking up at the city view from a high-rise window.

After taking a quick shower, my dad and I headed to the peak
bar, located at the main lobby, where Globalists have free flow drinks and
snacks from 5-8 PM.

Guests enjoying drinks and the Tokyo city lights from the Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar.

A dimly lit bar with a circular counter and large windows offering a night view of a city skyline.

A bar counter with glowing displays of bottles and food overlooks a vast, illuminated Tokyo cityscape at night.

The Park Hyatt Tokyo does things differently, and this was
no ordinary cocktail hour. While the complimentary Hors d’oeuvre appetizers
were not that filling, the hotel has two bartenders on call to make any
cocktail that you desire.

Bartender and guest at Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar, with a night city skyline view.

Having traveled hopped throughout Japan for the past 10
days, it was finally time to “let loose” and properly celebrate Dad’s 60th birthday. Over the next couple hours, my dad
and I fully utilized the free flowing alcohol, ordering various cocktails such
as Martinis, Mojitos, and even a Mint Julep.

A bartender pours a drink at the Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar, overlooking the city lights at night.

Tip: Be sure to come real early if you want to grab the
handful of seats at the bar that offer you a spectacular view of the Tokyo
skyline, otherwise you’ll have to make do one of the numerous plush seating
options throughout the lobby.

A person holds a cocktail at a bar, with a bartender and a sparkling city night view visible through large windows.

Overall, this was by far the best cocktail hour at any Hyatt
I’ve ever been to and at 4000 Yen for the general public (plus service charge
& tax) one of the better free flowing deals in notoriously expensive Tokyo.

Guests at the Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar enjoy drinks and the city night view.

Afterwards, we headed upstairs to the world famous
New York Bar located on top of the Park Hyatt.

For those who’ve watched Lost
In Translation this one of the focal shooting areas of the film and we were
really excited to finally able to see the bar in real life.

The dimly lit New York Bar at night, with patrons, a singer, and a city skyline through large windows.

New York Bar – Lost in
Translation

On a previous visit I actually took a quick look at the New
York Grill during the daytime, and can say without a doubt if you’re looking to
have a meal with a view that this is one of the best places in Tokyo,
especially during the twilight hours.

Set tables in a high-rise restaurant with panoramic views of a city and a large park.

The restaurant is modern, but simple, with minimal
distractions and letting the view speak for itself.

A high-rise restaurant with large grid-pattern windows overlooks a sprawling city skyline under a cloudy sky, with dining tables set in the foreground.

I did like the two huge paintings by Valerio Adami flanking
each wall on the grille, which contrasted well with the layout.

New York Bar at Park Hyatt Tokyo with city views from floor-to-ceiling windows, set dining tables, and a vibrant mural.

Upon arriving at the 52^nd floor, we were greeted
with a rather long line despite the 3000 yen cover charge for non-hotel guests.
The hostess apologized profusely and asked for our room details, and promised
to give us a call when a table freed up. Around 10 minutes later, a window
table had opened up and we headed back upstairs.

To say the wait was worth it would be an understatement.
It’s not often you can experience a movie scene in real life, but the
atmosphere at the New York Bar was even better than what was portrayed on film.

A singer and pianist perform live at the dimly lit New York Bar, with blurred city lights visible at night.

Just like the movie, a live jazz band was the focal point of
the bar, with tables crammed to maximize space. In the background, flashing red
lights on top of the many skyscrapers In Shinjuku glowed like fireflies in the
distance.

A female singer in a red dress performs with a jazz band for guests in a luxurious bar with a large colorful mural and window views.

We were seated on a gorgeous table with unobstructed views
of the Shinjuku skyline, right next to the couch where Charlotte first toasted
Bob. My dad wasted no time in grabbing a picture.

Nighttime cityscape from a high window, with reflections of indoor lamps above the brightly lit buildings.

A man in a red shirt holds a cocktail against a backdrop of Tokyo's night skyline.

We started off with a round of L.I.T cocktails, which were
apparently inspired by the color of Charlotte’s panties. This was followed by a
glass of Suntory whiskey. Unknown to me, that single glass cost a whopping
3000+ Yen, so make sure you take a close look at the price list!

A man smiles at the Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar, enjoying a drink and food with a night view of the city skyline.

Since we were at the New York Bar & Grill, naturally we
had to try the New York Steak, which was extremely juicy and tender, although
price conscious travelers might be shocked at the price tag.

A table with sliced steak, fries, and drinks overlooks a sparkling city skyline at night.

For those on a budget, truffle fries are a good option to
fill your stomach without breaking the bank.

Service was excellent, and yes the waiters & bartenders
have the exact same uniforms as shown on screen. As expected, the Jazz was
wonderful and the atmosphere exactly how I imagined it would be, with muddled
voices occasionally interrupted by clapping after the completion of a song.

The Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar is filled with guests, a server, live jazz music, and features a large colorful mural.