Luxury brands such as Armani, Fendi and Versace all have their own hotels. But Bulgari has been the most successful in terms of expansion.
On 13 February 2001, Marriott International announced a joint venture with Bulgari to launch its new luxury hotel brand, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts. The potential sites that were then in the pipeline have now been realised.
The brand's eighth hotel opened in Tokyo on 4 April. The hotel is housed in the 240m tall Tokyo Midtown Tower, which was designed by Takenaka Kogyo, one of Japan's top construction companies that built the Park Hyatt Kyoto.
The hotel's interior design is still by the Bulgari Hotels & Resorts design team, Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (later known as ACPV), and here is a set of pictures from one of our friends in Tokyo who stayed early:
Arriving at the Sky Lobby, a variety of sofas with a homely feel are positioned at the front and sides of the fireplace with portraits of celebrities wearing Bulgari jewellery, while at the other end of the aisle is a window seat in the lounge with a view of the ever-changing Yaesu business district in which the hotel is located.
Further in is Il Ristorante - Niko Romito, one of the iconic restaurants of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, which specialises in Italian cuisine and has a seating capacity of 80.
The hotel has a total of 98 rooms. The Junior Suite, a basic suite, is a modern and minimalist space with many classic Bulgari elements.
The rooms are furnished with furniture from renowned Italian brands such as Maxalto, Flexform, and B&B Italia, and reflect the bustling cityscape and Mount Fuji outside the windows.
Base rates start at around RMB 18,000 per night, with friends above staying in this base suite for nearly RMB 30,000 per night. The iconic Bulgari Suite is 400m² in size. Adjoining suites can also be connected.
In terms of dining, in addition to Il Ristorante - Niko Romito and The Lounge, Sushi Hōseki, the new Japanese concept that debuted at Bulgari Hotel Dubai, has also made its logical arrival in Tokyo.
With just eight seats, the restaurant is helmed by Kenji Gyoten, the three-Michelin-starred chef who is the mastermind behind Sushi Hōseki Japan. The menu is specially ordered by the chef, making the process of tasting the food as surprising as opening a blind box.
The Bulgari Bar is located on the 45th floor of the building and features an Italian-inspired handcrafted mosaic at the service counter, inspired by the 'Garden of Miracles'. On a clear day, the terrace overlooks the snow-capped Mount Fuji.
Also on the 40th floor of the hotel is the 1,000m² Bulgari Spa with nine treatment rooms, including a spa suite and two treatment rooms for two people.
The 25m indoor heated swimming pool and the Workshop Gymnasium fitness centre are also available.
As the eighth jewel in the Bulgari Hotels & Resorts collection, the unveiling of the Bulgari Hotel Tokyo will undoubtedly be another important milestone for the Bulgari Group:
