Hofmann's recommendations

2017: 10 years of Peninsula Tokyo

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[Translate to en:] Sonja Vodusek, General Manager The Peninsula Tokyo

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[Translate to en:] Die Lobby im The Peninsula Tokyo (Foto: Kurt Hofmann)

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[Translate to en:] Aussicht auf den kaiserlichen Palastgarten vom 17. Stock des "Pen" (Foto: Kurt Hofmann)

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[Translate to en:] Süße Köstlichkeiten im ersten Untergeschoss (Foto: Kurt Hofmann)

Sonja Vodusek laughs and talks about the stable occupancy rate at her hotel. And her hotel is the prestigious The Peninsula in Tokyo. Vodusek, who was born in Australia, is also the only female hotel manager in Japan, but one of four women in the Peninsula Group who manage hotels. With currently ten Peninsula Hotels worldwide, this is an enormously high rate.

The "Pen" in Tokyo celebrates its 10th anniversary next September. The group's hotels stand for the highest level of comfort, and discerning guests are probably the clientele that most often scurry through the revolving doors operated by friendly bellboys. Tokyo is still a market where there is a lot of demand for high-quality hotels. And when the Olympic Games are held here in 2020, this will increase further, explains Vodusek.

But back to the hotel. Connoisseur Circle has rooms on the 17th floor, with a view of the Imperial Palace garden and a great skyline - in a really good neighborhood, so to speak. To the very comfortable room (from 51m2): A private dressing room delights; the large bathroom with all mod cons including heated toilet seat too. The large living room/bedroom with large windows immediately captivates guests.

Situated on Hibiya-dori and Harumi-dori, and just minutes from Ginza, the 24-storey Peninsula has a strategic location. And The Peninsula Tokyo has rightly received many awards. Many guests also come to the Peninsula to celebrate the high-quality afternoon tea, enjoy the spa or celebrate weddings and arrive in the hotel's own Rolls-Royces. Restaurant Peter is also spectacular, with a 360-degree panoramic view on the 24th floor.

Probably no other hotel impresses with such consistency. The service culture of the Penisula Hotels is quite similar in all of them, but also takes local circumstances into account. Vadusek has plenty of autonomy to run her hotel in the best possible way. "There is an extremely strong focus on the staff. We only have ten hotels, so there is a lot of family connection involved. But it remains a challenge to find good people". A fact that regular guests also appreciate.

So everything is perfect at Pen Tokyo? Actually, yes. However, the beautiful lobby can become cramped due to the structural confines of the relatively narrow building when many visitors and guests are present at the same time, creating a very crowded atmosphere. But the high quality of the service makes up for any minor shortcomings. We therefore recommend having breakfast in your room. These are of an exquisite standard anyway. Or sweets from our own bakery on the first basement floor. The delicious pastries attract many guests - even from outside the hotel. And like everywhere else in Japan: you eat with your eyes.

By the way, the Peninsula Hotels are expanding. From 2019 also represented in Istanbul, directly on the Bosphorus. A year later in Phnom Penh and in 2021 in London, at a great location near Buckingham Palace, adds Vadusek. So things remain exciting in the Peninsula Hotel Group.

Text: Kurt Hofmann