Tokyo, Honshu, Japan

An iconic hotel from the 1960s, this giant, 20-storey skyscraper in Marunouchi sits opposite the Imperial Palace gardens at the heart of Tokyo. Following a £750-million makeover, it now ranks among Japan’s most opulent five-stars, with interiors oozing restrained grandeur and sophistication. We love the sensuous, kimono-inspired colour schemes of pistachio and peach, the silky carpets, the interplay of granite, marble, glass and ebony, and decadent choice of (10!) restaurants (including the Michelin-starred ‘Crown’). If you can stretch to it, go for a room with a balcony overlooking Wadakim moat –surely one of Asia’s most mesmerizing urban views.