Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

The first high-rise hotel in Japan, the railway and real estate company Keio opened the Keio Plaza Hotel in 1971, when there weren't any other skyscrapers in the area. Today, it's a self-contained mega hotel that caters primarily to business travelers but provides themed room experiences for niche pop culture fans too. The main lobby is adjacent to a sprawling shopping mall arcade, and with more than 20 restaurants and bars, the hotel is a major destination for locals at lunchtime. 

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo is surrounded by office towers on the west side of Shinjuku, a bustling center of business and entertainment in the heart of Tokyo. The hotel is a six-minute walk to the massive Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (which offers an amazing view of the city, and entry is free). Two metro stations are within a short walk, and the huge Shinjuku Station -- eight minutes away on foot -- is reportedly the busiest in the world. Haneda Airport is about a 35-minute drive, while Narita International Airport is about an hour and 15 minutes from the hotel.

The hotel's 1,438 rooms and suites come in 10 main categories, with more options within each, leaving a dizzying array of choices within the 47-story main tower and 34-story south tower. Most of its Standard (all within the main tower) and Superior Rooms have contemporary decor with slightly dated furnishings, though some have been renovated in a more updated style that has colored wallpaper and modern furniture with clean lines. Larger Deluxe Rooms have all been updated, and offer great views from higher floors. Toward the top-tier pricing category, the chic Plaza Rooms come in several varieties, with some that cater to business travelers with large work desks, leather roller chairs, and espresso machines, while others focus on comfort, with soothing earth tones, Simmons mattresses, and ambient mood lighting. Some of these also offer access to the executive Luxe Lounge. Themed rooms include traditional Japanese rooms, with minimalist furnishings such as tatami mats and Zen-style rock gardens, and two types of Hello Kitty rooms -- the fairy tale-inspired Princess Kitty Rooms most notable for the plush chairs shaped like giant high-heels, and the less tame Kitty Town Rooms, covered in wall-to-wall pop-art style Hello Kitty decor. All rooms include minibars, air purifiers, humidifiers, and flat-screen TVs with DVD players. The bathrooms are equally diverse -- except for the themed Japanese rooms, which have traditional ofuro-style baths, most have shower/tub combos with handheld showerheads.

Between the hotel's two towers, options for dining and drinking abound, with popular Japanese restaurants as well as eateries whose cuisines span Asia and Europe. Soujuan is a traditionally styled Japanese restaurant that serves kaiseki courses in a stone and bamboo setting, with private dining rooms that have tatami flooring. There are additional restaurants dedicated to different Japanese fare, from teppanyaki to tempura, and soba to sushi. Duo Fourchette serves a mix of classic Italian and French dishes, while the Glass Court combines an international buffet with an open kitchen. Other restaurants specialize in Korean or Chinese cuisine, and still more serve casual fare, such as bakery goods and sandwiches 24 hours a day. For entertainment, there are three 45th-floor cocktail lounges, and a karaoke bar on the 47th floor with private rooms. Rewards members and guests with upgraded rooms may get access to an executive Luxe Lounge, which serves tea and refreshments by day and drinks in the evening.Two outdoor pools are on a rooftop of the main tower's seventh floor, and are open seasonally. One is a lap pool, and there is a smaller kids' pool. The hotel also has a full spa with a modern fitness room that includes treadmills and stationary bikes. Carju Raja Esthetique Salon is a combination hair and beauty salon with a full spa that has multiple treatment rooms, as well as a sauna and steam bath. The hotel also has a business center with printing services and event facilities that include several modern meeting rooms, as well as large banquet halls and ballrooms on several different floors, the largest of which can host up to 1,000 people.