When the lift doors opened on the 35th floor of the new Blue Front Shibaura SouthTower, I stepped into calm sophistication rather than the chaos of last-minute preparations. Just days before its July 1, 2025 opening, Fairmont Tokyo already felt complete - terraces framing Tokyo Bay and the skyline, walls adorned with art inspired by traditional fishing villages, and an atmosphere both serene and expectant.
The luxury hotel occupies the 35th to 43rd floors, with 217 rooms (including 29 suites) that blend sweeping views with subtle Japanese touches.
Set on the edge of Shibaura, once a fishing village, the hotel offers a rare balance: views of both Tokyo Tower and the bay.
The art of arrival
The experience begins not in the sky but at street level. Guests are first greeted by an unexpected host - Serene, the hotel’s resident dog - whose calm presence sets the tone before check-in. From there, the elevator rises swiftly to the 35th floor, carrying guests away from Shibaura’s bustle.
The doors open onto a lobby that redefines arrival: a soaring ceiling, sweeping glass walls, and Tokyo unfolding in every direction. Just beyond, an infinity water pond mirrors the sky, creating the illusion of the city floating between two horizons - one real, one reflected.
Fairmont Tokyo’s design strikes a balance between modern scale and traditional inspiration. Conceived by BAR Studio, the architecture draws on Shibaura’s history as a fishing village through textures of wood, stone, and metal, while contemporary art adds a diverse edge.
Clean lines and double-height ceilings emphasise openness, while screens and partitions bring intimacy. The 217 rooms and suites continue this harmony of contrasts — modern silhouettes and soft palettes that turn each space into a tranquil observatory above the city.
Elevated living
As Koji Hayakawa, Commercial Director, explained to me, the hotel is all about connection — with the location, with history, and with the guests.
The pinnacle of this vision is the Presidential One-Bedroom Suite (278 sqm). With its expansive living and dining areas, it feels more like a penthouse residence than a hotel suite. The living room feels like it belongs to the skyline; it doesn’t just overlook it.
The Shibaura One-Bedroom Suite (222 sqm) draws inspiration from the district’s heritage. Once a fishing village, Shibaura is now defined by gleaming towers and Tokyo Tower’s presence on the horizon. The View Suite King (152 sqm) offers dual views of both the city skyline and Tokyo Bay.
The Fairmont Gold rooms and suites take a more intimate approach. The Tokyo Tower View King (52 sqm) highlights the details that distinguish the Gold experience. The room features signature touches, including a cocktail kit, a leather-wrapped coffee machine, and gold coasters, as well as Rose 31 bath amenities. Lounge access enhances this sense of exclusivity, offering breakfast and evening cocktails against a panoramic view of the city.
As I walked through the rooms, the most striking impression was their stillness. Despite being perched in one of the busiest cities on earth, the rooms felt cocooned.
Wellness above the city
Fairmont Tokyo’s wellness floor occupies the 35th level of the tower. The gym, open twenty-four hours a day, is equipped entirely with Technogym and bathed in natural light. Movement studios extend the experience with yoga, Pilates, and circuit training classes.
From the gym, the path flows seamlessly into the spa, where the atmosphere shifts from energy to tranquillity. The design is understated and serene, letting daylight filter softly through windows that frame the skyline. There are just four treatment rooms, including one for couples, which makes the experience feel intimate and personal rather than overwhelming.
Yet it is the pools that truly define the sense of escape here. The main 20-metre infinity pool stretches along the glass façade, its surface appearing to spill directly into the Tokyo skyline. To swim here is to feel suspended at the very edge of the city, where water and horizon meet. Step outside and the experience continues on a terrace where a smaller infinity pool glimmers in the open air, accompanied by a sundeck for lounging between swims. The view shifts constantly: morning light reflecting off Tokyo Bay, the silhouette of Tokyo Tower at dusk, and on a clear day, even the distant presence of Mount Fuji.
A culinary journey above Tokyo
Dining at Fairmont Tokyo unfolds like a journey through moods and settings. On the 35th floor, Kiln & Tonic sets the tone with Mediterranean- and Southern California–inspired dishes prepared over a wood-fired oven. Just steps away, Vue Mer, a French and Japanese lounge offers a softer rhythm and skyline views stretching over Tokyo Bay.
For a more theatrical dining experience, Totsuji presents teppanyaki with flair, balancing premium Wagyu and seafood with moments of creativity. Up on the 43rd floor, Driftwood reimagines Yoshoku — Japan’s nostalgic take on Western comfort food — with a refined edge and a glittering bar scene set against Tokyo Tower’s silhouette. Next door, Yoi to Yoi channels the convivial spirit of Japan’s tachinomiya standing bars, where highballs, sake, and playful street-food bites bring a lively, social energy to the sky-high setting.
And then there is Off Record, the speakeasy-style listening bar where the entrance itself is a secret. Slip inside and the atmosphere shifts to vinyl spinning on turntables, low lighting, and cocktails that invite you to stay late, the city lights below pulsing in time with the music.
Tokyo’s next chapter
Fairmont Tokyo makes a striking debut, combining global polish with Japanese subtlety and an architecture that draws the city into every stay. Its strengths lie in a service that feels intuitive, a design that inspires, and details that add a sense of discovery. The challenge will be to keep this level of warmth and refinement alive as the hotel matures.
There is no doubt that it will succeed. The Fairmont Tokyo will then be more than just a new address in the capital, but a landmark that reshapes expectations of what luxury in Tokyo can be.
Asia, a recent University of Birmingham graduate with a degree in Creative Writing and Marketing, was introduced to the world of luxury hospitality through her parents' careers as seasoned journalists. Growing up, she learned the ins and outs of the industry by observing their work and experiences. This unique perspective fueled her passion for writing and her appreciation for upscale accommodations. With her academic background and rich upbringing, Asia is poised to craft vivid narratives that capture the elegance and allure of luxury hospitality.
