Akasaka, located in central Tokyo, has an ever so slightly patrician atmosphere but has managed to keep its historical and cultural roots. With countless shrines, temples, museums and parks, and with a legacy of hosting geisha and tea houses, Akasaka manages to blend all the modern luxuries with more traditional aspects of Japanese lifestyle.
The recently opened Fraser Suites Akasaka reflects the area's proud traditions fused effortlessly with modern luxury and amenities. Designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates, the Fraser Suites complex is an aesthetic blend of tradition and modernity or hin and iki in Japanese. Fraser Suites, part of the Frasers Hospitality group, is a welcome addition to the luxury serviced apartments scene in Tokyo. With 224 rooms, designed and in tune with the area of Akasaka in mind, it's a beautiful and often breathtaking space from the second you enter the sumptuous lobby to the rooms themselves.
With five types of rooms available (Deluxe, Studio Executive, Studio Premier, One Bedroom Executive and One Bedroom Premier) ranging from 32 sqm to 60 sqm guests are spoiled with the luxury of space, in a city where space is a premium. The rooms are outfitted with everything you need for a short to long term stay such as a refrigerator, stove and microwave, cutlery and tableware in addition to closets, desks and the usual mod cons.
With tasteful artwork and a curated array of books on display, guests feel right at home from the minute they set foot inside their room. With a dazzling cityscape on view from the huge apartment windows, Tokyo transforms into something attainable, intimate and personal, a city within the grasp of your hand.
With a concept of "Urban Japanese Luxury," Fraser Suites Akasaka manages to impress on many fronts. Created using a technique called sakan, the lobby entrance's bronze panels and doors create an earthy and textured tranquility which is ideal for welcoming guests when first arriving. The main lobby is decorated with layered timber panels and a stunning Kumiko Art installation. Kumiko is an intricate wooden artwork created without nails. Instead wood is grooved, punched or mortised to be joined together. It's an ancient type of woodwork which dates back to Japan's Asuka period (538-710 AD). It's a testament to the design team and Fraser Suites' aesthetic vision for the Akasaka complex.
For visitors craving some more Japanese influence then check out the Niwa Terrace with its Japan-inspired garden. It's a beautiful and peaceful way to while away a few hours reading, chatting or having a coffee.
Fraser Suites Akasaka also plays host to a gym, a retreat where you can relax and enjoy the massage chairs and even a golf simulator which is proving to be a huge hit with guests. Even for novices, the golf simulator can be great fun and a way to practice before heading out to play actual golf in or around the capital.
As Akasaka is a business and financial hub, Fraser Suites Akasaka hosts meeting spaces and conference rooms which are ideal for boardroom-style meetings, cocktail parties or private events.
One of the highlights of any visitor's stay at Fraser Suites Akasaka is Moss Cross Tokyo, the hotel's Italian and Japanese restaurant. With a firm focus on seasonality and fresh, locally produced ingredients, the menus on offer here reflect the sophistication and simplicity of both countries' cuisine and culinary culture. The delicate use of dashi, seafood, mushrooms all paired with specially curated drinks list from all over the world, makes Moss Cross Tokyo an absolute must when visiting Akasaka. The vibrancy of the food and the intricate and playful use of color seen, especially, in a dish titled Shokado-9 which is, ostensibly, a bento box broken down into nine compartments with beautifully crafted dishes in each of them. It's a revelation and makes use of produce such as sea urchin, scallops, eel and avocado. Channeling the philosophy of "Wakon-Yosai" meaning Japanese spirit and western cuisine, the Moss Cross Tokyo team deliver on both fronts with a masterful display of Japanese character and western tastes.
Fraser Suites Akasaka represents a shift in the serviced apartments industry in Tokyo. Adding elegance and refinement with oodles of luxury, it becomes a home from home for anyone who has the pleasure of staying there.
Akasaka is central and there is a lot to explore there, too.