Best hotels in Japan

As this hotel offers a view of islands floating among the waves, the art in the hotel also focuses on the natural beauty of the Seto Inland Sea. The hotel features art pieces designed for the area, including a carpet in the lobby featuring a sunset view of the Seto Inland Sea, and artwork in the guest rooms featuring oysters and lemons, two of the hotel's specialties.

Azumi Setoda inherits the legacy of Horiuchi-tei, a 140 year old estate that originally belonged to the influential Horiuchi Family. Active in the salt trade from the early Edo Period in the 17th century, the family expanded to become the largest salt barons on Ikuchijima island by the Meiji Period. Their estate’s proximity to the Setoda port, and the island’s location in the middle of the Seto Inland Sea, made for an optimal location to operate ships that carried salt – and later coal – across the Kitamaebune route from the Seto Inland Sea up to Hokkaido.

As you enter the Four Seasons, there will be one word on your lips: paradise. Built alongside an 800-year-old pond garden, splendid with cherry blossoms, bubbling pools and a maze of pathways, the hotel brings this sublime atmosphere into every space. Light cypress wood and shoji paper lanterns, tall ceilings and vast windows, and large floral displays see to that. The Four Seasons sits within Kyoto's temple district, and there will be plenty of opportunity to explore whether that's on one of the hotel's curated tours or a sightseeing bicycle ride. And there's always time for enjoying a taste of Kyoto's kappo cuisine.

Perched on a quiet hillside overlooking the Tonomine peaks, this intimate ryokan offers a proper introduction to Japanese hot spring culture without the eye-watering price tag of Hakone's more famous establishments. Part of the venerable Ichinoyu Group – whose flagship property has been welcoming guests since 1630 – this particular outpost combines traditional ryokan rituals with a few modern comforts. The setting is wonderfully secluded despite being a mere three-minute taxi hop from Hakone-Yumoto Station, the gateway to the region. Surrender to the rhythm of ryokan life: soak in natural alkaline waters known for leaving skin silky-smooth, don your yukata, and prepare for a kaiseki dinner that has guests returning year after year. It's the sort of place where the real luxury lies not in marble and gilding, but in the unhurried pleasure of a private hot spring bath on your balcony as dusk settles over the mountains.

Located amidst the bustling streets of Shinjuku, the Keio Plaza Hotel has one of those take-your-breath-away views of Tokyo. Spread across two towers and multiple floors, there are over 1,400 rooms, all with views of Tokyo through the enormous picture windows – the highest even get a glimpse of Mount Fuji on the clearest day. What's more, it's only a few minutes away from one of the city's major train stations, meaning you can zip off to just about anywhere at a moment's notice. In between real-life adventures, let your tastebuds do the travelling at one of 20 restaurants in the hotel, offering everything from teppanyaki to French-Italian fusion.