PALACE Hotel Tokyo, located right next to the city's Imperial Palace, is scheduled to open on May 17 following a 90-billion Japanese yen (US$1.2 billion) investment in the mixed-used development.

The new-built 23-storey property succeeds two previous hotels, the Hotel Teito and Palace Hotel that occupied the same site from 1947 and 1961, respectively.

“This hotel is Japanese through and through, from its ownership and management, to its service protocols and its location by the Imperial Palace gardens and moats,” said Palace Hotel Tokyo president, Takashi Kobayashi.

The hotel’s 290 rooms will include 12 suites and six categories of guest rooms, the smallest of which will be 45m². The uppermost of four basement levels will feature 17 retail outlets, and there will also be an evian SPA, only the second outside of France.

Beyond the four destination restaurants covering French, Japanese and Chinese cuisine, an additional six restaurants and bars round out the hotel’s F&B options.

In preparation for its grand opening, Palace Hotel Tokyo has secured a spot in the Leading Hotels of the World portfolio.