May I brag a little? I just had a staycation at Aman Tokyo. And it truly was the "sanctuary" it's rumored to be.

First, a brief introduction to Aman. Known as a pioneer of small-scale luxury resorts, Aman was born in 1988 when Adrian Zecha opened Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand. It became explosively popular, especially among celebrities, leading to the subsequent opening of unique resorts worldwide. Currently, there are 33 resorts, primarily in Asia. Most of these are villa-type resorts located away from city centers and airports, near beaches or ancient ruins.

Aman Tokyo, the first urban hotel by Aman, opened in December 2014 in Otemachi, Tokyo. Many Aman junkies (as devoted fans are called) must have thought, "Aman in Otemachi, seriously?"

But the moment you step out of the elevator and reach the lobby on the 33rd floor, you'll realize those worries were unfounded.

Aman Tokyo occupies the top six floors (33rd to 38th) of the Otemachi Tower, a complex building approximately 200 meters high. The 33rd-floor lobby area houses the main dining restaurant "Arva," a cafe, and a bar, all seamlessly connected without walls. It's essentially one large open space! Architect Kerry Hill, who designed the space, envisioned this entire floor as a single entity, incorporating a large ikebana (flower arrangement) with a pond and a rock garden at the center to express the Japanese lifestyle of appreciating the changing seasons. The surrounding walkway is said to represent an 'engawa' (veranda).

The lobby floor boasts a ceiling height of about 30 meters. Soft light filters through shoji-inspired paper screens. And the view is truly remarkable! The entire west side is a window, offering views of Mt. Fuji and its surrounding mountains on clear days. While I've described it in detail, the lobby alone evokes a resort-like feeling... or perhaps, a sanctuary where Japanese tradition and modernity coexist is a more fitting description.

So, even just being in the lobby is incredibly soothing, but today is all about the overnight stay, so let's head to the room.

There are 84 guest rooms. Even the standard rooms offer a spacious 71 square meters. For emphasis, let me repeat: this is in Otemachi! Confessing something I wasn't asked, this is larger than my own apartment (laughs). And this time, I had the pleasure of staying in room 302, a "Suite King" category. Oh, to shout this happiness from the rooftops of the world (laughs).

Upon opening the room door and stepping inside, I found a living room with a kitchen and dining table on one side, and a bedroom on the other. The living room offers views of the greenery of Gaien, the cityscape of Shinjuku, and Tokyo Tower, while the bedroom overlooks the Rainbow Bridge and Odaiba. It's the kind of view you could gaze at endlessly. With a beer in hand, contemplating Tokyo's geography, time just flies by.

The bed, facing the window, is designed to allow you to see the view even when lying down. The desk (located in front of the bed from the entrance) also faces the window!

Power outlets and LAN ports are readily available. In a corner of the room sits a BOSE Bluetooth speaker.

The daybed, designed to resemble an 'engawa,' is so inviting it's hard to get up. Just like the lobby, the guest rooms are richly adorned with Japanese elements like wood, stone, and washi paper!

I could happily stay in the room, but I had somewhere else to be. The pool, accessible only to guests and members, was a must-visit! It's an extraordinary, otherworldly space. The glass-enclosed pool is 30 meters long, making it one of the largest in Tokyo hotels. With a ceiling over 8 meters high and natural light from two sides, it offers an unparalleled sense of openness and comfort.

Perhaps by chance, during my visit, the only other guests were a couple, lost in their own world. I, on the other hand, went for a proper swim. Whether it's the radiant morning light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the magical twilight hours, or the sparkling night view, this is a place I'd want to visit multiple times at different hours.

Feeling adventurous, I decided to indulge in a treatment at the "Aman Spa." Spanning the 33rd and 34th floors, the spa covers an impressive 2500 square meters, making it one of the largest hotel spas in Tokyo. It offers eight treatment rooms, a fitness gym, a yoga studio, hot spring facilities, and steam rooms, providing a holistic approach to wellness. The treatments here go beyond mere relaxation; their concept is to facilitate a continuous journey towards nurturing and enhancing the mind, body, and spirit. With numerous appealing programs, if you're unsure which one is right for you, consult with a therapist.

I chose a "Chi Nei Tsang" treatment, a Thai therapy that focuses on releasing tension in the internal organs. After the session, I could feel a sense of purification in both my body and mind. The therapist smiled and said, "You're feeling better than when you arrived." Really? I do feel a bit lighter. I think I could be quite productive with work now (laughs).

Although I didn't have time to use it this time, working out in the fully glass-enclosed gym must be invigorating! Fitness wear and gym shoes are available for complimentary rental, so you can start your workout on a whim.

Currently, Aman Spa offers guests a 60-minute "Wellness Assessment," a consultation based on traditional Eastern medicine. This involves an in-depth counseling session to identify the root cause of your concerns, based on the "Four Diagnostic Methods" of Eastern medicine. They provide recommendations not only for your stay at Aman Tokyo but also for maintaining a healthy lifestyle after check-out. It includes detailed measurements like body fat percentage and metabolic rate via InBody, offering a valuable opportunity to understand your current physical condition. Though, it might mean confronting some rather daunting realities.

As evening approached, I debated where to spend my time and decided on the in-room bath. Aman Tokyo's baths are deep, Japanese-style. The cypress wood tub, bucket, and stool are custom-made. Even the bath amenities carried a cypress scent. Immersed in this noble aroma, I allowed myself a blissful illusion of nobility.