Step into the newly reopened Okura Tokyo, and you might be forgiven for believing in the existence of time travel.
That’s because the lobby, where John Lennon or Steve Jobs might have relaxed when they stayed, was demolished four years ago, to the dismay of patrons of the iconic hotel. And now it’s back, seemingly plucked from the past. During the hiatus, craftsmen recreated and restored the gold-hued space adorned with discreet touches [...].
— Bloomberg
Bloomberg writer Reed Stevenson visits Japan's iconic and recently reopened Okura Tokyo (formerly Hotel Okura) after undergoing a substantial $1 billion makeover.
Fearing that the unique and charming mix of 1960s mid-century modern and traditional Japanese architecture, especially in the lobby, would be lost forever in the planned demolition of the old hotel, Monocle magazine launched the Save The Okura petition in 2014 to preserve the original building.
While the fate of the property was ultimately already sealed and reconstruction started a year later, Stevenson now writes about the new hotel's interiors, "designers and architects have recreated the ambiance of the old hotel, with the modern rooms, event spaces, and restaurants demanded by the well-heeled these days."
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