Books, Culture, and Afternoon Tea at Shiba Park Hotel

I’ve always been all about “self-care through skincare,” as a means to unwind. But, with the relaxing of COVID restrictions, I decided to book a solo staycation in central Tokyo! I had a delightful time indulging in books, culture, and afternoon tea at Shiba Park Hotel in Minato City. Here’s how it went down.

Disclosure: My stay at Shiba Park Hotel was complimentary.

About Shiba Park Hotel

Shiba Park Hotel bills itself as “A library hotel that connects people, towns, and history.” It’s an ambitious effort that unites the Tokyo of old and new through an extensive collection of books detailing the culture, history and people of this dynamic city.

Founded in 1948, Shiba Park Hotel is the sister hotel of Park Hotel Tokyo. The hotel’s bilingual book collection is curated by Ginza Tsutaya Books, “The World’s Best Art Bookstore,” and consists of more than 1,500 books written in Japanese and English.

These books are strategically placed throughout Shiba Park Hotel and are available for hotel guests free of charge. Each area has a different theme:

Library Lounge // Timeless Beauty

You’ll find a diverse range of books, such as photo books, manga, Tokyo travel guides, and novels here.

Central Grand Staircase // Creating Value

These large bookshelves are nearly 7 meters tall!

2nd Floor Foyer // Connecting People, the City, and History

This floor represents the Past, Present, and Future of Tokyo.

Additionally, the guest room floors have cozy, cabin-like reading nooks separated by distinct themes:

6F // Crafts; 7F // Architecture; 8F// Photos; 9F // Travel; 10F // Fashion; 11F // Art

If you’re wondering how much reading could possibly be done on a trip to a city as dynamic as Tokyo or even on a short staycation, you’d be pleasantly surprised to know that it’s perfectly doable!

The trick is to stick with light, fun books, anthologies, immersive travel guides, and manga (or “graphic novels” for you cultured readers.)

Select books on the Foyer of the 2nd floor

Both English and Japanese language books are available at Shiba Park Hotel.

The Omotenashi Concierge at Shiba Park Hotel are also available to assist guests with the library lounge and share their recommendations.

Once I chose my books, I happily packed them in my complimentary Shiba Park Hotel “Library Hotel” canvas tote bag and made my way to my room for afternoon tea.

In-Room Afternoon Tea at Shiba Park Hotel

The British tradition of sitting down for tea, finger sandwiches, scones, and cake lives on in Tokyo, often featuring seasonal ingredients and traditional Japanese confections known as wagashi.

At Shiba Park Hotel, you may have your afternoon tea in the dining Hall (The Dining), however, I opted for in-room afternoon tea!

For me, evenings are the busiest time of the day, where I’m trying to shuffle in a dog walk, do dinner prep, and get my daughter’s things ready for the following day.

So, it was surreal, yet absolutely delightful, being able to sit back and relax, knowing that I wouldn’t have to worry about cooking or cleaning up.

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The theme of the afternoon tea menu at Shiba Park Hotel is “Book & Culture Tale of Artisans X Afternoon Tea” and “Moyuru (萌)” is its second installation.

It was a 3-tiered fusion of Chinese, Japanese, and Western sweets, featuring scones and savory treats, all balanced by a selection of organic teas from Art of Tea.

In-Room Afternoon Tea at Shiba Park Hotel

As I checked in at 4 PM and had afternoon tea at 5:30 PM, I found the selection of dishes to be very filling, and I didn’t need anything else. Besides, I had books to read!

Shiba Park Hotel Twin Room & Amenities

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” – C.S. Lewis

As a tea and coffee lover, I was delighted that my room Shiba Park Hotel was equipped with a fuss-free coffee maker and an assortment of teas from Art of Tea.

As my Tokyo staycation was a means to “get away from it all,” I had absolutely nothing to do but resist the temptation to edit photos and work on the blog.

Instead I drew a bath, had a “self-care through skincare” session…

The amenities at Shiba Park Hotel place an emphasis on sustainable natural environmental conservation. 90% of the body and hair care items are organic.

…exfoliated using my Green Radiance Clay Mask from [EDO BEAUTY LAB]…

…and had cup after cup of coffee and tea and read all night long!

In the morning, I headed down to The Dining for another reading session over a late breakfast.

Check-out for the in-room afternoon tea plan is 12 PM, so what do you think I did?

You guessed it! Read over endless cups of tea!

I had the most wonderful solo staycation ever at Shiba Park Hotel, and I can’t even begin to express how freeing it was to have the opportunity to sit back, relax and take it easy!l Special thanks goes to Ms. Emi Soutome.

Shiba Park Hotel Booking Information

If you’d like more information about booking an In-Room Afternoon Tea Staycation at Shiba Park Hotel, please contact Marketing & Strategy Manager Ms. Emi Soutome.