Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo

Variety of scrumptious sweets offer welcome relief from summer heat

From shaved ice to indulgent afternoon tea — embrace the positives that summer in Tokyo has to offer with summer 2020 plans of the Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo, which are perfect city getaways or “staycations.”

The plans run from July 1 to Sept. 30. One features a special indulgence, the chance to enjoy luxurious melon shaved ice from the comfort of one’s room. The refreshing dessert incorporates a domestic specialty, fragrant musk melon, as well as ingredients said to promote health and beauty such as aloe and coconut. Smaller portions (priced at ¥1,800 extra) are also offered for younger, but no less important, members of the family.

Another plan offers an in-room afternoon tea that is, in the hotel’s words, the “ultimate discovery” to find one’s own Shangri-La. It’s also a chance to indulge in popular afternoon tea items offered from Shangri-La hotels around the world, as well as seeing chefs’ interpretations of international dishes.

Both the melon shaved ice and afternoon tea can be enjoyed by diners not staying at the hotel, as can a lazy summer brunch for ¥8,500, including welcome drink (tax and charges extra) offered on weekends and public holidays at Italian restaurant Piacere until Aug. 30.