Millions of visitors flock to Tokyo each year to explore the organized chaos that is the world’s most populous city. Whether it’s the tantalizing food scene, trend-setting fashion, or rich history, the Japanese capital entices every type of traveler. Quite frankly, you could spend months here and barely skim the surface. And choosing your hotel can be just as harrowing as deciding what to cram into a short visit. Let’s take it one step at a time and start with where to stay. To help you navigate the thousands of options, we’ve narrowed the list down to some of our favorites. They vary in neighborhood, from frenetic hubs to quieter residential enclaves. Some are brand new, others are tried-and-true institutions. Many are from familiar international brands, but a few are the dreamy results of home-grown talent. Here, our guide to the best hotels in Tokyo.
The business district of Otemachi might not be the first location that would come to mind for a traditional Japanese inn, but you won’t find a tranquil retreat like Hoshinoya Tokyo anywhere else in the city. Upon entering, the cacophony of the bustling metropolis instantly dissipates and is replaced by a relaxing aura. You’re greeted by a diligent attendant who stores your shoes in one of the bamboo and chestnut cubbies lining the walls, welcoming you to walk barefoot on the tatami mat floors. The entire hotel, including the dinner-only restaurant, is strictly reserved for guests. And while there are 84 rooms in total, each floor only has six accommodations, creating a sense of intimacy as though every level is its own mini ryokan, along with a shared lounge that’s stocked with complimentary snacks like onigiri and an array of seasonal teas. Enjoy spacious digs with low furnishings, deep soaking tubs, and traditional Japanese design elements like shoji screens, but while you’re here make sure to head up to the rooftop and soak in the healing properties of the natural hot spring.
Every few years there’s a hotel that garners so much attention it becomes an icon before it even opens. This year, that title belongs to Janu Tokyo. The flagship of Aman’s long-awaited sister brand, Janu Tokyo trades in zen and serenity for a more energetic approach to hospitality, perhaps best exhibited by the property’s whopping eight food and beverage venues. The hotel also offers a robust wellness center that spans four floors, housing one of the city’s largest gyms, a 25-meter pool, and an extensive spa. Once you’re ready to retire, spacious rooms with largely monochromatic interiors welcome you with soaking tubs and balconies in most instances.
Bookended by action with the heart of Shibuya on one side and Harajuku at the other, there’s a lot happening around Trunk(Hotel) Cat Street. In addition to its stellar location, this lifestyle boutique property has managed to capture the zeitgeist, turning it into a favored haunt for the neighborhood’s effortlessly cool inhabitants. The lobby lounge, with a cafe by day and bar by night, doubles as a co-working space and is quite the scene at nearly all hours. Upstairs are just 15 accommodations ranging from cozy rooms to residential-style suites, all accented with custom Japan-made adornments utilizing upcycled materials. The hotel offers two on-site restaurants—one that serves Japanese-inflected international fare, the other a yakitori (skewered meats and vegetables) spot—and its own version of a convenience store with locally sourced bites and a curated selection of sustainable products.
Ginza has no shortage of luxury hotels to complement its high-end stores and just north of the city’s most glamorous shopping district is newcomer Bulgari Hotel Tokyo. Set directly across from Tokyo Station, the glitzy 98-key property blends its roots with its new environs through contemporary Italian design and time-honored Japanese craftsmanship. Bulgari fans will also appreciate overt nods to the brand in the form of framed sketches from the archives, the jeweler’s 1970s Mount Fuji brooch on display in the gallery, and the house’s signature eight-point star inlaid in the black granite floor of the reception area. The mark of any stellar city hotel is when it’s enticing enough to keep you indoors despite an exciting metropolis waiting to be explored, and Bulgari Hotel Tokyo delivers. To start, the accommodations are incredibly spacious, starting from 51 square meters. And while there are plenty of luxe touches—throws crafted in Kyoto, hand-brushed gold ceilings, Bulgari-branded bathroom amenities—the automatic blinds are the winner, opening every time you step into the room to reveal panoramic vistas of the city and, in some cases, Mount Fuji on a clear day. Looking for even more dramatic views? Head up to the 45th-floor rooftop lounge, where you’ll be met with Venetian terrazzo flooring and a beautiful glass mosaic wall of birds and trees behind the sleek bar, flanked by lush terraces with plenty of seating looking out to a seemingly endless skyline. But whatever you do, don’t forget to carve out some time for the spa, where you’ll find a 25-metre pool clad in reflective green and gold tiles, surrounded by daybeds and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Remote destinations have been a part of Aman’s ethos since its inception, but the opening of the Tokyo property in 2014 marked the brand’s first “urban” project. Resident architect Kerry Hill’s minimalist approach to the group’s luxury-defining properties arguably plays the most natural role in Japan, a country where less is more. The vaulted atrium in the lobby, which is a hot spot for afternoon tea, has become an icon of sorts within Aman’s portfolio, as has the stone-clad, 30-metre pool overlooking the city. Bright and airy rooms are some of the largest in the city, the smallest coming in at 71 square meters, and are characterized by light wood and low-profile furnishings. Slide the shoji screen back to reveal a stone bathroom, complete with a window-side tub with uninterrupted views.
Just blocks from Harajuku and Omotesando Hills, the Aoyama Grand Hotel is arguably one of the most underrated gems in Tokyo. Joining the latest crop of stylish boutique hotels to pop up in the city, the property features plush rooms with mid-century modern decor and punchy patterns that add a quirky character. It offers guests a host of amenities that aren’t even found at hotels commanding double its price tag, such as a complimentary minibar inclusive of alcoholic beverages and snacks as well as bicycles to explore the surrounding area. And while there are a handful of on-site dining concepts, the two standouts are Shikaku, a countertop restaurant serving comforting Japanese fare, and the Top, an alfresco rooftop lounge with a DJ every weekend.
While Shibuya is known for its frenetic energy, things slow down a bit just north of the station in Tomigaya. The trendy neighborhood has been popular for quite some time amongst well-heeled locals, but it’s now drawing in discerning jet-setters thanks to Trunk(Hotel) Yoyogi Park. In stark contrast to its lively and cool sister hotel on the other side of Shibuya, this new property is serene and understated, providing an urban sanctuary just a stone’s throw away from one of Tokyo’s most exciting enclaves. Japandi interiors are the shared work of Keiji Ashizawa Design and Copenhagen-based Norm Architects, setting the stage for a relaxing stay. Its crown jewel, though? The pool club. Open only to guests, the heated infinity oasis looks out at the lush treetops of Yoyogi Park and is complemented by a jacuzzi, sunken fire pit, and oyster bar.
Crowning the new 47-floor Tokyu Kabukicho Tower—where you’ll also find a cinema, nightclub, arcade, and izakaya-style food hall amongst other facilities—Bellustar Tokyo is the perfect hideaway for those who want to be in the thick of Shinjuku without feeling like they are. It’s just steps from the buzzy district’s famed attractions like Golden Gai, a grid of narrow alleys filled to the brim with tiny bars and restaurants, but once you’re whisked up to the sleek lobby, chaos softens into tranquillity. Spacious, minimalist rooms are outfitted with deep tubs and floor-to-ceiling windows to capitalize on their sky-high position (the view alone is worth spending the night in). When it comes to the penthouses, enjoy the added benefits of butler service, a fully equipped kitchen, and access to a dedicated lounge stocked with champagne and small bites. Sora, the largest, also boasts an en-suite spa.
Hotel Groove Shinjuku offers a more approachable price point than its sister property Bellustar Tokyo while still benefiting from the same shiny new tower and prime location. Entry-level rooms are cozy, but there are plenty of larger options (at relatively reasonable rates) like the Japanese Suite, which features a tatami-mat floor spacious enough for multiple futons, making it highly popular with families. Colorful carpets accent the otherwise neutral-hued accommodations while the artist-designed suites up the ante on personality. And if you’re here for a lengthier stay, the on-site coin-operated laundry is an unexpectedly wonderful touch.
Topping Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower, the Mandarin Oriental is the neighborhood’s premier address. The luxurious group’s signature aesthetic of rich hues and supple fabrics carries over to its Tokyo property with the addition of Japanese design elements like paper lamps and traditional kimono patterns. Spacious accommodations are outfitted with luxurious bathrooms, oversized windows, plush beds, and a bonsai tree for a welcomed touch of greenery. Service, like at any MO, is attentive, and the four-handed massage might be the best way to beat jet lag. While you’re here, explore the immediate area. At the hotel’s doorstep, you’ll find centuries-old businesses still in operation today, a brilliant launching point for discovering Japanese traditions and souvenir shopping.
The Peninsula Hotels has accrued quite a loyal fanbase for its top-notch service, luxurious accommodations with spa-like bathrooms, and its incredible fleet of Rolls-Royces. You can expect all of this at its Tokyo outpost, where doormen donned in the group’s signature white uniform greet you with doors wide open. Rooms nod to Japanese craftsmanship with ceilings and wood doors, and are extremely spacious, with walk-in closets and bathtubs, even if a little dated. Beat jet lag with a few laps at the 20-meter pool or make use of your in-room yoga mat and foam roller. Then head down to the lobby for an unforgettable breakfast. In addition to Japanese and Chinese sets, there’s also a plant-based option inspired by a Japanese Buddhist cuisine. All three are phenomenal and some of the best in the city.
