Tokyo's hotel scene is getting a makeover.
Boosted by the peak in attendance promised by the 2020 Games and then the rise of Japan on the world tourism scene, the Japanese capital has acquired in recent years a new range of stylish hotels, better designed and more ecological, while its offer in the luxury sector has expanded, driven by increasingly strong demand.
Here are our favorites.
All day place, minimalist Shibuya
All day place hotel is located a 5-minute walk from the train station.
Kenta Hasegawa
Located a 5-minute walk from the station, the hotel focuses on a sober and inventive design: a few pieces of recycled furniture decorate the common areas, brightened up by the emerald tones which adorn the earthenware floors and wooden furniture of the 60 rooms in the clean lines.
Here, no artifice even in the bathroom, where the sandals are made from recycled tires and the toothbrushes are biodegradable.
The room to book:
the “styling room”, decorated with works by contemporary artists selected by surrounding art galleries.
The price:
from 17,000 yen (€107) per night in a double room.
All Day Place Shibuya
, 1-17-1, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, 150-0002, Tokyo.
Such.
: + 81 3 6452 6830.
One@Tokyo, a night at Kengo Kuma’s
The designer of One@Tokyo has multiplied the nods to the industrial past of the Oshiage district.
Press photo
The creations of the maestro of Japanese architecture are scattered throughout the city.
At the foot of the SkyTree, the designer multiplies the nods to the industrial past of the Oshiage district.
Concrete slabs and planks animate the emblematic facade of the hotel, while the ultra-compact rooms are adorned with plywood panels and the showers with glass and steel, as if echoing the colossal tower.
We come to watch it light up at nightfall, from the roof terrace.
The room to reserve
: to save space, we opt for the “workshop” suite.
The price
: from 18,000 yen (€113) per night in a double room.
One@Tokyo
, 1-19-3, Oshiage, Sumida-ku, 131-0045, Tokyo.
Such.
: +81 3 5630 1193.
Hamacho Hotel, nature & culture
Hamacho Hotel gives pride of place to plants and Japanese know-how.
Nacasa & Partners
A stone's throw from the Sumida River, the establishment gives pride of place to plants – they inhabit the balconies of the rooms and compose furniture and coverings – but also to Japanese know-how, in small touches: the lighting fixtures were designed by the Tokyo studio Di Classe, and the cups are made of fine Arita porcelain.
Downstairs, the restaurant becomes a jazz club from time to time, while a chocolatier has set up his workshop there: so many invitations to linger on the premises.
The room to reserve
: suite and exhibition space, the luxurious “Tokyo Craft Room” can be reserved for the night or can be visited when it is vacant.
The price
: from 19,500 yen (€122) per night in a double room.
Hamacho Hotel
, 3-20-2 Nihonbashi Hamacho, Chuo-ku, 103-0007, Tokyo.
Such.
: +81 3 5643-1811.
Mustard Hotel, local pied-a-terre
The Mustard Hotel is an ideal base for exploring Shimokitazawa.
Press photo
Bordering a pedestrian path in the bohemian Shimokitazawa district, the Mustard Hotel is an ideal base for exploring the surrounding area, on foot or by bike (the hotel offers rentals).
After wandering its streets, you come to find rest in simple and functional rooms, to the sound of the record player which sits in each of them.
The vinyls made available were selected by a neighboring record store.
The room to book
: those with a balcony offer a perfect setting for sipping a good coffee from the roaster located on the ground floor.
The price:
from 18,000 yen (€113) per night in a double room.
Mustard Hotel
, Shimokitazawa 3-9-19 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, 155-0031 Tokyo.
Such.
: + 81 3 6407-9077.
Onsen Ryokan Bettei Shinjuku, urban inn
Onsen Ryokan Bettei Shinjuku, a ryokan in a high-rise in Shinjuku.
Nacasa & Partners
A ryokan in a Shinjuku skyscraper?
The beating heart of the city hides in one of its towers an establishment with the typical aesthetic of Japanese inns.
Tatamis and sliding doors, micro-gardens and alcoves take us far from the hustle and bustle of the city.
This is just a whisper from the open-air onsen bath
,
where thermal water flows from Hakone, renowned for the quality of its underground springs.
The room to book:
the premium rooms, located on the 16th and 17th floor, have a beautiful panoramic view.
The price:
from 11,000 yen (€70) per night in a double room.
Onsen Ryokan Bettei Shinjuku
, 5-3-18 Shinjuku Shinjuku-ku, 160-0022 Tokyo.
Such.
: + 81 3-5361-8355
Cyashitsu ryokan Asakusa, tiny house format
Cyashitsu ryokan Asakusa is located very close to Sensoji Shrine.
Cyashitsu ryokan asakusa
Very close to the Sensoji shrine, this Japanese-style inn, which takes up the codes of the tea pavilion, seduces with its refinement and the kindness of its staff.
After crossing the pocket garden and enjoying a tea, we quietly reach one of the small, but cleverly appointed, rooms with subdued lighting, full of Japanese crafts.
On the 6th floor, the
rotenburo
(open-air bath) can be reserved free of charge to relax under the stars.
The room to book
: the “fusuma” suite, the only one decorated with painted sliding doors.
The price
: from 35,200 yen (€221) per night in a double room, breakfast included.
Cyatshitsu Rokan Asakusa
, 3-32-12, Asakusa, Taito-ku, 111-0032 Tokyo.
Such.
: +81 3 5808 9021.
Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya, in tune
The new city center hotel of the Indigo chain is anchored in Dogenzaka.
Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya
Opened in 2023, the Indigo chain's new city hotel is anchored in Dogenzaka, a meeting place for night owls just a stone's throw from Shibuya station.
The creativity of the neighborhood is expressed on the walls decorated by local artists;
the multitude of independent labels established in the surrounding area inspires the music-loving design of the brightly colored rooms, as if echoing the city's colorful horizon.
Its enthusiasm can be contemplated through the floor-to-ceiling windows which open the space wide.
The room to book
: those which overlook the famous “crossing”, or offer a glimpse of Mount Fuji, have nothing to envy of the best rooftops in the city.
The price
: from 53,000 yen (€330) per night in a double room.
Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya
, 2-25-12, Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, 150-0043 Tokyo.
Such.
: +81 3 6712 7440.
Trunk Hotel, garden side
The new Trunk Hotel is next to Yoyogi Park, whose peaks it is close to.
TOMOOKI KENGAKU
It is in the trendy Tomigaya district that a new Trunk Hotel – the boutique hotel version of its four-star hotel located near Harajuku – has taken up residence.
Neighboring Yoyogi Park, whose peaks it is close to, the establishment has chosen intimate and refined spaces, with soft tones and natural and recycled materials, designed jointly by two studios, one Japanese, the other Danish.
The warm spirit of “hygge” reigns right up to the edge of the heated infinity pool!
The room to book
: the rooms with private mini-balconies, which overlook the park, are the most peaceful.
The price
: from 66,000 yen (€413) for a double room.
Trunk (Hotel)
, Yoyogi Park, 1-15-2, Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, 151-0063 Tokyo.
Such.
: +81 3 5454-3210.
Bulgari Hotel Tokyo, Italian-Japanese jewel
A bit of contemporary Italian style and Bulgari glamor in the heart of Japan's capital.
Press photo
In the heights of a skyscraper overlooking the central station, the Milanese agency ACPV, which designs the Roman jeweler's hotels, brings the Boot and the Archipelago into conversation.
From this fertile encounter are born colorful spaces with pure lines, which dialogue with the outside, from the orchard terrace to the spa.
Equipped with large bay windows, the 98 rooms and suites which combine the elegance of Italian furniture with the refinement of Japanese craftsmanship, offer one of the most beautiful sights in the city.
The room to book
: the Bulgari suite, which incorporates the codes of traditional Japanese architecture.
The price
: from 250,000 yen (€1,710) per night in a double room.
Bulgari Hotel Tokyo
, 2-2-1 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, 104-0023 Tokyo.
Such.
: +81 3 6262 3333.
Tokito Inn, in chiaroscuro
Auberge Tokiton, a hidden gem in the Takashiwa district.
Press photo
On the outskirts of Tokyo, the Takashiwa district hides one of those gems of which Japan has the secret.
You have to pass through the wooden door, a vestige of the restaurant that was once there, to discover a lush garden, around which are arranged a restaurant and four suites with a Japanese aesthetic reinterpreted by the designer Shinichiro Ogata, designer of the eponymous space in Paris;
on the plate, chef Ishii, long at the helm of the two-star UMU in London, revisits
kaiseki
gourmet cuisine .
The room to book
: the four suites are substantially similar, only their exposure changes.
The price
: from 342,500 yen (€2,343) for a suite for two people, massage, dinner and breakfast included.
Tokito Inn
, 1-24-26 Nishikicho, Tachikawa, 190-0022 Tokyo.
Such.
: +81 4 2525-8888.