The Best Boutique Hotels in Tokyo
Tokyo is well-known for its sky-high, multilevel buildings that house everything from neon-colored karaoke rooms to kitschy themed cafes. It’s a city that buzzes with big energy, unafraid to lean into both wacky and refined activities. There are plenty of luxury hotels to choose from that are as large and lively as the city, but there are also more intimate spaces to retreat to after a long day of sensory filled exploration. From accommodations inspired by traditional Japanese tea rooms, to rooms that glitter with gold adorned ceilings and other opulent touches, here are some of the best boutique hotels to check into.
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Courtesy Trunk HotelhotelTrunk Hotel
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Hot List 2018Top amenities: Lobby with a cafe, Japanese fusion restaurant
What’s nearby: Meiji Jingu Shrine is 11 minutes by foot, nightlife-driven Roppongi Hills is 10 minutes by carSet against the animated streets of Shibuya, this stunning 15-room retreat is spread across two high-rise buildings, both four stories. Though just minutes away from some of Tokyo’s biggest attractions, Trunk is a peaceful, design-forward oasis. A glass and black exterior leads to a sleek lobby full of city kids sipping matcha lattes and craft cocktails. Each old-meets-new designed room contains upcycled furnishings and modern artwork; some include a private terrace or balcony with views as well as a private outdoor dining area. The Living Suite features an L-shaped bar and glass-encased lofted bedroom that makes it easy for small groups to enjoy a night in. Book a room here if you want the best of Japanese design and service. This fall, the Trunk brand will expand with a new property called Trunk(Hotel) Yoyogi Park. The 25-room hotel will feature a restaurant and outdoor infinity pool—a rare amenity in the city that is sure to be a popular hangout during summer months.
Courtesy Azabu Ten TokyoAzabu Ten Tokyo
Top amenities: Views of Tokyo Tower, claw-foot bathtubs
What’s nearby: Sony Music Roppongi Museum, modern art museums in Azabu, string of nightclubsThis intimate, luxury concept hotel has just 10 rooms that include design touches like mosaic tile floors, glittering chandeliers, and claw-foot bathtubs that overlook the lush on-property gardens. Upon check-in, you'll instantly feel like you’ve stepped into someone’s thoughtfully designed private home. A highlight of check-in here is the multi-roomed restaurant Totanuki, which serves modern cuisine with Japanese techniques in an open kitchen and views of Tokyo Tower.
Courtesy The Barn TokyohotelThe Barn Tokyo
$Top amenities: A small garden, rooms that come equipped with Netflix
What’s nearby: Kappabashi-dori street, which contains a number of great ceramics stores.Compactness and efficiency go hand-in-hand at this budget-friendly, family-run boutique hotel. Sixteen stylish rooms come equipped with double- or queen-size beds with ample space underneath to store luggage. Guests can enjoy a cup of coffee in the petite garden or at the communal lobby table. Located just steps away from Ueno, guests have easy access to the National Museum of Nature and Science as well as the sprawling Ueno Park. Though there are no on-site dining options, the lobby area offers fresh coffee, drinks, and snacks 24 hours a day.
Courtesy Cyashitsu Ryokan AsakusaCyashitsu Ryokan Asakusa
Top amenities: Swimming pool, 52nd floor rooftop bar with sushi restaurant
What’s nearby: Sensoji Temple, Asakusa neighborhoodEnter this intimate sanctuary by passing a small garden, called a roji. Inspired by the design of traditional tea reams, the 10-room ryokan features fold-away futons, sliding screens, and tatami floors. Guests are greeted by staff with a warm foot bath, a tradition meant to welcome weary travelers that dates back to the Edo period. In the Ofuro suite, an outdoor bath on the sixth floor lends itself to panoramic views of the city. Guests can enjoy a shared lounge space and luxurious outdoor hot tub.
Yikin Hyo/K5hotelK5
$$Top amenities: Coffee bar, tavern-style craft brewery
What’s nearby: Artisan stores in Nihonbashi, bakeries, cafesHoused within a former bank building from the 1920s, K5 maintains both a vintage and contemporary feel with copper-lined elevators and geometric flooring. Twenty spacious rooms feature high ceilings, warm wood textures, and blooming live plants. Free-standing beds are veiled by beautiful white and indigo dye-dipped curtains. Though there are no TVs in the room, guests can take their pick of a vinyl collection or unwind in the bathroom’s standalone bathtub. The ground floor is guided by the Japanese principle of aimai, which celebrates blurred boundaries. This idea translates in the space through interconnected areas that include the small plates Caveman restaurant, foliage framed seats, and a popular coffee bar. On the basement floor sits the tavern-style craft beer spot Brooklyn Brewery—its first location outside of the US.
hotelAndon Ryokan
$Top amenities: Private hot tub, Japanese-style breakfast
What’s nearby: Buzzing neighborhoods of Akihabara and AsakusaCheck into the more traditional aesthetic of Japanese design at this quaint ryokan. Behind its glass-front facade sits a room of antique furniture and even a traditional tea house. Twenty-five guest rooms include tatami floors and bathrooms with anime themes created by the hotel’s owner. The reception area features a small raised seating area where guests can enjoy a tea ceremony. Guests can rent bicycles and there is an on-site hot tub. Nearby cultural attractions include the historical Edo-Tokyo Museum.
Courtesy Hotel Gajoen TokyohotelHotel Gajoen Tokyo
$$$Top amenities: Seven restaurants; a library; gardens with waterfalls, bridges, and koi ponds
What’s nearby: T-site bookstore in Daikanyama, cafes in EbisuLovers of history and art will have no shortage of ways to be inspired at this 60-room hotel, first built in 1928. The property contains paintings and elaborate woodwork from the Showa era, as well as its own museum: Hyakudan Kaidan. It's the only remaining part of the original building, where tatami rooms featuring Japanese artwork and historical artifacts are on display. Many of its 60 all-suite rooms are more than 800 square feet, and each one features its own private steam sauna and whirlpool bath. And its location in Meguro means it's just steps away from dining options, theaters, nightlife, and shopping.
Nikolas KoenighotelThe Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon
$$$ | Hot List 2021 
Readers' Choice Awards 2022Top amenities: Garden terrace, 24-hour spa, restaurant helmed by Michelin-star chef Tom Aikens
What’s nearby: Luxury shopping district, Ginza, Tokyo TowerStep onto the 31st floor reception and you’ll feel like you've entered a cosmopolitan greenhouse—more than 500 trees and plants make their mark as you enter the impressive, minimalist space. Designed by Kengo Kuma, Tokyo Edition is housed in a 38-story skyscraper that exudes elegant calm: Bamboos and ferns make appearances across the common areas and a floating white marble bar twinkles with emerald stools. Two-hundred-and-six guest rooms feature the skyline views and simple design the brand is known for, including a low bed draped with a faux fur throw. For late night libations, head to Gold Bar for inventive mixes like a cocktail homage to Picasso made with rum, calvados, vermouth with citrus, and beets, served with a Cubist-inspired garnish.
Courtesy MujihotelMUJI Hotel, Ginza
$$Top amenities: Muji retail store, art gallery
What’s nearby: Luxury shopping boutiques, legendary coffee shop Cafe L’AmbreSeventy-nine rooms translate the Muji brand’s theme of minimalism with a focus on wood, stone, and earth. They also come stocked with Muji products including pajamas, LED desk lights, and bath products. Guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the on-site restaurant, Wa, where seasonal ingredients shine. Or enjoy the collection of books in Atelier, a multi-purpose art and design facility. Its location in Ginza gives hotel guests ample opportunities to shop in some of Tokyo’s most exclusive luxury boutiques.
Courtesy Aman TokyohotelAman Tokyo
$$$ |
Gold List 2019, 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021Top amenities: Lounge bar that overlooks Imperial Palace Gardens, afternoon tea
What’s nearby: Crafts markets of Nihonbashi, where Aman offers bespoke toursEnjoy floor-to-ceiling views of the city from one of Aman Tokyo’s spacious 84 rooms. At this urban retreat, 186 Japanese trees welcome guests into the relaxing space—a nice break from the bustling city streets below. Spread across the top six floors of the Otemachi Tower in Tokyo’s financial district, the hotel’s design elements include washi-covered door panels, cypress paneling, and volcanic-rock bathtubs overlooking the city. At Musashi by Aman, omakase-style sushi is served on a hinoki wood bar to eager diners. An indoor pool lined with black volcanic rock tile lends itself to panoramic views of the city that are best enjoyed from a double daybed. Don’t miss a visit to the spa, which features a Japanese bath, steam room, and eight treatment rooms.
© Francesco Luciani 2023hotelBulgari Hotel Tokyo
$$$Top amenities: Michelin-starred restaurant, multiple terraces, swanky rooftop bar
What’s nearby: Luxury shopping district, GinzaThe newest luxury boutique on the block, Bulgari Hotel Tokyo opened in April 2023. Located in the central Yaesu neighborhood, between luxury shopping district Ginza and the Nihombashi business district, the hotel features 98 suites with ceilings that are hand-painted with five layers of gold paint and signature black Bulgari granite in various spaces—a nod to the brand’s Italian luxury aesthetic. Japanese craftsmanship also shines with soft gold bedspread fabric from Kyoto textile maker Hosoo and black granite bathtubs found in each room. At the rooftop Bulgari Bar, Japanese yuzu and Italian lemon trees line the space that offers incredible views of the city—including Mount Fuji.
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