8 Best places to stay in Tokyo

Accenting the high-rise Otemachi financial district like a towering black monolith, this 17-story reimagination of the traditional ryokan (Japanese inn) is one of Tokyo’s most luxurious retreats.

While there are 84 rooms here – alot for a high-end ryokan – they are divided between private floors. That makes it feel like staying in an exclusive, intimate inn – one that combines kimono-clad staff, tatami-floored common areas, and minimalist spaces that mix traditional sensibilities with contemporary luxury.

The whole package is capped by two gender-separated open-air onsen baths on the rooftop that draw natural hot-spring water from 1,500 metres below the city.

It’s a great location too, with Otemachi being a comfortable walk to the Imperial Palace, Ginza, and Tokyo Station, which gives easy access to all of central Tokyo.

Opened in 2018, this boutique hotel from the BnA art and design collective may only have five rooms, but each is out of this world – it’s a functional art installation, where cutting-edge contemporary art and elements of traditional Japanese design have been merged to create a genuinely unique place to stay.

Beyond the accommodation, basing yourself here also means the chance to tap into Tokyo’s art and design scene at the MIKKE co-working space. You’d be supporting local artists too, as the people who designed each room get a cut of the profit from each booking.

The location, in the otaku (geek) culture mecca that is Akihabara, might seem unusual, but this part of town also has a growing art and design scene, and it offers easy train access to most major districts.

This boutique hotel in centrally located Nihonbashi ticks more than one box: chilled-out base for hipsters or even business travellers, after something different to go with the prime business location.

Situated in a former bank close to the Stock Exchange, the 20 rooms are defined by a hip Scandi simplicity, not surprising given that all interior and product design was done by Stockholm-based firm Claesson Koivisto Rune. They also come with fun touches like in-room record players.

That vibe continues through the basement craft beer hall, laidback cocktail bar on the first floor and the hotel’s coffee stand.

It’s all very mellow but just a quick taxi to the plush stores and restaurants of Ginza, Tokyo Station, and the Marunouchi business district.

Atop a skyscraper that towers over the Nihonbashi district, this five-star hotel has remained one of Tokyo’s swankiest addresses since it opened in 2005.

Style-wise, everything here has a contemporary elegance, from the rooms and suites to the highly-rated spa and dining venues like the Michelin-starred Tapas Molecular Bar and Sushi Shin.

It also has a superb location. Nihonbashi has a lovely mix of the traditional and modern to explore, while nearby are the Imperial Palace, major business districts, and the boutiques, department stores, and wining and dining of Ginza.

And it caters to all sorts of traveller – whether business, leisure or family – anyone who can afford the hefty bill.

Smack in the middle of the trendsetting triangle of Harajuku, Omotesando, and Shibuya, this boutique hotel is all about hipster luxury.

Spread over two buildings that house 15 rooms created by local designers, the options here range from spacious self-catering suite and ‘living suite’ complete with a ceiling projector for movie nights to standard rooms with lofts or terrace spaces.

Like the uber-mellow Trunk Bar and carefully curated Trunk Store – which feels like a convenience store for creatives – it’s all geared to a well-heeled millennial crowd. It’s the kind of place that will scream pretentiousness to some but feel like paradise to others.

The capsule hotel gets a slick reboot at this chain with branches in Shinjuku, Asakusa, and other handy locations in Tokyo.

Admittedly, sleeping in a pod that’s 220cm deep, 110cm tall and 110cm wide won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but if claustrophobia isn’t an issue the sleek-industrial design and gender-separated sleeping areas make Nine Hours a great budget option.

And while capsule hotels are ordinarily a single-night refuge for businesspeople working or drinking after the last train, multi-night stays are possible.

That said, with 10 branches in and around the city, it can also be a cheap way to hop one night at a time around different neighborhoods, and the Narita Airport branch is very handy if you arrive late or fly out early.

Friendly and family-run, this Japanese inn in the retro Yanaka district offers a budget-friendly version of the traditional ryokan experience.

While high-end ryokan are all about luxury, what you get here is a simple tatami-mat guestroom, with futon beds put out at night, plus access to a pair of modest hot-spring baths.

Because the Sawanoya doesn’t come with the non-negotiable multi-course kaiseki-ryori dinner served in plusher inns, you also get an inn that’s great for a multi-night stay – ideal if you want to immerse yourself in Yanaka and other parts of Tokyo’s older, down-to-earth northeast.

One of Tokyo’s plushest addresses, the Aman is modern, spacious and meticulously stylish throughout – from opulent spa and restaurants to the 84 rooms and suites that draw on traditional Japanese sensibilities with touches like deep-soaking ofuro baths.

Located on the top six floors of a skyscraper in the Otemachi business district, the Aman comes with superb city views – as does the spa, which spreads over two floors, and is the largest in the city. A truly zen sanctuary, the spa showcases traditional Japanese wellness traditions, including traditional kampo therapies derived from traditional Chinese medicine, that rebalance using the power of natural herbs.

Handily placed for all the main sites – the Imperial Palace, Ginza and Nihonbashi districts, and Tokyo Station are all nearby – staying at the Aman also gives access to experiences including a private dinner and entertainment at one of the capital’s most exclusive geisha houses.