Tokyo hotels

Featured in the iconic film 'Lost in Translation', the Park Hyatt Tokyo is a must-visit for film buffs and luxury travellers. I've stayed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo multiple times, and each visit reaffirms its status as one of Tokyo's best hotels. Trust me when I say staying here is worth every penny, thanks to the hotel’s sprawling city views, excellent restaurants and plush beds. Rooms have a faintly Japanese feel, with bed frames accented by paper lanterns.

The Park Hyatt’s lobby bar – known as the New York Grill – is probably the most recognisable spot from the film, and I’m thrilled to report that it’s just as good as it was over 20 years ago when it first opened. Even if you’re not staying here, a nightcap at one of the most iconic movie settings from the last 30 years is a must.

Unlike many other large hotels in Tokyo, the Ritz-Carlton is in the quieter Roppongi area and offers a peaceful retreat just steps from Hinokicho Park. This is undoubtedly one of the best hotels in Tokyo for those looking for a quieter stay in a more residential area.

Best of all, you still get to enjoy the excellent service and beautiful rooms that come with staying at a top hotel, as well as having the ability to uncover charming local shops and cafes – something that can feel tricky to do in a city as sprawling as Tokyo.

Rooms have views of both the Tokyo Tower and Mount Fuji on clear, low-humidity days – I recommend booking on one of the higher club-level floors. I still dream about the daily breakfast here, which is included in the room-rate, especially the made-to-order waffles.

Situated between the 30th and 38th floors of Tokyo’s Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower in Nihonbashi, the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo offers a luxurious stay near some of Tokyo’s best shopping and dining spots. There’s also a Tokyo Metro station located directly below the property, making this one of the best hotels in Tokyo for exploring the city.

Views here are unmatched, which you’ll notice as soon as you check in, with the hotel’s reception desk backdropped by a two-story window showcasing the Tokyo Skytree and a view of Mount Fuji. The vistas are just as spectacular in any of the hotel’s 179 rooms, with each one featuring plenty of natural wood and a bonsai tree, which comes complete with its own biography.

Cherry blossom motifs on the headboards also add to the sense of place, while Bottega Veneta toiletries in the bathrooms feel suitably indulgent.

After landing in Tokyo for the first time on a rainy January evening, the Moxy Tokyo Kinshicho was my home for a few days – and I’m so glad it was. Part of Marriott’s smartly designed Moxy imprint, it set the tone for what to expect from my first visit to the city: a go-go-go attitude and welcoming Japanese hospitality. The hotel staff was friendly, efficient, and always happy to provide me with information.

The bar doubles as your check-in desk, and the rooms are compact yet well-designed – you’re in Tokyo, after all, not somewhere to spend your days lounging around in bed. Should you need a late-night snack, there’s a well-stocked grab-and-go pantry downstairs, and surrounding streets are lined with small izakayas and convenience stores, known for their excellent food.

The Moxy Tokyo Kinschicho is just a few steps from the busy Kinshicho metro station, making it one of the best hotels in Tokyo for sightseeing.

One of the best hotels in Tokyo for luxury lovers, a stay at the Aman is unlike anything else. Yes, it’s pricey, but after a night or two here you’ll quickly understand why a whole legion of travellers flock to Aman properties worldwide.

Set inside a Tokyo skyscraper, rooms come with distinctly Japanese touches, like washi-paper door panels and stone bathrooms with incredible ofuro-style soaking tubs.
Food is on another level, too: at Musashi by Aman, you can enjoy traditional omakase-style dinners made with the finest locally-sourced ingredients.

On a rainy day, revel in the Aman’s tranquil spa and sky-high views, perched more than 30 floors above the city. Its excellent rating is no coincidence – this is hands down one of my personal favourites.

Despite being in the heart of Tokyo’s busy Otemachi neighbourhood, visiting Hoshinoya Tokyo feels more like staying in a remote part of the island. That’s all down to the welcome – as soon as you arrive, you’re instructed to remove your shoes and step into a pair of traditional ryokan slippers, before being whisked off to the upper lobby floor.

One of the best hotels in Tokyo, there’s a strong focus on tradition here, highlighted by the rooftop onsen, which is available 24/7. While many hotels offer a relaxing spa experience, it’s hard to top the feeling of visiting a natural hot spring that’s pumped 1,500 metres from below the property to the top of this skyscraper hotel.

You can dine in your room or at the hotel’s omakase restaurant downstairs, where chef Ryosuke Oka creates multi-course meals inspired by traditional Japanese and French cuisine.

Far more traditional than many of the more Western-style hotels on this list, Hotel Gajoen is one of the best hotels in Tokyo if you’re seeking a genuinely Japanese hospitality experience. Once a sprawling wedding venue constructed in the 1920s, it’s now home to a spacious boutique hotel in the Meguro neighbourhood.

Modern Japanese rooms come complete with plenty of lacquer work and ornately carved wood – and in true Japanese omotenashi hospitality style (which roughly translated means ‘to wholeheartedly look after guests’), the in-room amenities include everything from hair gel and shaving cream to shoe horns.

Spend part of your day strolling the grounds and you’ll immediately understand why generations of Japanese families have chosen Hotel Gajoen as the place to host their special day. Above all, don’t miss dinner at Tofutei, the traditional Japanese restaurant.

If you’re looking to stay in one of the best hotels in Tokyo as well as one of its coolest neighbourhoods, Trunk (Hotel) is your spot. Situated between Shibuya and Harajuku, it has a more residential feel than the glass-filled towers that make up many of Tokyo’s luxury hotels, with just 15 rooms spread across two buildings.

Yet despite its more compact size, you won’t have to worry about a lack of community here: an open lobby cafe and adjacent bar serve up lattes all day and provide ample workspace, making this one of the best hotels in Tokyo for digital nomads – I’ve used that spot as a place to work once or twice myself.

If you can, book the Lofty Suite, which sleeps up to four guests and comes with a record player and ceiling projector for DIY movie nights.

Anyone familiar with the Muji brand will know it’s synonymous with hip, stylish, and efficient products. The famous minimalist Japanese outlet also has a hotel, perched above its Ginza store, known for being one of the best hotels in Tokyo for design lovers.

The hotel’s lobby acts as the store’s highest floor, and you’ll find a lovely communal area there too. Rooms are sparsely decorated but oh-so-chic, and with Muji’s presence below, anything you’ve forgotten – whether that’s a toothbrush or an organic cotton pyjama set – can be picked up in a flash. With just 79 rooms, Muji Hotel Ginza is one of Tokyo’s most unique boutique hotels.

Plus, the Ginza setting is ideal for first-time visitors, with the neighbourhood home to some of the best hotels in Tokyo, as well as top shops and restaurants.

Located in the Shiodome area, Conrad Tokyo is perched in a modern tower across from the Hamarikyu Gardens. The Conrad Tokyo makes it onto my list of the best hotels in Tokyo for many reasons, one of which is the remarkable views. A King Bay View room here comes with a picture-perfect vista of the bay below and the adjacent gardens.

Furnishings are sleek and contemporary, befitting the Conrad brand, with the addition of some thoughtful Japanese touches, like hand-painted cherry blossoms and Japanese lanterns. (Bathrooms, meanwhile, are separated by glass walls with blinds, which may be something to consider for privacy concerns with roommates.)

Further from the heart of the action than some of the other properties on this list, this is one of the best hotels in Tokyo for a more peaceful stay.