18 most unique hotels in Tokyo

Hoshino Resorts recently opened a new hotel in Asakusa and you couldn't ask for a better location. The hip hotel is just a minute’s walk from Sensoji Temple, one of Tokyo’s top attractions. Plus, Tokyo Skytree and Sumida Park are also within walking distance. 

Given its prime location, naturally the hotel would have some of the best views around. There are rooms with unobstructed views of either the majestic Sensoji Temple or the sky-piercing Tokyo Skytree. What's even more stunning is the hotel's OMO Base lounge on the 13th floor – it looks out to two of Tokyo's most iconic landmarks mentioned above.

If you're looking for a more modern ryokan experience, Yuen Shinjuku will fulfil all your needs. The rooms are kept simple, yet still feel stylish – think large window fronts with views over our bustling city, tatami spaces graced with bonsai, low tables and large futons. Plus, you can’t beat the location as you’re just a 15-minute walk from Shinjuku Station.

The biggest draw here has got to be the gorgeous onsen area on the 18th floor, with water directly brought from a hot spring source in Hakone. Bathe while taking in panoramic views of the city and don’t forget to also take a dip in the rotenburo open-air bath.

Housed in a grand former bank building from the 1920s, K5 is one of Tokyo’s most distinctive boutique hotels. Stockholm-based firm Claesson Koivisto Rune directed the interior design, imbuing the hotel with a dreamy blend of Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics. The four room types range from a cosy studio to a spacious loft, complete with features like a red-lit bathroom, shelves of art books, a minibar and even a record player accompanied by a vinyl collection.

The hallways are designed to look like a continuation of the rooms – walking down them, you’ll feel more like a guest at an impeccably designed mansion than a typical inner city hotel. The accommodation is spread over floors two to four of the building, with the first floor and basement home to a selection of trendy eateries: modern Japanese-European restaurant Caveman, Switch Coffee, cocktail den Ao Bar and an outpost of Brooklyn Brewery.

This hotel in Oshiage is designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma and features his signature wood panelling over the exterior of the building. If you stay for one thing, it’s got to be the rooftop, which boasts an unobstructed view of Tokyo SkyTree and continues Kuma’s wood-clad style, giving the space a natural feel.

There are 142 rooms at the hotel including two types of suites: an artist's atelier and a reader's study. The spacious lobby is also home to a cosy café and doubles as a hangout spot for guests and other folks in the area. What's more, stays are extremely reasonable, with rates starting from around ¥6,000 per night.

With artsy hotels already in neighbourhoods like Koenji and Akihabara, hotel operator BnA (short for ‘Bed and Art’) has now expanded into Nihonbashi. This financial district was once considered Tokyo’s answer to Wall Street but is now going through a cool transformation.

BnA Wall is more than just a place to stay. Each of the 26 rooms is unique, designed by 23 emerging Tokyo-based artists and art directors. Some have taken a minimalist approach while others have gone OTT: there’s a room inspired by board games and another whose bed looks like an architectural installation. Some rooms even have hidden interactive gadgets and gizmos. It’s almost like staying inside an independent art gallery – just make sure you look into every nook and cranny so you don’t miss the small details.

At the lobby bar, you can admire the massive 6m-tall mural that stretches all the way down to the basement – you’ll find more art down below when there’s an exhibition.

Designed by Tokyo-based Klein Dytham architecture, the stunning Toggle Hotel features two-tone colour-blocking throughout the property. On its façade, the cheery yellow was chosen to match the colour of the Chuo-Sobu Line trains, which run in front of the hotel, whereas the soft grey was picked to align with the surrounding concrete buildings.

Inside, the unique design is even more dramatic, where rooms and hallways are decorated from floor to ceiling in just two bold colours. Everything in the room is of the same bright hue, from the carpet and furniture to the soft furnishings. When contrasted against a bathroom of a different colour, this creates a cheerful, eye-catching visual impact.

In total, the hotel’s 84 rooms come in five colour combinations, ranging from pink-grey to fern green-light beige. You can choose the room size and your preferred colour combination when checking in (pending availability). This is definitely one for Instagram.

Yearning for a scenic outdoor pool where the views aren’t blocked by towering skyscrapers? You’ll want to check into the beautiful Sorano Hotel in Tachikawa. This stunning hotel, just a 30-minute train ride from Shinjuku, features a jaw-dropping rooftop infinity pool overlooking Showa Kinen Park. On clear days, you might even be able to spot Mt Fuji in the distance. You can do more than just swim in the pool, too. The Sorano Hotel offers poolside morning yoga and meditation classes to guests every Sunday morning.

Rooms range from standard spaces for two people to luxurious suites that can fit up to three adults and two children. Additionally, there are even dog-friendly rooms with balconies where you can enjoy a comfortable stay with your furkid.

Now you can live the entire Muji lifestyle with a stay at Tokyo’s sleek Muji Hotel in Ginza. The accommodation is located inside the massive Ginza flagship store that houses two restaurants, a bakery, a bar, two galleries and a retail space that stretches across five floors. 

The gorgeous hotel rooms are the perfect embodiment of Muji’s sleek, minimal aesthetic. There are 79 stylish rooms decked out in wall-to-wall Muji furniture, home accessories, lifestyle goods and merchandise, including its popular mattresses. The hotel is pretty inclusive, too, as it offers specific rooms that are suitable for wheelchair users. Each room also comes equipped with a tablet that you can use to control the lights, air conditioning and curtains.

If you think B’n’B means bed and breakfast, it’s time to reassess your options. This Tokyo hotel has invented the first ‘book and bed’ mode of accommodation. If you self-identify as a bibliophile, this special place is sure to give you sweet dreams – although the owners joke that when the books are this good, you’re more likely to be up all night reading.

The endless shelves of books are all available to borrow for free throughout your stay, which (crucially for every book-loving traveller) means you can cut down on the number of books you need to bring with you in the suitcase.

From the ubiquitous act of buying ramen through a vending machine to having a mechanical pet, the Japanese have long loved their machines. You can now even stay in the world’s first hotel chain staffed by robots – a claim recognised by Guinness World Records.

At Henn na Hotel – whose name’s first character means both ‘strange’ and ‘change’ in Japanese – you’ll be welcomed and checked in by androids. There are other robots on duty, and your room comes with the cutting-edge LG Styler, a sort of steam wardrobe that will help freshen your clothes. Can technology replace human hospitality? You be the judge.

This all-white accommodation in Jimbocho is a dream come true for manga geeks. A sister property to Tokyo’s manga capsule hotel, this newer spot features just two rooms, but they’re both decked out with manga-inspired designs.

The rooms showcase a rotating lineup of manga exhibitions from some of today’s most popular titles, including the current collaboration with Shonen Jump’s ‘Dandadan’ by Tatsuyuki Shin. They also have bookshelves filled with manga for reading. What's more, each room comes equipped with a private sauna that can fit two people.

You’ll find the youthful, minimalist Mustard Hotel in Tokyo’s coolest neighbourhood, Shimokitazawa. Designed by architect Shin Ohori, the property features a clean, modern aesthetic with plenty of greenery and seating areas for people to socialise.

The hotel's 60 rooms range from semi-double bunk beds to deluxe abodes with spacious outdoor balconies. All rooms come with a record player. To enjoy that, just pick up vinyl from the pop-up shop in the hotel lobby; you can rent records for free during your stay.

The first floor of the hotel features an outpost of Sidewalk Coffee Roasters, where you can enjoy freshly roasted coffee and bagels. Come evening, stop by Kurage, an onsite shochu bar offering a selection of 40 distilled liquors.

You wouldn’t think you’re staying in the middle of Tokyo at this dreamy city-centre ryokan. Situated on the edge of Shimokitazawa, just one stop from Shibuya by express train, Yuen Bettei Daita is a day spa, ryokan and tea house rolled into one.

The indoor and outdoor onsen baths feature alkaline water sourced from the natural springs of Ashinoko Onsen in Hakone, and you don’t even have to stay overnight to enjoy the facilities. For city folk on the go, the ryokan offers several packages for daytime guests who aren’t planning to spend the night. However, if you do choose to stay, you can enjoy rooms that come with a private garden and outdoor hinoki bathtub.

If you want to make the most of your trip to Sanrio Puroland, book a stay at the Keio Plaza Hotel Tama to spend a night in one of its adorable Sanrio-themed rooms. You can stay the night in a room decked out with your favourite characters including Hello Kitty, My Melody and Little Twin Stars Kiki and Lala.

Everything from the walls, carpet and furniture is covered in Sanrio illustrations. You'll even receive free merchandise including a Sanrio tote bag and plush toy. During your stay, don't forget to stop by the exclusive photo spot in the second-floor lobby with a Princess Kitty design on the wall.

The best part about this penthouse accommodation in Oshiage is the private rooftop bath with unobstructed views of Tokyo Skytree. The penthouse is like a proper apartment and ideal for long-term stays with its full kitchen, dining area, laundry space and lounge zone.

Travelling in a large group? AET’s second room can accommodate up to eight people. Conveniently, the hotel also has a restaurant on the first floor from where you can order room service or even a barbecue feast to enjoy on the outdoor terrace.

Saunaland Asakusa is a peaceful respite from the bustling Sensoji Temple area. Better yet, all the rooms here come with their own sauna and bath.

As it's a boutique property, the hotel only has two sumptuous rooms that can accommodate either two or six guests. Each room comes with a small open-air balcony where you can cool down after a heated sauna session.

For that authentic Finnish sauna experience, the public sauna on the first floor, which is also open to non-staying guests, is powered by a firewood stove brought in directly from Finland. It also features a bath with a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius for quick cool-downs.

Sauna and sleep are the two main features at this design-driven hotel in Ebisu. While capsule hotels are common in Tokyo, °C has created a new, updated version featuring a clean, modern design inspired by Finnish sauna culture.

The hostel’s steam room is a standout among the city’s many sento (bathhouses). Here, you pour mint-scented water onto hot sauna rocks to create more humidity that will encourage sweating, before cooling down in one of the shower rooms, each of which is set to a different water temperature.

This stylish budget hotel is the first of its kind run by Prince Hotels chain. As it caters to the young, mobile generation, the hotel operates via a smartphone app, which also acts as a door key. Keeping up with the high-tech theme, certain rooms are equipped with a ‘smart mirror’ that you can use to check the weather and control the music in the room.

Location wise, the hotel is conveniently placed in the middle of Ebisu, close to plenty of restaurants and bars but still slightly away from the crowds. At the hotel you’ll find Da Café Ebisu, which serves one of the city’s best fruit sandwiches as well as seasonal desserts.