{"id":231070,"date":"2026-03-27T15:30:56","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T15:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/27\/1-hotel-tokyo-combines-sustainability-with-luxury-in-japan-the-points-guy\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T15:30:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T15:30:56","slug":"1-hotel-tokyo-combines-sustainability-with-luxury-in-japan-the-points-guy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/27\/1-hotel-tokyo-combines-sustainability-with-luxury-in-japan-the-points-guy\/","title":{"rendered":"1 Hotel Tokyo combines sustainability with luxury in Japan – The Points Guy"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Japan, Japan, Japan. It seems everyone you know has been to Japan<\/a><\/span> in the last year, or has a trip planned soon.<\/p>\n

And why not? The dollar is holding strong against the yen, making travel there affordable, and the country has a packed cultural calendar and the draws of gorgeous fall foliage, phenomenal skiing and, of course, those famous cherry blossoms in the spring.<\/p>\n

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It’s small wonder, then, that 1 Hotels \u2014 the rapidly expanding minichain of sustainability-minded luxury hotels \u2014 had its sights set on Tokyo as it continues to grow its international footprint<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

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Finally, after years of planning, the 1 Hotel Tokyo just opened in March, and I was among the first guests to stroll its plant-filled halls and take a dip in its stunning indoor pool.<\/p>\n

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“What we love about Tokyo is that it’s a traditional city with a great energy to its roots and it’s grounded in nature,” Raul Leal, the CEO of Starwood Hotels, told me over lunch during my recent visit. “Tokyo is one of the more dynamic cities in the world … it’s always been a target city for us.”<\/p>\n

Here’s what it’s like staying at the new 1 Hotel Tokyo and everything that sets it apart from Tokyo’s other luxury hotels<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

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First impressions<\/h2>\n

Pulling up to the new Akasaka Trust Tower, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d arrived at merely another soaring office tower in one of the city’s busy business districts. But a closer look reveals signature 1 Hotel branding \u2014 a giant “1” made from beams of salvaged wood, a backlit distressed-metal sign and a small reception area with carefully placed potted plants and Oya stone boulders that mirror those of the stonework of the nearby Imperial Palace’s moat.<\/p>\n

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A brisk elevator ride whisks you up to the hotel, which occupies floors 38-43 of the tower. Compared to the cocoonlike ground-floor reception, the 38th-floor lobby feels like a light-filled terrarium.<\/p>\n

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Lush greenery abounds, the wooden ceiling beams evoke both the rake patterns of Japanese sand gardens and the roofs of local temples, while expansive white-cushioned sectionals and welcoming seating vignettes with fluffy chairs and leather sofas all look out toward Tokyo Tower and the city’s skyline.<\/p>\n

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Many are already likely to be occupied by creative types taking meetings with local colleagues, or curious Tokyoites stopping in for organic matcha and pastries at Neighbors Cafe.<\/p>\n

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Settle in yourself; by the time the sun starts setting, a DJ will be spinning background tunes while folks sip specialty cocktails crafted from the many bottles on display at the cloud-shaped bar. Now that’s a way to start a night out in Tokyo.<\/p>\n

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The rooms<\/h2>\n

Spanning just six floors, 1 Hotel Tokyo has 211 accommodations, including three penthouses and 24 suites. You’ll find many 1 Hotel hallmarks inside, including plenty of timber accents, organic cotton bedding, in-room filtered water taps and glassware made from repurposed wine bottles, not to mention those fabulous hooded robes.<\/p>\n

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There are plants galore, and beautifully arranged living wall panels with local flora.<\/p>\n

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But this 1 Hotel also feels distinctly Japanese, with design elements that reference traditional ryokan, or inns, such as live-edge shiplap bed backs that call to mind traditional rural Japanese houses, woven carpets reminiscent of tatami mats and wavy wall art resembling handmade fish traps.<\/p>\n

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Glassed-in bath-shower suites feel like your own individual onsen experience and come stocked with Bamford amenities plus my favorite cheeky touch: a little hourglass in the shower, should you feel the need to limit your water usage by trying to soap up and rinse off before the sands run out.<\/p>\n

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My own 560-square-foot Panoramic Tower Studio Suite on the 41st floor offered fabulous views of Tokyo Tower and the surrounding neighborhood (and even a local shrine) from the windowside sectional. The floor space also made it easy to stretch out on the provided yoga mat and to work out the kinks from a day of sightseeing with the foam roller I found in the closet.<\/p>\n

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The suite felt like my own personal sanctum \u2014 a quiet space for relaxation and contemplation between forays out into the bustling city.<\/p>\n

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Dining<\/h2>\n

The focal point for dining at 1 Hotel Tokyo is its all-day restaurant NiNi. The name translates to “two two” in Japanese, a nod to chef Nikko Policarpio’s melding of cuisines from two coasts and cultures: those of Japan and the French Riviera.<\/p>\n

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“We work with lots of local farmers and chefs, bringing in a little bit of the flavor of Tokyo with the energy of the city as well,” Leal explained as we perused the lunch menu there.<\/p>\n

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Some of the lunch and dinner specialties include a mustard-laced tartare of ultrafresh maguro tuna served with endive ($27.50), spinach cavatelli with wild boar sausage and arugula ($28), freshly caught fish (perfectly cooked sea bream the evening I dined there) with roasted citrus, Brussels sprouts and a light beurre blanc ($30) and the signature dessert, a fluffy baba rum infused with bitter orange and Earl Grey with a sea salt vanilla ice cream topper ($12).<\/p>\n

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Breakfast, which is also served here, includes a buffet of fruits, pastries and cold cuts accompanied by main dishes like a mushroom tartine with Comte cheese and fried egg, French toast with roasted mikan orange and maple syrup, kitsune udon with an onsen egg, and a profuse Japanese breakfast bento box with a variety of delicacies including maguro tuna sashimi and a traditional rolled omelet (menu for $50 per person with a $10 supplement for the Japanese bento box).<\/p>\n

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Across the lobby from NiNi, Spotted Stone is open from the afternoon through the evening. The main draw here is the list of nearly 100 Japanese craft gins, which make their way into classic-inspired but original cocktails like the tangy Yuzu Revival with Yatsu Boshi yuzu gin, La Quintinye Rouge vermouth, Pierre Ferrand curacao, “pseudo” lemon bitters and an absinthe rinse ($16.50).<\/p>\n

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Asked where he’d put an on-property credit to use, Leal said the cocktail program was his top pick: “I’d probably go for the cocktails … they put so much effort into them. I tried something last night that was one of the most unusual tastes I ever had with gin.”<\/p>\n

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Finally, Neighbors is the hotel’s cafe counter, with artisanal coffees, organic teas, and small bites and pastries available from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.<\/p>\n

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Amenities and service<\/h2>\n
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