As a New Yorker for nearly two decades now, it's safe to say that I've been hooked on the pace of this city and others like it. In fact, more often than not, I find myself vacationing to other places that contain the same energy, that contain fireworks—which is why I planned a trip to Tokyo in March, perhaps the only city in the world that can compete with NYC for a small amount of revitalization.
But just as I wouldn't recommend anyone coming to New York to stay in the overcrowded Times Square, I also didn't want to get stuck navigating the neon lights of Shinjuku, or swimming in the sea of people at Shibuya Crossing. As much as I long for the bright lights of Bret Easton Ellis and the big city, it's not what I want to need my eyeballs as I'm trying to sleep (probably at a bad hour due to the notoriously severe jet lag). So you can imagine my joy to find that 1 Hotel Tokyomy favorite zen-like hotel chain, not only opened in the city a few days before I arrived, but to do so in Akasaka, an upscale but quiet neighborhood not far from the Imperial Palace, known for its mix of hot restaurants and dozens of office towers.
Many of Hotel 1's calm and eco-friendly features are present in this new addition, the brand's first in Japan. There are living walls, sustainable design (the property has achieved CASBEE S certification, the country's highest rating for environmental performance), and the trademark Bamford Wellness Spa. But its location high inside the Akasaka Trust Tower (the 211-room hotel is on floors 38 to 43), makes the contrast between its urban exterior and the airy, oasis-like calm inside that stands out—more so than any other area I've visited, including West Hollywood and Central Park.
That sense of luxury begins when you enter the hotel's green-hued lobby. It continues to the top upon check-in, when you are handed an oshibori, a warm, scented towel that is a traditional sign of greeting in many Japanese hotels. But it's most evident in the quiet room, which, with its muted wood accents and warm palette of stone and cream, is an instant shoulder relaxer. Fortunately, they also have a large space: they are not offered in a city like Tokyo, which is known as much for the size of its premises as for the Lilliputan size of many of its hotels.
My room, for example, called the Garden Two Queen, had enough space not only to have the requisite two beds, but also a full sofa and a small dining table, as well as a shower, a separate bathtub, and—that most hallowed of Japanese room amenities—a Toto toilet, complete with heated seat. (And with rates starting at $799 a night, it's a relatively competitive five-star stay in an accessible location.)
Most of the hotel's public areas are equally comfortable, though decidedly lively. Like the West Hollywood building, the lobby here is filled with plush sofas and oversized chairs, perfect for sweeping views of the city below. NiNi, an all-day restaurant, is also flooded, and its breakfast buffet, with an ample spread of Japanese and Western dishes, is a popular morning hangout for tourists. I recommend ordering more items from the breakfast menu, by the way: the custady, a soufflé-like French toast, served with a roasted Mikan orange and chantilly cream, was one of my most memorable experiences of the trip.
While most guests will be out exploring during the day, Spotted Stone, a gin-focused bar in the lobby, is a lively and elegant place for a nightcap. With the largest collection of Japanese gin in the city and a commitment to no-fuss cocktails (spilled coffee grounds and citrus peel juicings are just some of the new inventions), and you're unlikely to find flavors like these at other Tokyo watering holes.
Surprisingly, the most zen-like place is the Bamford Wellness Spa, which specializes in holistic treatments using no-name products. The spa menu here is very focused—five types of body and facial massage, and a long wellness journey that includes treatments—but for a city spa, it's almost enough. After a 14-hour flight and lugging suitcases through multiple terminals, I opted for a 60-minute Japanese bamboo massage, a signature treatment specially designed for this 1-star hotel. As someone who tends to get very ticklish during massages, kneading the warm stick of a bare bamboo stem was a revelation: I'm actually relaxed instead of tense.
After staying here, I can recommend this hotel to a variety of travelers, from families who can enjoy large rooms to couples who must take full advantage of the spa's duo facilities. Although the 1 Hotel can accommodate business travelers, I can imagine that one might look longingly at the gin bar or the indoor pool and wish for a complete cancellation of meetings.
Many properties claim to feel like a home away from home, and as regular travelers know, it's easy for small, boutique hotels to convey that sense of warmth and cultivate an authentic sense of place. But even though 1 Hotel is a chain with targeted, breezy and solidly sustainable prices that includes a variety of international properties, I still found this place to feel uniquely Japanese and homey. Maybe it was a basket of free apples in the lobby for guests to grab on their way out the door—just like I do at home. Maybe it's the staff who greet you with “Welcome home!” as you get back to the front door. But in the end, this type of service is not meant to be over-analyzed; if anything, it's meant to help you think Underneath, because everything is taken care of. That is a rare consolation, and one that deserves to be returned.
