In April 2026, I checked into the Panoramic Tower Studio Suite at 1 Hotel Tokyo. Opened in March 2026, the 211-room mission-driven sustainable luxury hotel is set within the higher floors of the mixed-use Akasaka Trust Tower, with direct access to Tameike-sanno Station (Ginza/Namboku Lines) and Kokkai-gijidomae Station (Marunouchi/Chiyoda Lines). Nearby attractions include Ark Hills, Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi Hills and Toranomon Hills, while the glitzy Roppongi area is a 15-minute stroll away. The hotel is a 20-minute taxi ride to Haneda Airport, while it takes closer to an hour to reach Narita Airport.
Nearby hotels include ANA InterContinental Tokyo, Janu Tokyo, Aman Tokyo, Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills, The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon, The Okura Tokyo, The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo and The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, a Luxury Collection Hotel.
The opening marks 1 Hotel’s debut in Asia and the brand’s 13th hotel opening since launching in New York City and Miami in 2015. For the uninitiated, 1 Hotels is one of four brands operated by the newly-renamed Starwood Hotels (formerly SH Hotels & Resorts), with the name change signaling the return of the iconic brand name first established by legendary hotelier Barry Sternlicht in 1995. The revival follows the landmark acquisition of the original Starwood Hotels & Resorts portfolio by Marriott International back in 2016, a deal that significantly reshaped the global hospitality landscape and brought brands such as St. Regis, W and Westin under Marriott’s umbrella.
Best for: Sustainability-minded travellers and design lovers drawn to biophilic interiors; urban explorers seeking a central, well-connected Tokyo base; and couples or solo travellers wanting a serene, nature-infused city retreat.
Must Dos: Unwind in your comfortable, luxurious accommodations and enjoy the pampering Bamford shower amenities; enjoy dinner at NiNi; have a cocktail at Spotted Stone; take a dip in the indoor pool; make use of the complimentary car ride to a nearby destination in a fully electric Audi Q6 e-tron.
1 HOTEL TOKYO
Envisioned by Brooklyn-based interior design studio Crème (who also designed Park Hyatt Doha, Hyatt Centric Philadelphia and the wellness retreat Karuizawa House), the hotel leans heavily into its biophilic persuasions. The arrival experience is crafted to resemble ascending through a tree-like progression which unfolds into a verdant canopy at the 38th-floor lobby comprising lush walls, wood textures and extensive varieties of leafy potted plants. In a nod to 1 Hotels’ sustainability ethos, interiors are layered with thoughtfully sourced materials, from the salvaged wood reimagined as the hotel’s signature “1” near the elevators to the Oya stone boulders that evoke the stonework of the nearby Imperial Palace’s moat. The hotel also features a variety of sustainability initiatives – aside from the elimination of single-use plastics, the hotel has a global “1 Less Thing” initiative encouraging guests to leave behind an item of clothing behind which will be donated to a local charity. Guests also enjoy complimentary use of a fully electric Audi Q6 e-tron for travel to nearby nearby locations such as Shinjuku and Shibuya.
All F&B concepts are set within the 38th lobby level. The hotel’s social hub is Spotted Stone, the cocktail bar lounge with a striking cloud-shaped back bar which, in the day, caters to the afternoon tea set amidst the rich foliage setting as well as creative and corporate types with its abundance of energising natural light and spacious tables with power outlets. At night, the space transforms into something decidedly sexier, with clubby DJ beats and a cocktail menu which highlights Japanese ingredients and is crafted with a thoughtful, low-waste approach.
In terms of wellness, the Bamford Wellness Spa offers various treatments using products from the Bamford body and skincare range as well as a hammam for your steam needs. The fitness centre is fitted with Technogym equipment, while the 18-metre indoor swimming pool boasts an immersive tropical feel courtesy of its abundance of greenery, with an adjacent outdoor sun deck providing for sun worship opportunities or simply taking in sky-high fresh air.
PANORAMIC TOWER STUDIO SUITE
Offering uninterrupted panoramic views of Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Bay through large wraparound windows, the 51sqm Panoramic Tower Studio Suite is a nature-inspired sanctuary. The room is decked in wood and stone textures as well as earthy shades of grey and creamy beige, with accents of green – from potted plants and upcycled moss artworks to bathroom cups and Bamford shower amenity bottles – adding a forest-inspired touch. The modern technological touches such as mood lighting controls and both USB and USB-C ports are much appreciated, while the huge and supremely comfortable bed made for moments of wonderful shut-eye. In terms of sustainability elements, a filtered water tap keeps you comfortably hydrated, glasses are made from recycled wine bottles while a thoughtful three-minute egg timer in the shower (potentially) reduces your time spent naked and wet under the powerful rainfall shower.
The pantry features Nespresso coffee as well as teas from Japanese brand Teagrace, while the handsomely-stocked minibar features a variety of wines (including Telmont champagne), snacks and liqueurs alongside Japanese sake, sparkling matcha and Iyoshi cola.
The spacious bathroom features a Japanese bidet toilet, double vanities and an enclosed rainfall shower space with an ensuite deep-soaking bathtub, with geranium essential oil-scented bath salts available for spa-luxe relaxation. In another quirk of modern luxury hotel design, the bathroom and bedroom are divided by glass, with curtains for the privacy of the bathroom user(s) positioned on the bedroom side.
My welcome amenities included a set of Bamford products as well as a reusable 1 Hotels tote bag.
DINING
Breakfast is served at NiNi (meaning “two, two”), the hotel’s signature restaurant on the 38th floor which pairs Mediterranean flavours with Japanese culinary traditions. The buffet spread comprises a variety of bakes such as Pain aux Raisins, Bread Pudding, Chocolate Muffin and Mango Danish; greens and salads such as Marinated Roasted Peppers, Chickpea Salad and Roasted Cauliflower with Dukkah; and Japanese specialties such as Nanban-style Marinated Fish and Simmered Mountain Vegetables. A fresh juice bar offers Immunity Shots prepared using ingredients such as orange, kale, carrot, lemon and komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach); smoothies such as Chocolate PB (banana, peanut butter, cocoa, almond milk) and Ranthambore Lassi (banana, yogurt, turmeric, honey, orange); and cocktails such as Bloody Caesar (vodka, klamato, worchestershire, hot sauce) and Japanese Mary (vodka, tomato juice, yuzu, wasabi).
The ala carte menu offers selections such as Nini Omelette (comté cheese, fine herbs, crème fraiche, herb pork sausage, crispy bacon), Mushroom Tartine (roasted mushrooms & duxelle, black kale, comté cheese, fried egg), Kitsune Udon (shichimi, negi, wakame, onsen egg) and Rivera Benedict (smoked salmon, poached eggs, ratatouille, spinach, hollandaise). The Japanese Breakfast (Japanese omelette, seasonal vegetables, grilled miso-marinated black cod, house-made tofu, miso soup, rice, dried nori) was a competent affair with the Japanese egg roll possessing a Pomeranian softness, while the French Toast was dreamily fluffy with the roasted mikan orange being a memorable complement.
In contrast with its leafy and woody enclave persona in the day, NiNi boats DJ beats, progressive cuisine and an electrified atmosphere after dark. The Crudo “Nicoise” (spring yellowtail, green olive tapenade, smoked tomato vinaigrette) was the gustatory spitting image of its inspiration salad, while the Sakura Ebi Linguini (sakura ebi, garlic, chili, snap peas) was marvellous, with the sakura ebi being devilishly addictive and the snow peas adding a crunchy freshness to the proceedings. The Michinoku Half Chicken Confit (jus de poulet, sweet & sour orange) was incredibly tender, and we completely wiped clean the luscious Bouillabaisse (fresh fish, mussels, clams, scallop, rouille sauce, smashed fried potatoes). The closing Provincial Tea Ice Cream – all floral fragrant and deeply bergamot-esque – ended the evening on a classy note.
Other dishes we had included the Nini Chocolate Bar, Hamaguri Clams in the Half Shell (yuzu mignonette, clam dashi jelly, olive oil caviar) and Stuffed Squid (arugula & herbs, preserved lemon jam, harissa sauce), the latter of which was positively bursting with stuffed kizuna.
A relaxed lounge setting in the day, Spotted Stone transforms into a destination bar space in the evening with an extensive Japanese craft gin collection and dedicated music programming. The Corpse Reviver-inspired Yuzu Revival (Yatsuboshi Yuzu Gin, La Quintinye Rouge, vermouth, Pierre Ferrand Curaçao, yuzu, pseudo lemon, absinthe rinse) was strident with its lemon agenda, while the Negroni-esque Count Koji (Komasa Strawberry Gin, strawberry + koji Campari, Oka Kura Sweet Sake Vermouth, ume, shiso) played like a strawberry and chocolate-sweet coffee beverage. My visit also coincided with Spotted Stone’s first ever bar shift held in conjunction with Nozawa Onsen Distillery, during which brand ambassador Waka Murata (also a team member at cocktail bar Tokyo Confidential) presented a menu of tipples featuring a selection of gins from the distillery.
Rounding up the hotel’s F&B concepts is Neighbors, the hotel’s grab-and-go café near the lobby elevators which offers artisanal beverages alongside a selection of food and sweets.
CONCLUSION
The arrival of 1 Hotel Tokyo marks a confident new chapter in the capital’s luxury scene, being not just a mere exercise in leafy aesthetics but a confidently purposeful expression of sustainable luxury. The evening vibes at NiNi and Spotted Stone were vibrant and positively electrifying, and the overall stay felt both grounded and quietly elevated.
It’s nice having you back, Starwood.
1 Hotel Tokyo
2‑17‑22 Akasaka
Minato‑ku, Tokyo, Japan
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