Japan, Japan, Japan. It seems everyone you know has been to Japan in the last year, or has a trip planned soon.

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.

It’s small wonder, then, that 1 Hotels — the rapidly expanding minichain of sustainability-minded luxury hotels — had its sights set on Tokyo as it continues to grow its international footprint.

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.

“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.”

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.

First impressions

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 — 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The rooms

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.

There are plants galore, and beautifully arranged living wall panels with local flora.

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.

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.

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.

The suite felt like my own personal sanctum — a quiet space for relaxation and contemplation between forays out into the bustling city.

Dining

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.

“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.

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).

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).

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).

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.”

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.

Amenities and service

• The hotel’s indoor pool is a serene sanctuary next to the spa with plenty of deep-cushioned loungers and an outdoor deck — rare for Tokyo and a space where the hotel will host fun guest activities and programming, according to Leal.
• The gym is small but has a variety of Technogym cardio and weight equipment.
• Separate men’s and women’s locker rooms feature showers and hammams for a jet lag-busting steam session.
• The Bamford Wellness Spa offers a variety of massages, facials and body treatments, including a reinvigorating green tea healing facial that utilizes organic green tea-based products from Kyoto-based beauty brand Kotoshina ($210).
• Check out the lobby blackboard for innovative guest programming, including sunrise yoga, sound baths and fermentation workshops.
• The friendly concierges are key to getting last-minute reservations at some of the area’s tiny sushi omakase restaurants.
• The service is courteous and polished but a little more relaxed than at your typical Tokyo luxury hotel, making for a memorable stay.

Location and logistics

1 Hotel Tokyo is in the city’s central Akasaka district. Though the area is mainly home to businesses, meaning it’s a little sleepy at night and on the weekends, it is easy to get to Ginza’s luxury stores, Roppongi’s megamalls, Shibuya’s nightlife and cultural sights like the Imperial Palace grounds within short order, either via inexpensive taxis or public transport.

Leal urges guests not to skip out on a stroll around the area, either, since there are plenty of pocket bars and restaurants to duck into. “Akasaka around the hotel is just amazing,” he told me. “There’s so much culture right around us. I know you look at this place that looks like a concrete jungle, but deep below and in between, it’s just great culturally.”

Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) is a 40-minute drive away and costs around $50 via taxi or Uber. Narita International Airport (NRT) is a bit more of a trek and costs around $170 by car, or just $18 by public transport (metro and the Skyliner train) and takes around 90 minutes.

What it costs

Rates at 1 Hotel Tokyo start at $720 per night. The Panoramic Studio Suite I stayed in starts at $1,000 per night.

At time of writing, 1 Hotel Tokyo was not yet participating in one of the premium credit card hotel-booking portals, but other 1 Hotel locations are in American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, The Edit by Chase Travel and the Capital One Premier Collection, so it’s possible (if not likely) that this outpost will join at least one of those as well.

Accessibility

1 Hotel Tokyo offers accessible rooms in the Skyline King category with features that include wheelchair-accessible doorways; lowered towel hooks and racks in the bathroom; grab bars next to the toilet and bathtub (which also has a seat); and lowered closet bars, shelving and safety box, and features for those with sight or hearing impairments that include special alert kits and sensors. Connecting rooms are also available. As always, be sure to call the hotel directly to go over your specific requirements before booking to ensure that your needs are met.

The hotel’s public areas are all wheelchair-accessible, including ramps and no-step entries to the ground-floor and 38th-floor lobbies, the lobby lounge, NiNi, Spotted Stone, and the wellness center. There are also wheelchair-accessible bathrooms with lowered buttons.

Bottom line

The new 1 Hotel Tokyo is an exciting addition to Tokyo’s luxury hotel scene. The hotel offers high-end amenities, dining and service, but with a nature-inspired aesthetic and congenial service that set it apart from many of the city’s more staid offerings.

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