Elegant, contemporary Tokyo hotel where Scandi- and Japanese design aesthetics merge

Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park / Tokyo / Japan

I love cities! I love getting lost in a town I have never visited before, just wondering around discovering a great little coffee place, a stunning block of buildings or a leafy park where locals come to hang out together. And another thing I love when visiting cities, especially the large, busy, noisy ones is to have a really cozy, calm hotel to retreat back to, where you can recharge and escape the high energy of the city for a while, before you are ready to head right back out again. Luckily these kind of hotels seem to be growing in numbers, so I guess there are other likeminded people out there. One hotel that really embody this tranquil refuge from the city, is this one, Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park, in Tokyo.

This 25-key hotel is sitting at the end of Yoyogi Park, a park people in Tokyo come to for a picnic, a run or a slow stroll. This means that there is only a short walk from the hotel to the high pace Shibuya district, but in the other direction there is the slow-paced, more hipster focused Tomigaya district.

The hotel is not easy to spot if you don’t know where to look. There are no big neon signs pointing you in any kind of direction. There is just a small, discreet sign letting you know you have arrived, where the entrance is cleverly hidden behind a wall of green. The entire boxy concrete exterior has been softened with a generous use of green plants, which doesn’t only makes it more inviting, it is also a clever way to connect the hotel to the park on the other side of the road.

The hotel tagline is ”urban recharge” which makes sense as soon as you step through the front door. The vibe is a mix of Japanese and Scandinavian influences and design. I’ve said it before (and I know I am not the only one. Not like I was the first one to ever spot the connection), there is an effortless connection between Scandi and Japanese design aesthetics. There is something about the craftsmanship and the simplicity in both these cultures that makes them merge so well, and sometimes makes it difficult to identify which influence originated where.

The hallway leading up to the room was very dark, and when you open the door to your room, you are exposed to the light of the city through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The colors in the room are sombre, earthy tones which compliments the exposed concrete. The result is an intimate yet elegant, minimalist look.

My favorite part of the hotel (I know, this was an easy one) is the roof top infinity pool with uninterrupted views of the park and the Tokyo skyline beyond. To glide through the warm water on a chilly Winter morning as the city wakes up below was just an amazing feeling. I wish that was the start of my every morning.

Welcome to Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park! The entrance is hidden by a wall of plants with the name of the hotel in discreet font.

The boxy exterior is softened with green plants on every balcony.

The lobby is very sombre, with muted colors and minimalist design.

For once, a very clear display of how to turn on/off what lamp.

A sweet treat, pastel de nata from a Portuguese bakery around the corner from the hotel.

This feels so wonderfully Japanese. Structure and great design, rolled into one.

I love how there was a wall of plants on the balcony, creating a green barrier between us and the city.

One of the main reasons to book a room here, the roof top infinity pool.

M is enjoying a morning dip in the jacuzzi as the sun goes up over Tokyo.

Tokyo has an amazing coffee culture. This is Coffee Supreme, located a short 5 min walk from the hotel.

Another favorite when in Tokyo is Aussie diner, Bill’s

The food at Bill’s is simply amazing. Straight forward and so tasty.

This is another great coffee place, a short walk from the hotel, Blue Bottle.

Managed to snap this photo of a bird enjoying the nectar from the cherry blossoms.

Back at the hotel after a long day, and the turn down service has made sure we have what we need for the night.

And next morning, we started the day the same way, with a dip in the pool before morning coffee.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are one of those who wants a refuge when staying in a megatropolis. If you like an urban hotel with a soft vibe, muted colors and discreet elegance, you are going to wish that you would never have to leave Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the roof top infinity pool. There is something magical about swimming around in a pool, high up around the roof tops of Tokyo with views of the park and the skyline beyond. My favorite thing was to get up early in the morning when we were the only ones in the pool, enjoying the sunrise.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is almost impossible to pick something here. There are just too many great things to do and see in Tokyo. And eat! And drink! But lucky for you when staying at this hotel is that it is located in the Tomigaya district, which is one of my favorite parts of town. The Tomigaya 1-chome Street, that runs behind the hotel is lined with great shops, restaurants, bars and coffee places, like Fuglen, the Monocle Shop and Coffee Supreme, to mention just a few.

If you like this hotel you might also like:

Trunk Hotel Cat Street / Tokyo Japan

Wilmina / Berlin, Germany

Brach Hotel / Madrid, Spain