STAY > Hotel TRUNK, Tokyo

Finding a hotel that fits you like a glove is a rare thing, it is likely that somethings about the place you will love but others let you down a little. We have stayed at TRUNK which is towards the bottom of Cat Street in Shibuya three times now and there are some reasons why this has become our go to hotel for Tokyo. Its the style, the location, the rooms, the robes, the drip coffee in the rooms, the bar and the staff.

The building itself sits as a green oasis of plants and just a stone’s throw away from the crowds of people buying exclusive fashion brands and parading along the busy Cat Street. Entering the foyer lounge it feels a bit like a mix between a hip share working office and a stylish bar. Full of people at almost any hour it is a vibrant space full of energy.

It is described as a community space that is open not only for hotel guests but to the neighbourhood, for nomad workers and creators. A place with ‘the power’ and ‘the network’ but also functional furniture, flowing music and delicious drinks, a central hub for creativity.

This is part of the ethos of TRUNK the design of the hotel is a blend of modern and traditional. They have taken care to use local materials and local artisans to merge the old and the new. The architecture was designed to reflect the hills of Shibuya and that comes through in the elongated layers of the building.

ROOMS

The Standard hotel rooms are quite a reasonable size just as long as you think about comparing them to other Tokyo (or Paris, London or NYC) hotels, the Standard room is 20m2 and has one side of the very comfortable bed against the wall. Elect for a STANDARD + Balcony and you get an additional 5m2 outside which is good as long as the weather is warm enough to take advantage of the space. The STANDARD WIDE + balcony is 23m2 and has a 10m2 balcony. There is room for a couple of sitting chairs and desk.

Its not a coffee machine but the pour over coffee bag is a very nice flavour and makes a great change to the day.

Bathrooms are small but functional and come equiped with excellent hairdryers and yes those really comfy robes. Personally I really like the complimentary toothbrush too!

SUITES

Everything is much more substantial when it comes to the suite’s. The smallest of the three suites is the Balcony Junior Suite that is 45m2 and has a 30m2 balcony.

The Living Suite is larger and has living room, a record player, a bar area and a loft. Its 55m2 plus the loft is another 10m2 there is a video below the explains it a little better.

The Dining Suite features a kitchen, with oven and stove top, a 50 inch TV, dining table, lounge and walk in dressing room. (I know you are already thinking I wonder how much that costs… come on you are aren’t you…?).

Standard room only starts at ¥51,744 per night (¥54,700 including breakfast). The Dining Suite room only starts at ¥216,832 per night (and ¥219,788 including breakfast).

Finally there is the Terrace Suite which is 140m2 and a 70m2 terrace and it starts at ¥702,240 per night. There is a bbq on the terrace and a dining room that seats 18 people! There is only 1 king size bed but there is a wine cellar. Its way out of my budget but wow…

Image Credit | TRUNK

EAT >

TRUNK has two restaurants the main is Trunk Kitchen which is a smart bistro offering mostly European dishes for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The second is TRUNK Kushi a Yakitori or skewered and grilled restaurant. This is a very traditional dish for the Shibuya region and so a perfect place to visit.

If you feel like going a little further try JULIA or RYAN both of which we have reviewed recently and are excellent. For sushi try the exceptional Sushi M but all of these do require you to book early as they are often booked out weeks in advance.

DRINK >

TRUNK BAR often has DJs and sometimes even live acts, it is a busy and bustling place but if you are looking for something a little quieter try Bar SOUL B which is just around the corner and features Japanese Whiskey and other spirits as well as a good range of cocktails. Music Bar SOAK is just down the road across the busy Meiji Dori Avenue and upto the rooftop of Miyashita Park complex. Tokyo Whisky Library has an enormous range of Whisky and other spirits and is a short 10 minute walk.

WORK OUT >

The hotel does not have any gym equipment, but what they do have is a range of highly bespoke and curated activities such as tours of local architecture, an early visit to the fish market and a photo tour to see Fuji. There is even a home cooked meal with a local from Shibuya. The activities are much more in line with the connection to place, community and culture. But you can always go for a run or a walk.

SEE and DO >

You are staying in one of the smartest shopping and dining areas of Tokyo so get out and see the shops, Omotesando is full of the worlds most famous brands, Cat Street has international and local brands and then you are also not far from the madness of Takeshita Street filled with gaggles of roaming kids searching for sweets and cutesy fashion.

Cross to Omotesando Hills and the style changes a little there are all sorts of design and fashion stores, little boutiques and hairdressers, ever stylish there are some good coffee shops over here too, check out Koffee Mameya as well as Bread & Espresso.

A little further up the road is the enormous park of Meiji Jingu with its temples and traditional Japanese Gardens, definitely worth visiting.