Tokyo’s Trunk Hotel, a Solution to the Solitude of Business Hotels

In Tokyo’s Shibuya district, there’s a little hotel with 15 rooms which stands out due to its innovative spirit. Inside, everything has been designed to create a bond between the guests and limit the environmental impact.

It’s a boutique hotel, which is a rare thing in Japan, where business hotels rule. But that doesn’t stop Trunk Hotel from seeing the bigger picture. It won the award for New Concept of the Year from AHEAD Hospitality, an event which rewards hotels which offer the best designs and guest experience in Asia.

The building, designed by architects from the Mount Fuji agency, is spread over four floors which contain 11 bedrooms and four suites, two restaurants, a bar, a large terrace, a chapel on the roof… and even a little tuck shop area where guests can grab snacks if they get hungry or thirsty (including coconut popcorn and local beer).

Despite the huge number of different spaces, the spirit is not one of overconsumption, but quite the opposite. A large part of the decoration for the bedrooms are recycled or vintage objects, while on the coffee tables, guests will find dried fruit rather than chocolate bars and other sweets in individual packets.

The hotel doesn’t only attract tourists, but also creatives from Tokyo, from the world of fashion, music and art. It is serious about making an environmental and local commitment to build a reputation (it grows its own aromatic herbs and offers Hojicha tea, amongst other varieties). But it plays primarily on its social spaces, such as the bar and one of the restaurants (which serves meat skewers in the regional style) to retain its Japanese clientele and allow them to interact with the international guests.

According to the artistic director, ‘the concept behind the hotel is socialisation. If you stay here, you’ll find all sorts of different people, all of whom live in Tokyo.’ It’s a lovely way to feel like you belong in the city.