If you’re looking for a distinctly different hotel experience in Tokyo than the usual businessmen-in-suits type place, look no further than the recently opened Trunk Hotel in Shibuya. This design-forward beauty is chic, contemporary and intimate with only 15 guest rooms, leaving you feeling more homey than anonymous in the midst of this larger-than-life city. Whether it’s an overnight stay you’re after, a brief stop into their swanky lounge for a coffee or cocktail, or a destination wedding in the stunning wooden rooftop chapel—we say hightail it on the bullet train to experience this exceptional new space, where even the locals want to gather for skewers and a beer.
The Third Place
Trunk aims to be a hub for socializing, and therefore you can count on it offering much more than your average hotel. With a cozy, inviting lounge they refer to as the “third place” (you know, that special third place you want to hang out at besides work and home), a tasty bistro, a kushi bar (that means skewers, for the uninitiated), and even a sleek-looking convenience store, Trunk manages to transcend the usual limits of what a hotel is expected to be. Besides hosting weekly Friday parties in the lounge and numerous other community events, those in charge have taken pains to make sure every detail is carefully considered, from the quality of the food, to the products they provide in the rooms (all organic, Made-In-Japan items), and even the initiatives they support behind the scenes—a community-oriented, people-first mentality shows through in everything Trunk has put its touch on. So feel free to make yourself at home, because that’s exactly what you’re intended to do.
The Décor
From top to bottom, Trunk has a seriously dialed in aesthetic. Starting with the gorgeous tier-like exterior, each facet of the hotel is modern and clean with nods throughout to traditional Japanese crafts, products and customs. For instance, the spacious wooden tables are made by much-lauded Osaka-based furniture designers, Truck (not to be confused with Trunk), and envy-inducing indigo patchwork hangings adorn the walls. The concept/convenience store sells homemade onigiri rice balls along with craft beers and wines made in Japan, in addition to a number of Trunk-branded items like the eco-friendly products found in each guestroom bathroom. Heavy on the recycled woods, tiered balconies to mirror the exterior and posh-but-comfy furnishings, Trunk has that perfect home-away-from-home ambiance.
Stay A While
Featuring 15 unique rooms and suites tailored specifically to the size of your crew (rooms range from perfect for one to bed space for eight), Trunk is perfectly set up to suit your needs. Ranging from the insanely immaculate terrace suite—it has its own outdoor kitchen and wine cellar; need we say more?—to the decidedly more modest “standard” room meant for solo travelers (more simple, though equally immaculate), Trunk literally has it all. On top of the stellar accommodations, Trunk also offers custom activities, such as architecture tours, a visit to the morning fish market, the opportunity to brush shoulders with some sumo wrestlers and more. Trust us, you may never want to leave.
Photography: Trunk Hotel
