The Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills has been on my hotel bucket list for years, and a recent trip to Japan was the perfect opportunity to visit what turned out to be a very special hotel.

The hotel’s location isn’t touristy; rather, it sits in a bustling business district developed and built up over the past decade (The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon is nearby). But fear not: Everything a tourist might want to see is just a short ride away via Tokyo’s impeccable subway system. You can even conveniently reach the subway via tunnels in the hotel’s basement.

The service at the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills was impeccable at every turn, the rooms were superb and the hotel had some of the best views I’ve come across in the entire city. I’ve even added it to my top 10 list of hotels I’ve visited.

Here are my favorite things about my stay.

Related: The most amazing Andaz hotels in the world

You can get a taste of the high life in Tokyo by using as few as 40,000 World of Hyatt points

The Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills is not cheap by any means, but it can be a steal when using World of Hyatt points.

The hotel is now a Category 8 World of Hyatt property, meaning a standard award night costs 40,000 points. This is a nice deal for Tokyo, where rooms at higher-end hotels can easily top $1,000 a night.

Related: Your guide to the World of Hyatt award chart

The Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills ranges from $479 a night to as much as $1,222 per night for an entry-level room. That means using points can save you quite a bit of money. Unfortunately, award availability is not easy to come by in high-demand times like cherry blossom season (sakura) and summertime. One tool that can help is the new World of Hyatt award calendar. When searching, you’ll now see a points calendar that shows when award nights are, and are not, available.

As you can see in the screenshot below, availability was pretty good for next September.

Luckily, Hyatt points are easy to come by, as they can be transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. If you were to sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), which offers a welcome bonus of 75,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, you could earn enough points for two nights at this property just by earning the bonus on the card.

If you have the American Express Platinum Card® or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you can book the hotel through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts and earn 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels when booked through American Express Travel® and receive perks like availability-based upgrades, up to a $100 credit to use on-property during your stay for things like drinks or meals, complimentary daily breakfast for two, and guaranteed late checkout.

The culture of Japan is woven throughout the property at the Andaz Tokyo

Simply put, this Andaz property is stunning. There are thoughtful throughlines of traditional Japanese interior design in the form of beautiful wooden accents throughout the rooms and common spaces.

A must-see upon entering the hotel is the kumiko mural, located near the check-in desk. It’s a traditional Japanese latticework artwork installment and offers a true “wow” moment as you enter the hotel’s primary spaces on the 51st floor.

I loved the minimalist design that felt comfortable and calming.

You take a series of elevators up to the main lobby on the 51st floor. The height really gives you a sense of place in the busy city, seen from high atop a tall skyscraper, providing incredible views.

The lobby is warm and inviting and always filled with free drinks and treats. It’s beautiful.

There are 164 rooms at the hotel, including suites that have rooms with views of Tokyo Tower — these are among the most desirable.

I had a wonderful room. While it wasn’t a suite, it was fairly large, especially by Tokyo standards.

The room had a large entryway filled with wooden accents, a separate seating area and a work desk. There was artwork from Japanese artists decorating various spots in the room.

I loved the bathroom, which had a separate Japanese-style shower and a bathtub tucked into its own room within the space. The water pressure was excellent.

The bathroom featured a Japanese bidet toilet by Toto in a water closet, along with a walnut pedestal sink and amenities by luxe brand Aesop.

There was also a large walk-in closet with plenty of space for luggage and clothing.

Waiting for me when I checked in late at night was a lovely welcome amenity that included fresh fruit and Japanese crackers.

I loved the design touches throughout the rooms, including the thoughtfully placed lamps, the artwork and a nice bench for reading.

Blackout curtains and lights were operated with the flip of a switch — a nice midcentury modern twist.

A minibar had a few free snacks along with complimentary nonalcoholic beverages. Alcohol and some food items were available for purchase.

A Nespresso machine and plenty of pods were available anytime, and there was a tea kettle with a variety of teas available as well.

I should note there are also four rooms specially designed for those with accessibility needs, including those in wheelchairs. You’ll find grab bars throughout the public spaces, braille signage, wide hallways and other accessible features.

Andaz Tokyo has fabulous on-site amenities

The wonderful amenities (and views) at the Andaz Tokyo had me wanting to skip sightseeing and just stick around to enjoy the hotel.

The AO Spa & Club occupies much of the 37th floor of the hotel and includes a full spa, separate men’s and women’s sauna facilities, a pool complex and two hot tubs.

I was a big fan of the full Japanese-style sauna and the cold and hot soaking tubs (emphasis on hot). All guests have access to the pool and sauna facilities (you don’t need to pay an additional fee).

Once you leave the sauna area, there is a large coed swimming pool (members of the club get access to a special cordoned-off swimming lane).

That’s also where you’ll find a few additional soaking pools and another hidden pool that has several special water features (like spa jets).

I enjoyed an Elemental Body massage. It combined deep-tissue and Swedish techniques and was personalized via questions about my specific needs — and it featured a personalized blend of essential oils. An hourlong massage was about $195. The spa offers other treatments and facials as well.

There’s also a decent-size gym with plenty of Technogym cardio machines, free weights and weight machines. I managed to get in a few workouts during my brief stay.

An incredible selection of fine dining at Andaz Tokyo left me hungry for more

I loved the dining options at the Andaz Tokyo and appreciated that I didn’t have to go far for great food.

The Tavern Grill & Lounge is on the 51st floor with sweeping views of the Tokyo skyline.

Among the many drink options were Veuve Clicquot brut; white wines from Italy, Australia and France; and, of course, several types of Japanese sake. The restaurant also offers its Tavern Signature gin and tonic and a selection of signature cocktails, such as an apple whisky sour and a Japanese version of a Moscow mule. There was also a great variety of mocktails, including the Apple Royal, the Good Thyme lemonade and the Peach Garden (featuring milk, peach juice, and lavender and grenadine syrup).

The evening menu was quite extensive, with dishes familiar to Americans but with some Japanese twists. I started with a fresh green salad and for the main course had a delicious Japanese pepper steak served with grilled broccoli smothered in pine nuts, butter, Parmesan cheese and capers.

The Tavern is also where the hotel serves a glorious breakfast, including an extensive a la carte menu.

Service was impeccable, and I enjoyed a few great conversations with my server over some matcha tea.

Aside from the made-to-order menu, there are several buffets filled with Western and Asian options.

The selection was quite impressive, as you can see.

Breakfast is free for World of Hyatt Globalists. It’s around $46 if you pay for it out of pocket.

The connected lounge serves drinks all day, and it’s worth just hanging out there to take in the gorgeous design.

There’s also a spot high up in the Tokyo skyline called Rooftop Bar on the 52nd floor. I tried to pop in for a drink one evening, but the host was not pleased to see me show up unannounced, so I called it a night. It was definitely a cool vibe, though.

That’s also where you’ll find the dinner-only Japanese restaurant, The Sushi, but I didn’t have time to eat there during my stay. It’s open from 5 to 10 p.m. and provides an authentic omakase experience fronted by chef Eiji Nakamura. I recommend booking ahead since it has a fairly small footprint with counter seats.

At the ground level, BeBu serves gourmet hamburgers and other American comfort food (including wings). During my visit, a collaboration with Jack Daniel’s and Asahi was happening, where you could indulge in American whiskey and a buffet of American treats like fried chicken.

Note that there is also a nightly happy hour (an Andaz staple) for all guests in the main floor lounge that includes free wine and snacks. It’s another nice touch for this stunning hotel.

Checking out of the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills

I consider this the most beautiful Andaz I’ve ever visited. Friendly and thorough service, lovely Japanese art throughout the hotel, stunning views and delicious food placed Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills high among my most memorable hotel stays.

The small size of the hotel means you are treated like a friend instead of just another guest (which is how the experience can feel at some of the larger hotels in Tokyo), so I really appreciated the warm service here.

The ability to use World of Hyatt points makes it an even better option for those looking for a home away from home in Tokyo. I’m looking forward to my next visit to the city when I can return to this charming hotel. Maybe I’ll come check out the reimagined Park Hyatt Tokyo while I’m at it!

Related reading:

• Ocean oasis: A review of the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort in Hawaii
• World of Hyatt gold: What it’s really like to stay at the Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor
• I didn’t expect to love World of Hyatt, but here’s why I do
• What it’s like staying at the Park Hyatt New York — a gorgeous flagship property bookable on points