You Can See Tokyo Tower From the Pool: ANA InterContinental Tokyo

We stayed at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo as a family. The conclusion first: in summer, the reason to stay here is the Garden Pool.

It is an outdoor pool in the middle of central Tokyo, ringed by office towers — and across the water, Tokyo Tower is standing there. It is free for hotel guests, and it opens at 7am and runs until nearly 10pm.

The Garden Pool: free for guests, 7am to late

The outdoor Garden Pool is seasonal. In 2026 it runs 1 June to 30 September. The main pool is 20m × 13m, 1.3m at its deepest, with a separate round children’s pool 6m across and 0.4m deep.

Hotel guests swim free, in two blocks: 7:00–9:30 and 10:00–21:50. The morning block is guests only. Day visitors book one of three sessions at ¥2,500–6,000 depending on season and day.

We went in during the afternoon and stayed into the evening. It was the school holidays, so hotel guests were mixed in with day-visiting families — this is not quiet luxury. But there are plenty of loungers, and we never struggled for a seat.

Being enclosed by towers also means stretches of shade, so a midsummer afternoon here is less punishing than an open-air pool usually is.

You can see Tokyo Tower from the pool

This is the heart of it. From the poolside, Tokyo Tower rises through a gap between the buildings.

The hotel itself leads with that view when it promotes the night pool, and it is right to. There are not many places in central Tokyo where an outdoor pool and Tokyo Tower exist in the same frame.

It stays open until 21:50, so the correct use of the ticket is to go back in once it is dark.

There is a Moët & Chandon bar at the poolside

A red-and-white cart with the MOËT & CHANDON logo on it. The poolside snack bar serves champagne alongside cocktails, salads, sandwiches and desserts, from 10:00 to 21:30.

We drank champagne there, in swimwear, at the edge of the pool. That combination — scruffy and expensive at the same time — is a fair summary of the atmosphere.

Bath towels and beach sandals are lent out, so swimwear is genuinely all you need to bring.

Note that under-12s must be accompanied, and children five and under are limited to the kiddie pool in swim nappies.

The room

A Classic Room: geometric carpet, indirect lighting, a small round table and chairs by the window. Nothing flashy, but soundly built.

A minibar counter sits by the entrance, kettle and cups lined up on it.

Classic Rooms run 22–32㎡ on floors 7 to 20. The hotel has 801 rooms in total and opened in 1986, reaching its 40th anniversary in June 2026 — but the rooms have been renewed and do not read as dated.

Breakfast at Cascade Cafe (2F)

Breakfast is at Cascade Cafe on the second floor — a double-height room with a lot of ceiling above it. As hotel breakfast rooms go, it is on the large side.

Live stations run along an open kitchen, copper heat lamps above them, dishes finished in front of you. Greenery outside the windows.

The Japanese side is the strong one: grilled fish, miso soup, natto, nori. If you want to start the day on a Japanese breakfast, this works. The salad leaves were noticeably fresh.

Hours are 6:30–10:30 (last order 10:00). The buffet is ¥6,100 on weekdays and ¥7,500 at weekends and holidays for adults, ¥3,050 / ¥3,550 for ages 6–12 (official 2026 rates). Check whether your rate already includes breakfast.

Access and basics

• Address: 1-12-33 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Ark Hills)
• Access: about 1 minute from Exit 13 of Tameike-Sanno Station (Ginza Line); about 2 minutes from Exit 3 of Roppongi-Itchome Station (Namboku Line)
• Rooms: 801. Opened 1986
• Restaurants and bars: 13
• Garden Pool: summer only (1 Jun – 30 Sep in 2026). Free for guests, 7:00–9:30 and 10:00–21:50
• Breakfast: Cascade Cafe, 2F, 6:30–10:30 (LO 10:00)

One to two minutes from the station exits, with underground access as well. With a family and luggage, that proximity does real work.

Summary

• In summer, the Garden Pool is the reason to book. Free for guests, 7am until 21:50
• Tokyo Tower is visible from the poolside — worth going back in after dark
• A Moët & Chandon bar at the poolside; towels and sandals are lent out
• Holiday afternoons get busy with day visitors. For quiet, use the guests-only 7:00–9:30 block
• Breakfast at Cascade Cafe on 2F: strong Japanese selection in a double-height room
• About a minute from Tameike-Sanno Station, which matters when you are travelling with family

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Garden Pool free for hotel guests?

Yes. The outdoor Garden Pool is seasonal — in 2026 it runs from 1 June to 30 September — and hotel guests swim free in two blocks, 7:00–9:30 and 10:00–21:50. The morning block is for guests only. Day visitors book one of three sessions at ¥2,500–6,000 depending on the season and the day.

How big is the pool, and is it suitable for children?

The main pool is 20m × 13m and 1.3m at its deepest, with a separate round children’s pool 6m across and 0.4m deep. Under-12s must be accompanied, and children of five and under are limited to the kiddie pool in swim nappies.

What do I need to bring to the pool?

Bath towels and beach sandals are lent out, so swimwear is genuinely all you need to carry down.

Can you really see Tokyo Tower from the pool?

Yes. It is an outdoor pool in the middle of central Tokyo, ringed by office towers, and Tokyo Tower stands in view from the water. In the school holidays hotel guests are mixed in with day-visiting families, so it is not quiet luxury — but there are plenty of loungers.

What are the rooms like?

A Classic Room runs 22–32㎡ on floors 7 to 20: geometric carpet, indirect lighting, a small round table and chairs by the window, and a minibar counter by the entrance. The hotel has 801 rooms and opened in 1986, reaching its 40th anniversary in June 2026, but the rooms have been renewed and do not read as dated.

Where is breakfast, and what does it cost?

Cascade Cafe on the second floor, 6:30–10:30 with last order at 10:00. Live stations run along an open kitchen and the Japanese side is the strong one — grilled fish, miso soup, natto, nori. The buffet was ¥6,100 on weekdays and ¥7,500 at weekends and holidays for adults, and ¥3,050 / ¥3,550 for ages 6–12 at official 2026 rates. Check whether your room rate already includes it.

How do I get there?

1-12-33 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, inside Ark Hills. About one minute from Exit 13 of Tameike-Sanno Station on the Ginza Line, and about two minutes from Exit 3 of Roppongi-Itchome Station on the Namboku Line.

Read next

• Aman Tokyo Afternoon Tea: The Black Bamboo Tray, and Why 11:00 Is the Seating to Book
• [Toranomon] A Room with a Terrace on the Thirty-First Floor
• RED° TOKYO TOWER Closed on 6 May 2026: A Record of the Visit

Written from my own visit. Prices, hours and details are as they were at the time — please check the official sites for the latest information.