Tokyo Hotels I've Stayed In - and what they were like!
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- Опубликовано: 28 июн 2024
- Honest reviews of the Tokyo hotels I've stayed in - where I've stayed in Tokyo, what the rooms were like and how to choose where to stay in Japan.
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People often ask me which Tokyo hotels I've stayed in, and I don't usually give recommendations. There are so many options, and I don't think you should stick to a list of someone's recommendations. Really, there are a lot of good hotels in Japan, so there's no need to worry too much about which to choose. Hopefully this video will demonstrate that! It's a list of some of the hotels I've stayed at, including the Hotel Gracery Kabukicho, Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku, E Hotel Higashi Shinjuku, hotels at Tokyo Disney, APA Hotels and more. Including reviews, my honest opinion, views from the window and recommendations for how to book a hotel online.
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One small tip regarding the APA hotel chain. Book one of the hotels that was built from the ground up to be part of the chain rather than one of the ones that was converted from an old building.
The ground up ones have a standard size/shape room that is the same in all the hotels while the converted ones can be a mixed bag, but more often than not are smaller than the ground up ones in my experience.
You can tell the difference as the ground up ones will have the APA hotel black/orange/gold cladding completely covering the building while the converted ones will typically just have a sign above the door. An example of a ground up ones would be APA hotel Shinjuku-Kabukicho Tower near Shinjuku, while an example of a converted would be APA HOTEL Okachimachi Eki Kita S near Ueno
Good tip, thank you, I hadn't heard of that before! :-)
Thanks for the tip. I’ll be in Japan next week and confirmed both my APA’s are with the black/orange/gold coloring. What a huge relief.
I hope we all can visit Japan soon when everything is safe! I miss your Japan videos so much! I really enjoyed this video. Thank you so much for sharing :) Stay safe
Me too!! Still haven't heard anything about when it's opening up - I think it'll depend on what decision's made about the Olympics and how that goes! Stay safe!
I went to Tokyo for the first time with my wife in 2019. We stayed at the Daiichi Hotel Tokyo Seafort on Tennozu Isle and we were very impressed. It's right next to the monorail station from Haneda airport, and only one stop away from the Yamanote line (Hamamatsuchou). It was in a quieter area, next to the water. The room was a good size too, with a great view. Like one of the hotels you mentioned, it's in a tower block with the hotel rooms at the top, offices below, and the reception, restaurant, etc at the bottom. We would happily stay there again.
Looks lovely! And looks like a great view over the water. Thanks for the recommendation!
Great video as always Amy - Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku was supposed to be our first ever Tokyo hotel in March 2020 and I didn't even realize an entrance to Shinjuku Station was so close. Thank you! Hopefully we will still get there!
You made a good choice - can't get a better location! Fingers crossed that you can reschedule soon! :-)
GREAT VIDEO on an excellent topic! Thank you for adding the extra info like proximity to train stations & connivence stores. I hope to run into you on the streets of Japan & collect your autograph in my CwF guide book.
Hehe, be sure to tag me in a pic if you take your book to Japan! Haven't seen any pics of it there yet (no one's been able to go there since it's been out!!).
Thank you! Always great information!!
Thanks! Hope it's helpful! :-)
I have been going to Tokyo over the last 6 years and spent a lot of my time in Akihabara and highly recommend the Remm and Mets hotels. Remm has massage chairs in every room and Mets have huge rooms with a huge bathroom.
Sounds good, thanks for the recommendations!
Great video Amy. I have only stayed in the Sunroute Shinjuku from the hotels you featured and I can definitely say it's a great place to stay. It's very popular with tourists. I was supposed to stay in the Southern Century Tower last year before the pandemic spoiled my plans but I hope to finally stay there when Japan opens up to tourists again later on this year.
Fingers crossed for you, I hope you can reschedule soon! Hope the Southern Tower's as good as it looks! :-)
I hope to visit Tokyo next Summer with my 15-year old son. Your RUclips channel is very helpfull for preparing our trip, thanks for all the good advice! We plan to stay for a week in the new Sequence Miyashita Park hotel!
Ooh exciting! Shibuya's a perfect place to stay, you'll be close to the famous Scramble Crossing and so much on your doorstep! Enjoy planning your trip!
So I've been watching Rachel and Jun's homebuilding series, and I learned that even residential bathrooms in japan are built as a unit and not installed in separate pieces. It even comes with all the wiring built in and ready to go!
Wow, amazing! Plug and play bathrooms!! :-)
Great video as always 🙂 Yes, the standard bathrooms found in a large number of Japanese hotels are prefab units which are very efficient to install - efficiency and Japan go hand in hand!
I've stayed in many different hotels all around Tokyo but my favourite area is Akihabara. Remm is my pick of hotels there - only 20 metres from JR station entrance - the price is often quite expensive but if you're lucky you can get an ok price. Last trip we stayed in APA Akihabara which was nothing special but the price and location were great. Like you I've never encountered a bad hotel in Japan and I've stayed in hotels all around the country, though some are obviously better than others.
Thanks for the recommendations! Glad to know you've had good experiences with hotels too! :-)
Great video !
We stayed firstly at the hotel century southern tower. I picked that as our first hotel for the location in relation to the station
Great hotel, great view and it has a shop in the lobby for milk and ice cream etc which was great
Plus near the Tokyu hands shop!
Second visit we did ParkHotel and I preferred this hotel mostly because it was quicker to get to Tokyo station and Shinagawa stations as we spent half of over days using the Shinkansen
Plus it was great for a quick trip to Odiaba and the Tamiya shop.
Both were superb hotels and the thought of going back one day makes me keep going !!!!
Me too, I can't wait to be able to travel again, a holiday is way overdue! Hope I can stay at the Southern Tower one day - good to know it's as good as it looks! And being able to get ice cream without leaving the hotel is definitely a plus! :-)
Great video! I'm hoping that we can all travel again later this year since I'm hoping to go in October. I've got my heart set on staying in Asakusa and I've got my eye on Red Planet Tokyo Asakusa as it's pretty much ticking every box I have. Fingers crossed for good news soon!
Looks good! Maybe if you get a room high up you might get a view of Senso-ji! Can't wait till it's safe to travel again. October's a great time to go!
13:01 I love that shot! Looks exactly like the kind of 2000s era videos that made me fall in love with Japan. As a conbini lover, I do like the fact that almost every LiveMax hotel room comes with its own microwave. Although the west of the city definitely has a better nightlife, I find prices in the east are cheaper. Last time I stayed at the Ryogoku View Hotel, right next to the Kokugikan Sumo Stadium, and it was really nice while only costing about as much as any business hotel. And every room comes with a little balcony!
Ooh a balcony must have been nice, that's quite rare in Tokyo! Can't believe how grainy the video looks now from my old camera - at the time I thought it was a great video!! :-)
@@cakeswithfaces It IS a great video! :)
Wonderful review! Thank you
Thanks, hope it helps!
Thank you for adding on the Century Southern Tower, Amy 😁....we love staying there but are considering staying near Ninonbashi for a change. AND YES. You should stay at the Centruy one time. One weeks stay was a bit pricy but worth every penny! And its super quiet and convenient, with large rooms and good access to the Takashimaya depachika
Sounds good! Hopefully I can stay there at some point!! Maybe for our rescheduled trip (whenever that may be!) - after all the waiting we can splash out a bit! :-)
We loved the Oak Hotel (now Stayto) in Ueno. It was tiny, definitely not one for a good view (only 3 floors?) but so convenient. We went for a tatami room too, which was fun! The first time we stayed there, we used to get the train to Akihabara, but the second time we found it was only a 20 minute walk away. Ueno Park is lovely, and there's so much to see and do right on the doorstep.
It's always surprising when you find you can walk somewhere! And then you spot so much more on the streets. Once I stayed in a tatami room with a futon, now I think I'll always want a few nights in one - it's so fun sleeping on the floor and I just loved the futon! :-)
Another great video as I’ve started looking at hotels for a hopefully October trip. The only advice I can give is for the Disney hotels. I stayed at Hilton Tokyo Bay which was amazing. Rooms are big and if you get an ocean view you get to see the Tokyo skyline across the bay. Not cheap but less than a Disney branded hotel. I also stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. Very nice Victorian style rooms and super convenient to the parks but I liked the Hilton better as it was spacious and more options for food.
Good tips, thanks for the reviews! :-) Enjoy planning your trip!!
I love your hair!!
Thank you!! 🌈🌈🌈
We stayed in the Ibis, Shinjuku. Our room was small, as we expected for Tokyo, but it was fine. It had 2 single beds, a bathroom with space-age toilet (“washlet” bidet), shower with adjustable temperature, TV, hook on wall for clothes, shelf with tea and coffee and a window overlooking a grimy little alleyway full of vending machines. We also were provided some pyjamas. There was not much room to open the big suitcases...usually on the bed or by the door, so tried not to do it too often. They did a great breakfast for 1300 yen per person, Japanese and Western food. It was not a long walk from Shinjuku station and very close to Family Mart combini. It used to be on top of Macdonalds, but in 2019 it was no longer Macdonalds there...it was some other burger shop. It was a clean, modern, well located hotel with friendly, English speaking staff.
Thanks for sharing your review! Forgot to mention the space-age toilet - every hotel I've stayed in has had one!! :-)
I've only stayed in hostels and maybe one 3 star hotel, so everything in this video is a plus haha
Hehe there are so many choices for accommodation at all price ranges! :-)
Awesome job Amy
Thank you!
Your welcome
Great video! In ‘19, I stayed very high up in the APA Kabukicho, and the view was glorious, but I could hear Godzilla roaring at the Toho theatre however many times a day the monster roars. Luckily for me, I love Godzilla.
Some places have problems with traffic noise, some places have problems with giant monster noise...! :-)
Hi always glad to watch your videos!
I usually stay in Asakusa near the Sensoji Temple.
The number one hotel that i've stayed at, was part of the Gracery Chain. It was definitely on the bigger side as far as rooms go. There was a double bed, a couch and enough room to stretch and lay the bags out. It was a little pricy at $118 a night w/ meals included. I liked it since it was fairly close to a station and it was really safe. The hotel had a swipe card at the door so after a certain time, it would only let in hotel guests. The breakfast buffet was also really good. The hotel staff was fairly well versed in English so i felt very at ease. I would highly recommend this hotel if you stay in the Asakusa area.
I think the hotel that i would recommend the least is Asakusa Central Hotel. While the location was good, the room that i stayed in was on the more run down side. you could tell it was dated. The plus side is that it had a bath house (dunno the actual term) in the basement of the hotel for guests only. That was really nice. Couldn't really complain to much since it was less than $80. The Hotel staff was proficient in English so i had no problems communicating with them.
Other hotels that i have stayed in include
Almont Hotel Asakusa (good breakfast selection but little farther from a station) would recommend
Hotel Amanek Asakusa Ekimae (very close a station with elevator access and we had a view of the sumida river. breakfast was good . room was on the smaller side but had a space where you could fit the suitcases underneath the bed.) would recommend
I also utilized a couple of hotels near Haneda since the flight that i catch arrives around 10pm Japan Time
hotel MONday Haneda Airport(very close to a station and very convenient if your flight arrives late at night. the breakfast was little odd but could overlook that.) would recommend
Theatel Haneda(strange hotel to say the least. was a bit hard to find and it was not close to the station. had all these pictures of famous american movie stars. the room i had had a bunkbed. the room was on the larger side so that was ok. Didn't have a breakfast option but there was a family mart right across the street.) would recommend if your usual choice is booked
Thanks for the reviews, very helpful! :-)
Thanks for all the tips! :) My now husband and I stayed in an APA hotel in Kodemmacho in 2018 and despite that he was so ill that he barely left the room for two weeks, the hotel itself was rather nice. You could do your laundry in the hotel, which was good for us, and the room was a decent size. No view, though, if that's something one's looking for.
Oh no, sorry to hear he was poorly. I hope you managed to enjoy some things anyway on your trip.
I stayed at the Hotel Washington Shinjuku, and it was very similar to a lot of the rooms you showed (especially the first). Small room, pod-looking bathroom (with washlet feature toilet). I had a very nice view down Tocho Dori, so I could see the Government Building. It had an entrance to Shinjuku station, although I could never find the return path (I would end up in the courtyard next to the Government Building, and would need to walk the rest of the way). I was dealing with a cold I picked up on the trip, and was able to buy an alcoholic lemonade in the Family Mart downstairs (I did not know it was alcoholic when I bought it). There was a 7-11 next door, so 100% on the "conbini whereever you are" comment.
Hehe that must have been a surprise with the lemonade! But probably helped your cold...! Thanks for the review - those exits and tunnels around Shinjuku Station can be really confusing, a complete maze! :-)
wow! very informative, thanks. 😮
Hope it helps! :-)
Hi Cakes with Faces. Great video. I'm going to stay at APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Tower this July. I had made the reservation prior to watching this video, which I found searhing for information about this particular hotel 🙂On our visit in January this year we stayed at Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo Ariake. Very high quality hotel with decent sized double room (22 m2), I would stay there again another time. It was reasonably priced, because of the location I guess being out on Ariake, but it was only about 30+ minutes away from Shibuya on the Rinkai-Saikyō Line.
I always learn something new and useful about Japan watching your videos, thanks a lot.
You'll be in a perfect location in Shinjuku! Thanks for sharing about the hotels - there are some good size rooms in Odaiba, if you don't mind the train ride into the city!
@@cakeswithfaces I'll keep it mind for another travel to Tokyo 🙂
Awesome work. I totally love your videos!!!!(Subarashi sakuhin)
Aww thank you!! :-)
I love AirBnb for accomodation anywhere in the world and it’s great in Japan too!
My partner and I like having a separate bedroom, being able to cook a meal if we want and the privacy.
We find them more affordable than hotels too for the space, so don’t be afraid to try AirBnb out in Japan.
Always check reviews first is my only advice and double check the location!
Thanks - having heard bad stories about AirBnB's getting cancelled and other problems, it's good to hear about your good experience with them! :-)
Just ordered my guide...thanks
Thanks so much! It'll be on the way to you in the post tomorrow, hope you like it! :-)
I stayed at the Royal Park when I was in Tokyo back in 2019. Such a great hotel and a great location.
Looks like it's right next to the Park Hotel I stayed in too! Definitely a good location!
I plan on staying at the Gracery Hotel in Shinjuku, just looking for some walking around tips for once I do. Thanks for the video, nevertheless as it gave me some nice perspective differences...
Great choice, I loved the Hotel Gracery! Did you see my video about it? ruclips.net/video/QEfa-PxO78Y/видео.html
It's right in the middle of Kabukicho in Shinjuku, with so much right on your doorstep - loads of places to eat, karaoke, arcades and shops. I love walking around Shinjuku at night - all the lights, and there's so much going on, late into the night. Here's a walk aroudn aroudn the area (all walkable from the Gracery) ruclips.net/video/3uHI0tebS7s/видео.html
Really helpful video - planning on staying in Shinjuku once we can go on a holiday again in Japan. Will have to think about this or an AirBnb. Have you stayed in an AirBnb before - if yes, can you do a similar video?
I haven't stayed in an AirBnB and I probably wouldn't - because of the trouble there was a few years ago with so many bookings being cancelled. There are regulations about holiday rentals in Japan, and not everywhere was officially licensed. I've heard it's not always looked on favourably by other residents, and I'd hate to feel unwelcome somewhere. Having said that, it is a good option if you need more space, and it would be interesting to stay in a more residential area and experience life more like a local would. And there are many people here in the comments who love AirBnB and have had positive experiences. So feel free to ignore my concerns - just check the reviews when you book to make sure it's legit and reliable! :-)
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Shinjuku. Great room, great view, super staff, several restaurants and a bakery counter (if I remember correctly). 7-11 under the hotel as well as more restaurants.
Sounds just about perfect!
When I last visited Japan in 2019, I stayed at the following hotels:
1. Hiroshima Intelligent Hotel Annex (Hiroshima) - Quaint hotel similar to APA, 15-minute walk south of Hiroshima Station. Recommended.
2. Hotel Il Grande Umeda (Osaka) - Old hotel that still uses physical keys and fluorescent light bulbs. Roughly 30-minute walk east of Osaka Station. Not recommended.
3. Shizuoka Grand Hotel Nakajimaya (Shizuoka) - Very clean and modern-looking hotel just 5 minutes north of Shizuoka Station. Recommended.
4. Hotel Wing International Shinjuku Kabukicho (Tokyo) - Very reasonable hotel in the heart of Kabukicho. Sadly, it closed down sometime during the pandemic.
Thanks for the recommendations! Haven't been to a hotel that still uses physical keys for a while!
We were actually looking at the Hotel
Sunroute because of the location and price. Good to see it recommended
It's a good choice!! Hard to get a better location for Shinjuku Station and everything else in Shinjuku is so close as well.
I stayed at the Sunroute and liked the hotel. W with some of the room options you can opt for a tatami floor which I enjoyed. I ended up not being a fan of Shinjuku because it reminded me of Times Square but it was super convenient
We also stayed at the E hotel Higashi Shinjuku in 2018. The location was fantastic. Mc Donald, Matsuya, Sukiya, Coco Curry within steps from the hotel. As well as the top 3 convenience stores. And so close to 24. hour Don Quixote. And we did figure out that we could walk to the main part of Shinjuku very easily from the hotel. Thank you for this video.
It's a good price too - if you're ok with the small room size, it's perfect!
I stayed at the Sunroute Plaza hotel on my first trip to Tokyo! Since then I've only ever stayed in Air BnB's either around Harajuku or Shibuya or in Koenji which was probably my favourite place to stay because it had a great neighbourhood feel.
Ah Koenji has a lovely feel! I've only been in the day but I'd love to go back in the evening - I'm sure it takes on another life at night!
Any Airbnb that you liked and what was the price?
Wow great video! I love your vlog and thanks for sharing this to us. I am planning to go to Tokyo and it’s our first time. I booked at hotel Gracery but any hotel you recommend. Cheaper than this hotel that it’s great. Thanks alot
So glad you like my videos! The Hotel Gracery's a great choice! I wanted to book it again for my trip this year but it was fully booked. If you want a cheaper hotel instead, really, I'd stay in any hotel that's close to a station in your price range. Just do a quick check of the reviews but you can't go too far wrong. Shinjuku's my favourite area to stay in Tokyo as you're right in the middle of everything. But the Gracery's a great pick, you won't be disappointed (unless you're expecting large rooms - the rooms are not bad for Tokyo but still quite small compared to rooms in some countries, especially the USA).
@@cakeswithfaces thanks for the reply and yes we are good staying in Hotel Gracery more expensive but reviews are great.
By the way what is your recommendation if we are planning to go to Mt Fuji for a day trip. Thanks a lot
@@lyndatalamayan1426 Mount Fuji is tricky as there isn't just one set plan/day trip, there are lots of options!
I've only been once, on my very first trip to Japan. As it was my first time there, I went on a group day trip from Viator. It was good as we got to take the shinkansen back (coach on the way there) and got to the highest station we could get to on Fuji that was open at the time. So that's probably the easiest, most stress-free option, but you don't have as much freedom as you're with a group.
If I went now, I'd probably go independently on the train. If there are any other day trips you want to do, the JR Tokyo Wide Pass is valid for 3 days and would cover your trip to Fuji, as well as Nikko, Kusatsu Onsen and other places in the region: www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/pass/tokyowidepass.html
In regards to noise, we found that there were constant sirens in Tokyo. We also had people gathering on the street below and being loud. But hey, its a big city.
Ah no sorry to hear that, it's too bad.
We are planning on going to Japan in October. Hopefully it's going to be safe by then ^^
I booked Sotetsu Fresa Inn in Roppongi because it seemed to have good reviews and was only a 325 euros for two rooms!
Hope you can go!! I've always thought Roppongi seems like a convenient, central location so hopefully you can get to everywhere easily.
APA Hoteru in Shinjuku was quite nice ^^they had a microwave in the basement too!
7-11 Guydon, Onigiri, Edamame and one is all set ^^
Sounds good! My hotel in Sapporo had a microwave & a friendly stranger helped me with it as I struggled to decipher the instructions on the packaging! 😂
Enjoyed my time staying at the APA chain, would recommend that you stay at one with the public baths. I am a huge fan of the First Cabin chain, right now many of them have closed but I hope when things are better, they reopen.
First Cabin looks interesting - a mix of capsule hotel and room! Or is that just the fancy first class rooms...
@@cakeswithfaces I've only stayed in the First Class rooms but I also stayed for several days. The extra space was great to have. Just checked their site yesterday and only a few locations are open right now. Hope they survive until travel is acceptable again.
@@gokaijourney2105 How does luggage work at First Cabin? Do they have large lockers?
@@TheCelestialTempest The first class cabin has room inside the curtain for luggage. They have a rack area on each floor where you can lock your luggage (they have the locks) or you can ask them to store it at the front desk during the day. I have done all three options. Each cabin type has a lock box.
The Royal Park Hotel Tokyo Shiodome was my choice 2017 and again in 2019 , large
room on the 27th floor with very good view of tokyo/tokyotower.
Sounds fantastic! :-) While you don't spend much time in your room, a nice view's always an extra treat!
I stayed in The B Ikebukuro. Perfect location on the Yamanote line and only 10 mins from Shinjuku. Typical Japanese business hotel and was pretty cheap at 63 euros a night.
Sounds good! I like Ikebukuro but I always think of it as a bit out of the way when you look at the metro map - but as you say 10 mins to Shinjuku is nothing!
A very interesting video, well done!
I am really amazed that you have stayed several times in Shinjuku and never had problems with outside sounds. Are there really no street ambience leaking into the rooms in hotels THAT central in Shinjuku? Are the rooms sound proofed, maybe? Really cool notheless. :)
I'd like to add one thing about the APA rooms. If you are a couple staying in an APA double room with one bed for both, and you have notably different body types, the bed could eventually be a problem. I am twice the body weight of my partner, and the bed actually tilted my way when both lied down in the bed. If that is the case for anyone reading this, my advice would be to book a room with a better bed.
No, I've never had a problem with noise in Shinjuku. Some hotels are on quieter streets, but the Godzilla hotel for example is right in the middle of a really busy square that's always buzzing - although it is high up. It's possible the rooms are sound-proofed, as I've not had problems with noise from other rooms either (unlike what I hear about Japanese apartments which sound like they often have paper-thin walls). Obviously give the reviews a quick check as not all hotels are the same, and people will complain straight away if the room's noisy!
There was some noise in my room in Shibuya (my most recent hotel room tour video) when my room was right by Hachiko Square, I could hear music from Shibuya Crossing in the evening, but they turned it off at night so it'd only be a problem if you had kids that were going to bed early.
Thanks for the tip about APA hotels! I used to stay in them a lot as the price and location are always so good, but I got a bit burnt out on them tbh! Also hearing dodgy things about the owner of the company puts me off wanting to give them my money...! The rooms are always so similar and I found the ventilation isn't always as good as you'd want after a few days of using the shower in a small room, they could be fresher.
@@cakeswithfaces Very cool info, thanks!
Last time I visited Japan we stayed in an APA Hotel near Nippori station. The area itself are the opposite of busy and I recommend it for those who want a calm area to live in.
But i'm actually thinkig of trying one of the busier areas in a future trip since the street ambience problem seems like less a problem than what I have previously though.
@@Genmah Yes - it comes down to personal preference I think! I usually like busy areas but on my last trip I wished I was somewhere a little quieter, where it was quicker and easier to just get out on the street (mostly to pop to the convenience store!).
I'm going for my first time this year. I've booked the IBIS hotel Shinjuku. Won't be doing much sleep so got the cheapest one I could find and start planning my trip for October 2021!
Enjoy planning your trip! :-)
How much was it?
Speaking of Tokyo, I've stayed in "Hotel Resol Akihabara", since I planned to do a lot of Akiba Shopping. Quite small rooms, but the room was nice. With only a 5 minute footwalk to the mainstreet of Akihabara it was really great for shopping, especially if you bought a lot of figurines, which will result in quite a big bag to carry back, which then isn't much of an issue with your hotel that close by.
In Osaka I have stayed in "The Lively Honmachi Osaka". Surprisingly big rooms, fancy hotel bar on the top floor, in general everything looked very fancy, well trained and english speaking staff. Not exactly in the middle of everything, but you could reach the station and the interesting areas quick enough. All in all, very pleasant hotel, I'd stay there again!
And if you are in that area, make sure to pay a visit to "さくら SAKE". A bar, just on the other side of the block, where the hotel is, a great selection of sake, other drinks and all kinds of food. Small, but very nice and the bar-lady also spoke english really well.
Thanks for the recommendations! Good point about being able to take your shopping back to your room (and pop back for the figures you regret not buying!!).
I've stayed mostly with the Comfort Inn chain. The rooms are average for Japan (small, clean, functional) but they have included a buffet breakfast which was really well done. Like you say in the video, Japanese hotels are pretty much the same - places to sleep and store your stuff while you get out and see what you came to see. It would be really strange to see Japan right now - do you think you would like it? Myself, I am not sure.
I'd like to see Kyoto without the tourist crowds! I'd be too scared to go on the subway or anywhere that's busy at the moment though!
I prefer Airbnb apartment in Kamagome. Love the area! Its on the Yamanote-line and its so calm and got a local feeling. Rikuguen garden, in the arena, is in my opinion the best park in Tokyo.
Thanks for the recommendation! :-)
We were supposed to go to Japan in May 2020 but Covid happened.... We were going to stay in Asakusa, as I love the idea of staying in that area. Would this be inconvenient for travelling around the rest if Tokyo? Love your videos xx
Not at all! In fact lots of people here in the comments have stayed there. I've stayed on the west side because I love Shinjuku and how busy it is - Asakusa has a completely different vibe but isn't out in the sticks at all! In Japanuary (my Instagram challenge), someone posted a picture of the view from their hotel window in Asakusa overlooking the river with the SkyTree and Asahi building, and it looked beautiful.
Thank you!
😄✨
Hola Amy ! Just founded your video … very helpful ! I booked the Sunroute hotel .. we are staying only 1 day in Tokyo and want to go to shibuya and piss valley :.. and don’t want to stress to take the narita express in the morning to go to the airport … so I guess it is the best place to stay ? Feel it not really cute but location over luxury right ? Hihi thank you for your help !
The Sunroute Plaza's a great location - SO close to Shinjuku Station, especially once you discover the metro station entrance right next to the hotel. Maybe the rooms aren't the most stylish, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, so I wouldn't hesitate to stay there. The lobby is more large and glamorous-looking. If you're worried about the rooms, you can see them in this video (it's a few years old so they may have renovated since then): ruclips.net/video/Ls1i_h-xm00/видео.html
Shibuya's only a very short metro ride away, and you can get to Piss Alley in no time. And yes, it's convenient for the Narita Express. When I stayed there, I arranged a coach ride back to the airport with the front desk, although I think that was probably to Haneda Airport, not Narita.
Informative video and handy tips! I've only stayed in an Airbnb because it included a pocket wi-fi and a washing machine.
I would like to know how you guys handled laundry? Is there an option to wash laundry in many hotels or did you resort to coin laundries? 🙂
Most hotels offer a laundry service, or some have washing machines you pay for. I've never been for that long that I've had to use them unfortunately, I've always just taken enough changes of clothes with me!!
@@cakeswithfaces Thank you for the answer, good to know for the next trip. ^^
I always stay in the east side of Tokyo which means the Asakusa/Ueno area. I've stayed at the Via Inn, Agora Place and Asakusa Central Hotel several times each and you can't beat the price, location or access to trains. My fave though is the traditional Japanese inn called Sawanoya Ryokan in Ueno. Anybody who wants to try out a room with futons and tatami mats has got to try this place out. I book everything though Agoda since they always seem to have the best prices and available rooms.
Thanks for the recommendation! Since staying on a futon, now I always want at least one night in a traditional Japanese style room. There's just something about sleeping on the floor, and futon as so fluffy and cosy!
@@cakeswithfaces You will love Sawanoya as its geared to foreign travelers and they were rated number 1 on Tripadvisor. Price is very reasonable too. I had a week booked for last June before things got shut down but plan on booking there again as soon as the travel ban is lifted.
Thanks for the tip!
Hi, can you do a video on the camera gear you use for your vlogging ?
I have two cameras:
- Canon G7X (most popular for RUclips!) - I used it for all my Hokkaido videos because I was worried about slipping on the ice and smashing my larger camera, haha!
- Canon EOS 70D with Rhode external mic - That's what I filmed this video on, and most of my videos in Japan. Most people wouldn't use such a big camera for travel vlogging though...!
I started out just using whatever camera I already had before saving up and upgrading to these after a few years.
Booked a newly built hotel (Act Hotel Shibuya, just beside Ikejiri-ohashi station and Meguro Sky garden) for this year. Not too many reviews since it's new but I'm hopeful. The rooms are tiny but we got a super good deal and it's only 10 mins walk from scramble.
Sounds good! That'll be a great location. I think you can get a good deal on new hotels sometimes! Plus everything's new! :-)
Me and my G/F stayed in Agora Place in Asakusa and that wasnt bad at all the train station was across the road from the hotel and there was a lot to see just outside.
Sounds good!! :-)
We stayed in a hotel room in Paris that was so small we had to keep our suitcase on the shower.
Oh man!!! That sounds tiny!!
Hi I'm going to toyoko Japan in June and want to be in the middle of everything If possible for example. restaurants ,site seeing etc any recommendations of a area and hotel ?
I'd recommend Shinjuku - look on a hotel website and pick a hotel that's in your price range and close walking distance of a station. Here's a round-up of hotels I've stayed in (but no need to limit yourself to my list as there are so many to choose from!) ruclips.net/video/Sude9IFjSRM/видео.html
Also, keep an eye on the news as Japan still isn't open for foreign tourists. If you do book anywhere, make sure it has free cancellation as we don't yet know when tourists will be allowed in.
I stay in Shibuya right next to the station in Maruyamacho!
That'd be a great location!
I've booked sunroute plaza hotel for July this year for 5 nights for £200 via booking. I really hope things do get better with the vaccine so I can go Japan. Planning travel there for 25 days!
Great price! I hope you can go on your trip - fingers crossed for you! 🤞🤞🤞
@@cakeswithfaces great video btw. Thank you!
@@mohamoudmohamud3896 Thank you!! :-)
The Granville hotel is awesome. He would never expect such a nice hotel in the middle of Kabukicho. I had the executive double which is in Normas and has a separate bathroom attached with French doors.
Wow, sounds faaaaancy! Kabukicho's a great place to stay!
Ibis Hotel Shinjuku is good, 5 minutes from Shinjuku station, and ICI Kanda, I think it’s now called ABEST? Also very good.
Thanks for the recommendation!
The best was staying at my relative's place in Takadanobaba. It was built right after the Pacific War but then turned into a dormitory for JR East employees.
Hi. Great video. We are planning a trip in December. It will be my husband and my teenage daughter. We want to stay in where the Shibuya scramble crossing area is. I need a bigger type room. Which would you recommend? Thank you.
Thanks! The hotel I stayed in most recently in Tokyo (Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu) is right by Shibuya crossing in a very central Shibuya location. Here's my video - I stayed in a double room but they also have rooms with extra beds: ruclips.net/video/pfUGpYklL_Y/видео.html
Otherwise, if you want a lot of space, there are apart-hotels (hotels that are more like apartments, with a kitchenette, etc, in the room). They might not be in Shibuya but a few chains to look at are Mimaru, Citadines, Monday Apart and Tokyu Stay. Hope that helps!
It would be nice if you mentioned the kind of prices that you paid for each hotel to give us some idea of what your budget is and what you find expensive or not.
Usually I mention prices; they vary a lot for hotels depending on the time of year. Some of these were a few years ago so the prices might be different now, but if it helps I'd expect to pay around £70-£90 a night for these types of hotels in Tokyo.
I agree. You can qualify it by saying we paid $80 a night in January 2018 or something like that.
I have a somewhat random question. We are planning a two week vacation to Japan for the first time, mostly staying in the Tokyo area. If we wanted to take a night trip away, are we able to keep our Tokyo hotel also so we won’t have to move all of our luggage for one night?
Yes, you can keep the hotel room - you'd just need to book it for the entire two weeks and pay for two hotels while you're away for the night (unless you're planning an all-nighter and not sleeping!!) :-)
What would you say is the busiest time of the year? And how far ahead should we be booking? I’m planning to go for a month and was thinking February/March
The busiest time is cherry blossom season (late March). However earlier in March and February are both the off-season and you should get some good flight prices. Lots of people commented on my videos from February that the crowd levels were a lot lower than when they'd been to the same places.
All the videos in this playlist were filmed in the first half of February, so you can see the weather and crowd levels: ruclips.net/p/PL-YXkErUfa4mDI3ni0KklTOkimzIky8qw By the end of March it warms up a lot, enough for people to have picnics under the cherry blossoms.
I tend to book my flights early, when there's a sale, to lock in the dates while the cheaper fares are still available. Not all hotels go on sale until 6 or even 3 months in advance, so if there aren't many available, it might be too early. If you're thinking of 2022, be careful as there's been no news yet on when Japan's re-opening for foreign tourists, so check the cancellation policy carefully or wait until there's news on when we'll be able to go again.
Hope that helps!
I'm from the US and planning a graduation trip to Japan, specifically in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. I've been watching your videos for tips and had a few questions regarding the JR Pass and other transportation passes. I'll be traveling around multiple areas, far and close... What pass is best for this? I want to be able to hop on a train when needed without worry or reservation.
Thanks! ☺️
If you're doing a return trip between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, the JR Pass will work out the best (it costs about the same as the return ticket, so if you're doing a return trip, it'll probably save you money). It includes all trains on JR lines and bullet trains (except the very fastest Nozomi service - but the trains you can go on are still very fast and frequent, so that's not a problem). You don't have to make a reservation, but reservations are free - and if it's not a busy time you can often make them as soon as you get to the station to get your train. Hope that helps! Enjoy planning your trip! :-) I talked a bit about reservations etc in this video: ruclips.net/video/QhE57MHukqk/видео.html
@@cakeswithfaces tysm!! I greatly appreciate it :)
Never stayed in a hotel in Tokyo but have stay in an AirBnB 3 times. Found them to be great. Loads cheaper (or they were pre-2020) and often in much better locations than hotels I’ve found. Stay in a great place in Shibuya that was right by the station and loved it
Fingers crossed there are still cheap options when travel starts up again!
What was it called?
I would be interested for a similar video on restaurants as I still find choosing one difficult as I can’t read Japanese and so tend to pre plan restaurants from looking on RUclips but there has to be a better way as it’s not always possible to find them but I don’t want to go in and make a mistake and look an idiot!!
Yes that would be an interesting video! My experience is limited to restaurants with vegetarian options though. I'd love to be spontaneous and pop in anywhere, but I have to pre-plan too, as most places don't have anything I can eat! In my experience, the majority of restaurants in Tokyo in the main areas have an English. Smaller places might not - although as a foreigner you can get away with looking like an idiot to some extent as long as you're polite!! :-) I think you should go for it!
@@cakeswithfaces
I would also love a video on what your next trip will consist of in terms of going to see your favourites or will
You do all new stuff
I am planning on 2022 and will be doing a mix of both, with the day trip from Tokyo to Hakodate definitely on the list which was a wonderful day last time
@@kevinlong6482 Well my cancelled trip was going to be several days in Matsumoto ( described in this video: ruclips.net/video/FogPr3LVFBg/видео.html ) plus several days in Tokyo. I think it's a good idea to revisit your favourites, but also build in new stuff. I find it's always the new places that are the highlight.
You did Hakodate as a day trip from Tokyo? A long day! Glad you enjoyed it though! That must have been an amazing contrast - for me it was so strange stepping out into the snow after it was quite mild in Tokyo.
@@cakeswithfaces
Yep we got the hyabusa from Tokyo at 6 am there by 10
Lunch at loui periot burger place and then a cable car ride
Lovely day out
Thanks for the replying
I enjoyed your video when you went to Hakodate in the snow!
Kev
I still laugh about the fact, that our hotel was front of Kabukichō and we didn't even realize it when we booked our hotel. :D
Hehe, it's actually a great place to stay!
We stayed in the ONSEN RYOKAN YUEN SHINJUKU. Great hotel but yeah very very small room.
Looks lovely! Very different to most hotels in the city - and a great opportunity to try an onsen in Tokyo!
I stayed in a great hotel next to shizen station shibuya. $120/night and about 500ft with living room, kitchen, laundry and balcony with view
Great find, sounds good!
I stayed at the Hotel Monterey Akasaka back in 2007.A great hotel and a little expensive😁. Tokio🥰😍
A treat! Looks good - and close to Akasaka-mitsuke Station. Always thought that'd be a good local station as it's on SO MANY lines!!
What is easier to navigate to? Shinjuku or shibuya? Planning on taking the NEX there from the airport. I just want an easy walk to the hotel
The N'Ex goes to both Shibuya and Shinjuku! :-) They're both great places to stay - really lively with lots going on. I'd say Shinjuku is larger than Shibuya, and the station's larger too. That means lots of train lines and good connections for getting around the city, but it does make it a much larger station to navigate (and the busiest station in the world). Definitely recommend staying close to a station (any station, whichever you pick!). Hope that helps!
@@cakeswithfaces thank you so very much!
I have been trying to book a room at one of the APA hotels near Shinjuku station and when I do a Google search to see the distance between the hotel and the station it always tells me that either the hotel is temporarily closed or permanently closed, and this is only in regards to the APA hotels, all the other ones are fine, does anyone know what exactly is going on with the APA Hotels chain? Also, did anyone ever stay at any hotel to the North or Northwest of Shinjuku Station and used the West Gate entrance? Thanks.
Maybe APA haven't opened all their hotels again yet? For my recent trip I originally booked a hotel in Shinjuku, then my booking was cancelled because the government had booked the entire hotel for covid patients (who needed to be isolated but didn't need to be in hospital), so that's a possible reason.
Looks like the APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Chuo is open, which is in a great location. So much nearby in that area. I've stayed in the Hotel Gracery (at the Toho Cinema complex the next block along) and the walk to the station's very quick.
Shinjuku Station has (literally) hundreds of exits, so I'd happily stay anywhere that's nearby.
Hi Amy you seem to like staying high up in hotels so you can enjoy the views. Which is great, but I hate it when tall buildings move when there’s an earthquake, I actually hate this more than the earthquake!! Did you have this experience? Maybe I’m just super sensitive and it’s not that noticeable 😄 but I was watching your video and thinking wow I couldn’t stay above an office block!!
Hehe, I was woken up by a short earthquake once! (Not as big as the one I was in on the subway once....!). I was half asleep so it was a bit confusing!
@@cakeswithfaces the first time I noticed the hotels moving was in Tokyo during typhoon Jebi (we really had bad luck with natural disasters!!) but I thought maybe I was imagining it, then last time we were in a lovely hotel in Yokohama, quite high up and I felt the building sway and move! I didn't notice the earthquake as such, more the movement, and in fact we checked the NHK app and there had just been a 4 or 5!! It certainly hasn't put me off though and we can't wait to go back.
@@francescabrooker-rao9534 Oh no that is bad luck!! Hopefully no natural disasters next time! I was in a 7 or 8 on the subway once - it was the evening on the day we arrived and I was really sleepy. The train was shaking and it stopped for a bit, but no one else batted an eyelid! No panic at all.
I stayed I. The century hotel in sishjuku it was amazing it was my 13th birthday
Sounds good! Amazing way to celebrate your birthday!
Do all hotel rooms have these fancy toilets with bidet function and stuff?
Yes, every hotel I've stayed at has had one!
Do hotels have pools in Japan? Somebody once told me hotels with pools are not really a thing in Japan, or that they're really really rare. But I do like me some swimming after a long day of tourism. :D
No they're not really a thing in hotels! It'd be quite unusual to have one. Some hotels have onsen (hot spring baths) but they're not for swimming!! :-)
@@cakeswithfaces Thank you for your reply :D
We stayed at the Park Hotel at Shiodome as well and we loved it! Our rooms had a view of Mt. Fuji and the Tokyo tower but the view of the
Tokyo Bay seemed equally nice. The rooms were very spacious, we didn’t realize that was a luxury in Japan as it was the first of several hotels we stayed at during our stay. The breakfast was really great and the food in their restaurants was also good, especially the Wagyu. And all around the hotel there were artworks, some for sale. (There is an art gallery on the lower floor of the same building as the hotel.) It was convenient, too, that it was not too far from the Haneda airport and Shimbashi station. There was the Shiodome station just right at the hotel but we only ever used it once and preferred to walk to Shimbashi. One thing we found odd was that the hotel starts at an upper floor of the building. But it seems that’s not too unusual in Japan…(?)
That sounds fantastic. Really glad you enjoyed staying there too! There are a few hotels that start on upper floors. They're always a good choice because you're more likely to get good views! I think it's because of how densely populated Tokyo is - it's not unusual for restaurants or bars to be on upper or lower floors. The city's built vertically as well as side by side on the street.
If you have enough budget, please try to Imperial Hotel.
I guarantee perfect satisfaction.
Thanks for the recommendation!
@@cakeswithfaces
Thank you for reply.
No problem ! 😌
Have you ever stayed in JR hotel? How much discount can we get using JR pass?
Actually I've never stayed in a hotel with a JR pass discount. From what I've heard, they're quite pricey hotels to start with so you can get a better deal through hotel sites at a less expensive hotel - but check that if you're interested in any of them!
@@cakeswithfaces Ya that's what I found on the internet too..
And how much do the luggage storage on stations cost? Like when u have to go to different places, so its convenient to put luggage at station..
@@Rachit114 For suitcases, lockers are about 500-800 yen. Usually I leave my luggage at the hotel if I check out early or arrive early before check-in time - if you ask at reception most hotels will look after it for you for free. :-)
@@cakeswithfaces Oh ya that's great.. Thanks for the response Amy ! :D
Can you tell me the best hotel for a solo wheelchair user
There are some great recommendations here from Accessible Japan: www.accessible-japan.com/wheelchair-accessible-hotels-tokyo/
Most hotels have elevators, but they're often very cramped in the actual room, so check their their advice and reviews!
Anything good near akihabara?
I always visit Akihabara but I haven't stayed there. For me, I don't think it's such a convenient location to get around to other places I'm visiting (just for my plans - it's not an inconvenient place to stay in general at all!) - I prefer staying on the west side! :-)
The better hotel is where you live , the best room is yours 😊😊
There's no place like home!
@@cakeswithfaces bet you're right , I am a 44 years old single . Isn't that bad
One thing that should be noted about APA hotels is that their chairman and political contributions are VERY RIGHT WING and are deniers of Japanese atrocities in WWII. Some of their hotels have explicit propaganda in the desk drawers, and there is a display sponsored by them on the grounds of the Imperial Palace.
Good to know.
I was kind of surprised.
You’ve never stayed at a ryokan?
That I hear is worth the trip alone. Can I ask why you haven’t tried one?
Yes, I've heard great things too! I just never made it my priority - mainly because many are all about the onsen, and (despite all the good things I've heard!) I'm not really a bath/spa person. Also it's difficult with the meal being vegetarian - although there are ryokan that can offer vegetarian options. I'd like to one day for the experience though! :-) And onsen towns look so pretty and picturesque!
@@cakeswithfaces see I love the idea of a hot bath. I hear it’s great for people with a messed up knee like me. So I want to try it. Plus it looks so nice to be out in the dead of winter and be warm.
That’s why I’m going in the winter time.
The food worries me. I hate to waste food & they give you so much. Even I couldn’t eat it all. Plus I hate my veggies lol
@@litawolf1684 It does look like a lot of food! Although maybe that's because it's a lot of small dishes. Go with someone who can eat the leftovers and veggies for you!! :-)
@@cakeswithfaces sadly I travel alone & my mom won’t try new foods. Ive tried.
You are so cool and Kawii
💖💖💖
Hi
Hi!
Granbell
It's a great hotel!
Do you know, Sarah H.?!?!
No, sorry!
Beautyfull looking
Yes they're beautiful hotels :-)
I kind of understand your point about Kabukicho not being that dangerous as some people may make it look, but at the same time, it is probably the last place in Tokyo I would recommend a solo female traveler to stay.
What I dislike is when people over emphasize how Japan is safe to the point it can lead people to be careless. I do think that Japan is really safe, but as you said in the Kabukicho video, you have to use your common sense too.
Yes, common sense is always required! Having grown up in London with all the pick-pocketing, etc, even though it's supposedly safe to leave your bag/wallet on unattended on your table in restaurants, etc, I'd never actually do that! Especially when there are so many tourists who might not all be as honest as Japanese culture's reported to be.