satrijoe

Hello travelers,
I am within a month from taking off to Japan with my wife and daughter and realized I have not firmed up my hotel reservations.

I will try to mix up my stays using rewards, some discount hotels and at least one night I would like to stay at a Ryokan.

As for the discount hotels, I got two recommendations from a relative that is living in Japan:
Super Hotel: http://www.superhotel.co.jp/en/index.html
Toyoko Inn: http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/index.html

I would like to know if someone has stayed in any of them and can share good/bad reviews about them. Of course, other recommendations are welcome. I would need recommendations for stays in Hiroshima and Kyoto.

Thanks in advance!

Jed

Priceline offers some hotels in Tokyo.

kappa

I would call them economical hotels, perhaps not discount hotels if you know what I mean. They are both of the category "business hotels" meaning cheap, small (even for japan) but functional rooms, that are mostly single (thus for business people) with a semi-double bed. Those tiny rooms, usually clean enough, always have(again)a tiny bathroom, with a tiny tub. If you are not that big, you will survive. Usually provided free there are: yukata-kimono pyjama, very basic breakfast. A couple of pc at the lobby for free internet acces. They also usually have coin operated self service laundry machines.

I have a couple of stays at a Toyoko-Inn in Kabuki-cho, Tokyo and once at a Super Hotel in Gojo area, near Higashi-Honganji Temple. Super hotel is the lower of the "business hotel" category. In Kyoto it costed 5000 yen, 3 years ago (vs Toyoko Inn about 7000 yen) a night. There is no room key. They give you a door code upon check-in. The contact with hotel staff was minimal. You pay on arrival, get the door code, the rest is all self service. If the price is important, you might like to choose Superhotels. My impression is Toyoko-Inn is overall a little nicer.

I have used hotels of other (smaller) chain hotels in Kyoto more often. They were almost as cheap as Superhotel or rather closer to Toyoko-Inn's rates but with more personable service. Location was very central too. And the rooms were actually nicer and slightly bigger than Superhotel. They are : Mitsui Garden Hotels and CO-OP INN. Their rates don't include breakfast but they do provide good breakfast worth supplement.

kappa

Oh, I missed there are 3 of you.

Regarding Superhotel. did you already see the photo of the room for 3 persons ("super room" with a bunkbed)?
http://www.superhotel.co.jp/en/facilities.html

Also did you read FAQ? There are many no's (no credit card payment, ect) but I wonder if the following is important to you :
Is there any staff that speaks English?
We're sorry but there is no one who speaks English.

satrijoe

Hello Kappa.

Thanks for the quick and helpful reply.
I will be sure to check on the other suggestions that you provided.
I don't care that much about English Speaking staff. I think I speak a basic japanese (remains to be seen if it will be good enough).

In the end, I will have to get the OK from the "boss" on the hotel choice but we agreed it is OK to stay in more spartan hotels during the trip since I am also planning to stay at luxury hotels using my rewards.

Other inputs are still welcome!

satrijoe

Made reservations at the Toyoko-inn Hiroshima Shinkansen Guchi. It is very close to the Hiroshima Station (3 blocks I believe). They take credit cards and will not charge for my 8-year old daughter!!!

Since it looks like it will be easy to find Internet access throughout my trip, I will try to provide fresh updates on a regular basis.

mrwunrfl

Did the Toyoko web page tell you the size of the room and the size of the bed(s)?

JR Hiroshima station is really two stations, one for the shinkansen line the other for the Sanyo line and local trains. The shinkansen station is north of the other tracks which are north of the city. "shinkansen guchi" sounds like it is on the wrong side of the tracks. You might have to walk three blocks, walk through the station, then you would be in the main part of the city. That side of the station is where you would catch the street car to go to the Peace Park and other Hiroshima sites.

I don't know where that Toyoko Inn is at, but check a map that shows its location relative to the JR station.

There is a JR hotel right at the shinkansen station - attached to it. It is the Granvia. Another Hiroshima hotel I can recommend is the Rihga Royal - good location in the city.

KimJapan

You do understand that even though they don't charge for your 8 year old, you will pay in comfort...no bed will be provided for her (and one likely won't fit in the room anyway). If you reserved a double, it will be a standard double bed, for two people fine, but squeezy for 3. If you reserved a twin, it will be better as two people in a twin is better than 3 in a double. Twin rooms tend to be larger than doubles as well.

satrijoe

Great feedback!

KimJapan/mrwunrfl:
The Toyoko web page does not say the size of the room but I don’t expect to have much room to do morning taiso there! ;o) I am getting a twin bed room.

Thanks for the clarification about Hiroshima station. I am actually arriving from Tokyo so I expect to take the shinkansen exit straight to the hotel. I guess it will be convenient since we will be rolling with our luggage. I have plotted it on google earth and it should be fine. Here is the hotel website for those interested:
http://www.toyoko-inn.com/e_hotel/00104/index.html


I wonder if you have any comments on my other post about hotels in Kyoto, Osaka and etc.

mrwunrfl

The map at that link shows the hotel where I thought it was based on the name. You'll walk through the station to get to the street cars (bottom left corner on map).