Hi There!
My Husband and I will be travelling to Japan for the first time this coming November 2012. We will be in the country for around 2 weeks, meeting up with a friend who lives in Tokyo (she lives just west of Shibuya, near a stop on the Keio Electric Railway), exploring the city for a few days and then moving on to other parts of Japan. I have been researching hotels in Tokyo and have come up with a few that meet our budget and have good reviews on several sites. I was wondering if anyone could comment on the selections and help me pick one.
-Citadines Tokyo Shinjuku - 10,000Yen/night ($133 Canadian) - Free Wifi In Room
-Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku - 10,300 Yen/night ($137 Canadian) - Wifi only in Lobby
-Hotel Century Southern Tower - 13,640 Yen/night ($181 Canadian) - Free Wifi in Room, bigger rooms, central but pricier than all the other options; unlikely to choose this hotel unless someone says it's really worth the extra cost
- b ikebukuro - 11,077 yen/night ($147 Canadian) - breakfast included, small rooms, only a shower (would like to be able to soak my feet due to a skin condition)
- Ryokan Sawonoya - 10,080 Yen/night ($134 Canadian) - has onsen, wifi, 5 min to subway or 15 minute to JR, not very central but more local experience
I like the idea of a Ryokan (esp. the onsen!) and a local feel, but seeing as we will most likely be visiting Kyoto on our trip, should we save this experience for there? As this is our first trip to Tokyo we will for sure want to experience some of the nightlife (a la Lost in Translation 
) so would a more central location be better? I'm leaning toward the Citadines because you get a good amount of space for the money and it seems pretty close to Shinjuku Station (moderate walk or a couple subway stops). If anyone has any suggestions as to the best choice or,if I am way off in my selections, any other suggestions? Any help with making the final decision would be really helpful! Thanks very much!
(Additional Info about us if helpful: I'm 26 and my husband is 31. We don't know any Japanese yet. )
Help with Hotel Selection in Tokyo
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Of those picks I would choose the Hotel Sunroute. Have you seen this hotel chain yet? The Dormy Inn's rooms are on the smaller size but the free onsen just might make a difference in your price range. It's heaven to come back to your hotel and soak after a long day of walking. You can also book Dormy Inn's through Agoda.com
http://www.japanican.com/hotels/list.aspx?ty=dormyinn&so=ar
btw, we just did our tenth trip to Japan recently and I don't speak any Japanese either.....well maybe just a couple of words here and there......
Aloha!
Are you sure the B has only a shower? That would be really unusual. Most rooms have the "all in one shower & deep soakjing tub (you sit rather than lay back in it. I've stayed in other bs and they all had the furo.
Shower only in my "double" room at the Ikebukuro b. I like the hotel a lot.
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/tokyo0809/e3799df74
I also stayed at the Ikebukkuro b. The hotel is fun and trendy, decorated in bright colors. Our 9th-floor double room (orange and green) was long and narrow, with a big window onto the street. Shower only, but a very nice one. Breakfast was served in the wine bar of the adjoining Italian restaurant--both Japanese and Western choices, including pasta and meatballs! Loved the location -- very short walk to the train station; close to interesting shopping, restaurants (try the Gyoza Stadium in Sunshine City for a crazy, unique experience!), and nightlife. But you can also take in the quiet neighborhoods nearby if you leave the main streets. We definitely enjoyed our stay there.
I go to Japan 2 to 3 times a year for the past 10 years. I have stayed at Southern Century Tower a few times. Room size is OK, about 22SM. Since the hotel is located from some 28/F or 34/F (Can't remember exactly) above, you get a good view of Tokyo city. (Washroom on the lobby floor has a full length window !). Very good neighbourhood, 5 minutes to train station, Starbucks and Mcdonald's nearby.
Haven't stayed at Sunroute or others so can not compare. But south and west of Shinjuku station has a better neighbourhood than the east. I stayed at b Kobe (not Tokyo) before. Room very small, but modern, not a bad choice.
Recently I mostly stayed at Keio Plaza Shinjuku in Tokyo, bigger room, more restaurants nearby, 10 minutes to train station. Price close to Yen 20,000 per night. But you can try the travel agent.
Tokyo in November should be in 15-25C, much warmer than Toronto. But Tokyo is in shortage of electricity, so prepare to be in a weak air conditioning.
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