Cerulean Towers Tokyo vs. Intercontinental Strings or Ana Hotel
 

Thinking about where to stay in Tokyo...want our first part of our trip to be centrally located in Tokyo and our second part of our visit to be convenient to trains, etc for day trips...

Any thoughts are appreciated!

There is no one central location in Tokyo. ANA Hotel isn't convenient to very much at all except shopping/restaurants in Roppongi, because it's something of a hike to the subway.

Cerulean is in Shibuya, which has lots of shopping and is on the Yamanote line, which gives good access to sites in Tokyo.

Strings is also on Yamanote line, and is also on the Shinkansen line to Osaka/Nagoya/Kyoto. However, Stings neighborhood (Shinagawa) does not have the shopping that you find in Shibuya.

I just recently stayed at the ANA and though the hotel was fine, I wished I had stayed in the Shibuya neighborhood at the Cerulean since so much was within walking distance and it was a much more interesting area. My Japanese friend had also mentioned that rooms are larger at the Cerulean.

Cerulean Towers gets my vote and also love the surrounding neighborhood

Aloha!

I haven't stayed at the ANA or Strings but would certainly recommend The Cerulean. The area surrounding the hotel is dynamic with lots of shopping and restaurants etc... It's located a few minutes' walk from Shibuya station which makes it an excellent location for public transportation access. As pointed out it's reasonably close to the nearest Shinkansen access at Shinagawa Station (perhaps a half dozen stops on the Yamanote line)