Hello

I need to find accommodations for four people in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima for our trip in November. I'm looking for budget solutions with individual rooms (two people in each room), so hostels/dormitories are not an option for this trip.

Does someone know of a good, up-to-date document that would provide a list of accommodations for that type of price range in those cities, preferably with website/e-mail (I can read Japanese, but I'd rather places where they're used to seeing gaijin) so I can make reservations before leaving for Japan?

Thank you for any information.

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/index.htm

http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/

Not sure of your budget, but we were really pleased with Oak Hotel in Tokyo for about $80 USD/night. Fantastic place--though the rooms are tiny, they have everything you need and are very comfortable and clean. Great location close to trains and subways in Ueno area.

In Kyoto we had trouble finding hotels for less than $100/night. We ended up at Uno House and spent $60/night for private room with shared bath, but its not a place I would recommend if you have the budget for something more.

More info and pics at http://patrinadoestheglobe.blogspot.com/

In Kyoto, I recommend the Palaceside Hotel. Last July, it was $92 US per night for a room with two double beds and a bathroom. Very convenient to the metro. They have a website.

Kyoto is getting rather booked out for November, due to it being leaf-peeping season. If you find something suitable, book it asap.

HostelWorld has budget hotels (as well as hostels). When searching it brings up hostels first, but there is an option on the page to expand to include hotels. You might even be able to exclude hostels from the search to begin with.

http://www.hostelworld.com/

This website has a mix of hostels, ryoken and hotels (of varying prices). If you don't want to use it as a booking site, you could do your research on it and then google for the hotel's own website.

http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/en/

Also, there is a holiday on the (weekend of) 27th.

I have used this site in the past to find budget lodging:
http://www.itcj.jp

mrwunrfl - this poster asked the same question on another website - virtualtourist - and I answered him over there with the website you just posted......I guess great minds....

Take a look at Tour Club in Kyoto. They get good reviews and have some private rooms w/ensuite bathrooms for about $85 USD for a double. Also have larger private triple rooms. I looked into staying there.

Tour Club: http://www.kyotojp.com/

Also, check out the Kyoto Tower hotel
http://www.kyoto-tower.co.jp/tower_hotel/english.html

Thanks much everyone for the tips.

As for Tokyo, Rakuten offers this list of areas to choose from:
- Tokyo station, Ginza, Nihonbashi
- Shinbashi, Shiodome, Odaiba
- Akasaka, Roppongdi
- Shibuya, Aoyama
- Shinagawa, Meguro, Haneda airport
- Shinjuku, Nakano
- Ikebukuro, Akabane, Itabashi, Nerima
- Ochanomizu, Suidobashi, Iidabashi
- Ueno, Asakusa, Ryogoku
- Koto, Edogawa, Shinkoiwa

Which would you recommended that is close to a metro station, and neither too noisy like Shinjuku nor totally dead at night?

Thank you.

lbm- all those areas have access to the metro, so I would be more concerned with how close the actual hotel is to a train station.

From your listthough, I like Roppongi, Tokyo station, Ginza, Nihonbashi
- Shinbashi, Akasaka, Roppongi, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Iidabash, Ueno, Asakusa

Others, for me< would be Yanaka and Maronouchi.

Have you checked the "b" hotels owned by ishin group?

http://www.ishinhotels.com/en/

Thanks for the tip on the locations.

I'll check the Ishin web sites to see what they have.

BTW, we'll be four people, and don't mind sharing the same room.

Before I make reservations, I need to check two things:
1. In Japanese hotels, I read that prices are by person, so we don't save by sharing a roo
2. What is the difference between a "double room" and a "twin room"? Does it mean two single beds vs. one double-bed?

Thank you.

For those interested, here are the informations provided in this thread:

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/index.htm
http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/
http://www.hostelworld.com/
http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/en/
http://www.itcj.jp
http://www.ishinhotels.com/en/

Tokyo: Oak Hotel
Kyoto: Uno House, Palaceside Hotel, Tour Club (http://www.kyotojp.com/), Kyoto Tower hotel (http://www.kyoto-tower.co.jp/tower_hotel/english.html)

In Japanese inns and Japanese style rooms, it is usually per person. In regular hotels with beds, it's usually per room.

In both Tokyo and Kyoto we rented apartments. so inexpensive when shared with 4 adults and puts you in the heart of the cities

www.vrbo.com
In Hiroshima we stayed at Hotel Active! which was quite inexpensive and a wonderful boutique hotel centrally located- highly recommend

http://www.hotel-active.com/hiroshima/index.html

Yes, a twin room has two single beds. A double room has a one double bed. A double bed is smaller than a queen bed (too small for me to share, but YMMV).