RJames

Yet another question from me about my last minute trip to Japan, I have a flight that arrives late at Haneda airport and only hotel availabilty at an airport hotel isn't good. I have booked a room at the Tokoyo Inn near Haneada on Tokoyo Inn's website. When booking the room I was never asked for credit card information, I have a confirmation number for my reservation. My flight arrives at 10.15 at night and since I fly to Hiroshima the following day it makes sense to stay near the airport. The website asked me my estimated arrival time when I made the booking, I entered midnight as I didn't have a later option. I just want to be sure that the room will be held for me even if the flight is delayed and I arrive past midnight. Since there is no credit card to guarantee the room I am worried the hotel will just assign the room to somebody else if I don't show up by midnight. I have sent an email to the hotel a few days ago and there has been no responce. My questions, does Tokoyo Inn usually take a credit card when making reservations? How reliable are they when it comes to holding the room for a late arrival.

Any advice on what I should do would be appreciated.

Thank you.

kotoanne

They don't take credit card info when you make a reservation. I'd send them a fax and tell them your situation. That's what I did last week when I was arriving on an int'l flight from the US. I gave them my flight number and told them it was an int'l flight and that I might be late (I wasn't). You might provide your credit card info just in case. I asked them to reply by e-mail to confirm that they received and understood my fax, and they did.

Mara

kotoanne, that's good to know that they will email you back if you fax them.....I wonder if all of them do that or just that particular hotel....that's one thing that annoys me about their online system - you can't contact them individually and you can't make changes, only cancellations....

kotoanne

I faxed them because their e-mail says that it's a "no reply" e-mail" and that if you have questions, you should fax or phone them. I'm not sure if it says it in English or Japanese. I faxed them in Japanese with a copy of my confirmation e-mail at the bottom and then specifically askedt them to reply by e-mail, which they did almost immediately even though it was very early morning in Japan. They should be able to read/write English well enough to respond to you, especially since you're dealing with the one near Haneda--mine was in Shinagawa, and they seemed to deal with English-speaking customers OK.

Mara

I've stayed in quite a few and they usually speak a little English - the only problem I ever had was in Toyama - the hotel I planned to stay in was closed due to a water issue and I was sent to their other hotel a few blocks away. They put me in a smoking room - I had requested non-smoking. When I went back to reception I said I couldn't stay in a smoking room - I said allery - アレルギ　？－very similar in Japanese - and stood there and coughed until they gave me a no-smoking room. ;-)

RJames

Thank you kotoanne and Mara. Mara, I will print the link you posted on my other thread and I'll visit the complex for dinner the first night I am in Hiroshima, I appreciate your suggestion - thank you.

Back to Tokoyo Inn, I did have to book a smoking room as there weren't any non smoking rooms available, do you think if I cough and cough at the reception like Mara did I'd get a non smoking room? ;-) Just kidding!

I will call the hotel a little later (it is 7 in the morning in Japan just now) and see if I can communicate with the hotel staff.

RJames

Just called the hotel and spoke to a very helpful receptionist who speaks English well. I explained the sitution and I was told not to worry about my credit card information and was asked for my flight number, so the hotel can check if my flight is delayed and they will hold the room for me. So, all is well. I've never stayed at a Tokoyo Inn and the receptionist has certainly made a good impression.

Mara

I've stayed in quite a few - Shinagawa, Kurashiki, Nagoya, Kanazawa, Matsumoto, Toyama and my upcoming trip - a few more. I know there was an issue a few years back with some falsification of information concerning disabled access - I remember reading about it at the time. So maybe I am not being politically correct - however, I find them very clean and usually convenient to the station. I also have come to love their Japanese breakfasts. And their vending machines with beer. ;-) Plus I like the internet access and you can't beat the price - outside of Tokyo they are quite the deal. I joined their Club so now I get discounts plus early reservation privilege which is good for a city like Kyoto.
Enjoy!

RJames

Ah, yes the vending machines with beer I have pics of them from previous trips as nobody at home would belive me if I'd told them about it.

I've stayed in Dai Ichi hotels, Sunroute hotels, Hiltons and Crowne Plazas on most trips to Japan. I get the impression the Tokoyo Inn Hotels provide good value for money.

Thank you for your help, Mara enjoy your upcoming trip to Japan.