I am looking for advice on Tokyo hotels. What area of Tokyo is best for general sight seeing? Does it matter much, or is it easy to get around with public transportation? This is sort of a last minute trip for the first week of June. It will be my husband and I and boy/girl twins who just graduated from high school.

Tokyo is really huge, almost like seven or eight cities rolled up in one. I'd recommend checking www.japan-guide.com and working out which sights you'll be visiting and which area appeals the most. I loved staying back in Asakusa last month, where we stayed on our first visit to Tokyo a few years ago too.

We have not yet looked into hotels, but I would imagine staying close to the metro would be helpful.

We like the Ginza area. The subway line is right there, and there are many restaurants and shops nearby. Your teenage girl, at least, will love the shops, especially the two large department stores there.

We recently stayed in the Asakusa/Yanaka area. Lots of sights and good neighborhood walking.
If your trip is this June you are already too late to book many popular places and areas especially for a quad.
Better get your reservations locked up asap.
Anywhere in Tokyo you'll be able to get around. Read the reviews on the booking sites and try to book the best sounding/reviewed places with good cancellation policy.
We liked the Annex Katsutaro Ryokan Yanaka and The Richmond Premier Asakusa
Toyoko Inn chain is always an option too
Good Luck

I like the following:

Higashi-Ginza, Courtyard
Akasaka, Hotel New Otani
Shinjuku, Keio Plaza

We also stayed at the "Richmond Hotel Premier Asakusa International" in Asakusa and really liked it. Location could not have been better, room was decent, price was really really good. We booked room only, which is usually our preference so we can go and enjoy breakfast at a local coffee shop.

It's RIGHT next door to the "Richmond Hotel Asakusa", by the way, which is therefore also excellently located. Can't comment on the rooms there, but we stayed at another non-Premier Richmond Hotel elsewhere and liked it fine so I'd guess these would be fine too.

I like Booking.com not only because most hotels can be reserved with no upfront payment and cancellation up to 3 days before, but also for the detailed room descriptions including room size, which makes it easier to compare.

Just a few thoughts. First what is your budget? Few Japanese hotels have rooms that will accomadate 4 adults and you might need two rooms. Being close to a subway or train station is important and better if you are close to both. Being close to the Yamanote Circle train line is very convenient. I usually stay in Ebisu but Shinjuku has a lot of hotel selections and is central for transportation purposes. The Shinjuku train station is however very confusing and although I have probably been through it over 100 times I am still never completely certain where I am. Tokyo station is much easier to navigate but I do not spend much time around the Ginza.

You need to do some research and define for yourselves what your "general sightseeing" will entail. Go to japan-guide.com and look at everything you can. What are you trying to see - temples, the palace, Mt Fuji (day trip), Nikko (day trip), Odaiba, etc.?

The notion that Tokyo has one area that is convenient is not based on reality. It is one of the largest cities in the world, has the most populous metro area in the world and is a world-wide destination city for travelers and businesspeople like London, Hong Kong, and NYC.

Much of Tokyo is "near the Metro." Much of it is also near the ubiquitous JR train lines that cover the city. The "Yamanote Circle train line" is the Yamanote line run by JR - Japan Rail. It is NOT a Tokyo Metro line.

Japan's various "how to" manuals for its innumerable public features like the Tokyo Metro, cash cards (see Suica, Pasmo and Icoca), etc. tend to be very good.

Here's the Tokyo Metro (for Dummies) entry: http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/

Here's the Tokyo area JR lines and where they overlap with Tokyo Metro: https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/downloads...rrailsub_e.pdf

Shinjuku station is the busiest in the world. Everyone gets lost. It's a badge of honor.

I have stayed at the Ritz Carlton (twice), Palace Hotel Tokyo, Peninsula and Park Hyatt. Thinking of trying the Aman on my next trip.

All excellent and expensive but very good value for money. My favourites are the RC and PHT. The views from the RC are fantastic, and it's a wonderful walk to Omotesando, don't be put off by the fact it's a cemetery. The PHT is better for Ginza. We stayed at the Club level as we like top floors.

We have never used the subway as we love walking, and we have only been there in march/april and october when the weather is good for walking. We also use taxis a lot, taxis are everywhere and are quite cheap. So I wouldn't say it matters too much where you stay, especially if you are ok with taxis.

We stayed mandarine Oriental, Peninsular,both club level,fantastic view and location,you have two teenager,maybe Roppongi Hyatt, great Mori Museum right there from there you can take train subway,taxi,close to anywhere,Shibuya, Harajuku ,Shinjuku,Ueno,Skyrtree, Fish market,just explore every where
with your kids,in Tokyo many under-grounds are interesting to see,many shops eateries,visit some of interesting Museums(look at the Museum sites)in Tokyo are the most unique collections all year around, make sure educational & memorable place to google up before you leave-to see what your interests are ?
not just sight seeing. KMkuro