98 Best Hotels in Japan

Surrounded by a plethora of shops and restaurants and situated a short walk from JR Tachikawa Station and the two Tachikawa monorail stations on the Tama Toshi line, this hotel makes for an excellent base for exploring West Tokyo. Regional hiking trails, parks, and in the summer, blueberry patches, are also nearby, making a stay here feel like a true getaway. Although there's only one on-site restaurant, the quality is good, with some ingredients even being locally sourced.

Attached to Hon-Kawagoe Seibu Station and close to the historical Ichibangai shopping street and JR/Tobu Kawagoe Station, this hotel is a convenient choice for families, couples, and solo travelers alike. Rooms, though uninspired, are well-maintained, and some are occasionally given themes—featuring Moomin characters, say, or a tie-in with the Japanese music group, Glay. Dining options include a buffet breakfast on the top floor, restaurants specializing in regional Japanese and Chinese cuisine, and a lobby-level bar with classic cocktails and Japanese whiskies. 

The 7Days and its slightly plusher next-door annex 7Days Plus ( 2–13–6 Harimaya-cho  088/884–7111) are budget business hotels done right. Smart, clean, and with all the basic amenities (including free Wi-Fi), rooms are an excellent value. Each hotel has connecting double rooms that are ideal for a family of four. Slightly removed from the nightlife center, the hotels are in the backstreets northeast of Harimaya Bridge.

Creature comforts await you at this downtown hotel, which seems a world away from the rugged outback seaport city of Abashiri. Western-style rooms done up in shades of yellows and blues, spacious Japanese rooms, and combination rooms overlook a main road out front or a parking lot out back. Fish from the local icy waters are a specialty of the Grand Glacier restaurant, which serves Japanese, Chinese, and French fare. English speakers are on staff.

A level-up on the typical business hotel, the Agnes has a more sophisticated feel than similarly priced options in town. One reason for that are the French pastries served downstairs, all baked on premises with high-quality ingredients and seasonal fruit. Add to that English-speaking staff and rooms that are compact but comfortable, with a white-and-brown color scheme. Across the street is a sister property, the Agnes Plus, which has a public bath open to guests of either Agnes. Walking out of the train station, take the second of two narrow streets that branch out to the right.

Some of the rooms at this Western-style chain property have great views of Nijo Castle, which sits directly across the street, but though reasonably well appointed, they and the public areas are strictly standard issue and hardly atmospheric. In summer the breeze wafting through the popular rooftop beer garden is as exhilarating as are the nighttime city views.

Downtown's biggest international hotel, the ANA has some great city views and a good range of facilities, including a fitness center, several restaurants, and a top-floor bar. While not stunning, the rooms are all smart and clean, and doubles especially are good value for the rates. It's located next to Mitsukoshi department store on Ichiban-cho. Book a room with a view of the castle.

Unusually large beds and a central location—it's a block east of the ferry dock—make APA Hotel a good no-frills choice. This is a budget-priced hotel but offers a range of spacious Western-style rooms. If you need more space, there are family rooms for up to three people and deluxe rooms that can easily sleep five.

A three-minute walk west from Senso-ji, this fairly recent hipster-ish addition to Asakusa's hotel scene has rooms (on its third to tenth floors) that are spacious and modern, with wooden flooring, wide windows, and stark concrete accents. The second-floor theater and first-floor restaurant–bar—both operated by the same company as the hotel—attract a creative crowd. 

The Nagoya branch of this business hotel chain combines an excellent central location in Sakae (on Hisaya-odori) with good value rates. As with all decent business hotels, design-wise each room is simple and modern but very well kept, plus you get free Wi-Fi, and the free coffee in the lobby helps save a few hundred yen a day.

If you need a vacation from your vacation, then step off of Shinjuku's streets and into this Balinese-themed fantasy island, one of Tokyo's many "love hotels" that happens to offer both nice overnight accommodations and a quintessential Japanese experience (in general, people come to a love hotel for fun rather as a place to stay). Your room might have a karaoke machine, a projection system for movies, a massage chair, or even a sauna. There is pricing for day use or an overnight stay, so if you're looking for somewhere to spend a rainy afternoon, that's also an option. Typically love hotels are for couples (some refuse same-sex couples), but this place also welcomes small parties and events, so also offers food. Everyone must be over 18. 

This affordable hotel is within a few minutes’ walk of JR Nara and Kintetsu-Nara stations. Rooms may be basic, but they are more stylish and spacious than most hotels within a similar price range. Beds are super comfortable, and the area is quiet at night, despite the central location. The morning breakfast buffet will set you up for a day of sightseeing.

Located in downtown Narita City, a very short walk from both train stations and close to Narita Omotesando, the shopping street leading to the beautiful Naritsan temple grounds, this minimalist property is the perfect base for some last-minute souvenir hunting and sightseeing. Other perks include a self-service laundry facility and a rate that includes a basic continental breakfast.

A reliable and well-maintained member of a business-hotel chain next to the Marugame-machi shopping arcade, the Roynet has helpful staff and great access to Takamatsu's main drinking and dining areas. The rooms are small, but the slightly larger "Hollywood twin" ones come with reclining massage chairs. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, and there's a handy coin laundry on-site, plus a 24-hour convenience store in the same building.

This hotel chain is a trustworthy option when you're unsure of where to stay, but this branch also puts you in an area that is worth exploring and close to most of the places you'll want to visit in Hirosaki. It's a simple place, with nice touches like a welcome drink bar and goodies available for your after-bath relaxation. The rooms are simple and geared toward business travelers but can work well for a couple; however, keep in mind that the queen bed can almost fill a room. The fifth floor has smoking rooms. Do opt for the breakfast buffet; there are not many other places to get breakfast nearby.

This mid-range business hotel chain's Nagoya outlet features all the usual Dormy touches aimed to please weary business travelers, including communal hot-spring baths, free late-night ramen, complimentary ice bars after bathing, and all-you-can-drink coffee in the lobby. The rooms are on the small side but smart and clean, and all come with Wi-Fi. The hotel is a few blocks east of Fushimi subway station and a short walk to Sakae. Breakfast is available for an additional fee.

With its central location, smart decor, and great amenities, this branch of a national chain seems almost too good to be true in this price range. The terrific rooftop hot tub gets bonus points, and you can have an affordable in-house massage, the perfect way to relax after a day of sightseeing.

Just south of Toyama Station, the DoubleTree is one of the smartest options in Toyama, with simple but contemporary interiors, plus nice extras like communal hot-spring baths, a bar, and a 24-hour fitness center. Rooms range from twins (also for single occupancy) to spacious suites suitable for families. To get the free Wi-Fi, sign up for a free Hilton Honors membership; otherwise it's ¥1,100 a day.

Centrally located and affordably priced, this business hotel is a good alternative when you're looking to save a few yen. The rooms are small and simple but not wanting in any of the standard amenities. The restaurant serves decent Western- and Japanese-style breakfasts for ¥800, as well as a simple ¥380 coffee and toast "morning set." The hotel is a short walk from Fushimi subway station.

Murals, art objects, and custom-made furniture by local artists enliven every room and even the public hallways of this boutique hotel on an antiques shop–lined street in the heart of Gion. Its sister hotel (Hotel Gion Misen) is within a block on Shinmonzen-dori.

A top choice for a luxury ryokan experience, Hanajyukai overlooks city and sea from a flower-covered mountainside. In typical ryokan fashion, most rooms are fully tatami, but some also incorporate wood flooring, and there are rooms with beds (not futon) tastefully incorporated into the traditional design; book one of the "designers rooms" for that. Or splurge on a "rotemburo-tsuki" room, if you want a private hot-spring bath. Dinners are classic kaiseki with French twists, although no-meal plans are available if you want to cut costs or eat out in Takamatsu. The scenic rooftop spa will melt your travel stress away. The inn is a 10-minute taxi ride from the city center.

For travelers on a budget, the Hearton Hotel Shin-sai-bashi offers a good location and very reasonable rates. Located in Amerika-mura, a short walk from the Shin-sai-bashi subway stop and the Mido-suji and Shin-sai-bashi shopping streets, the Hearton is perfectly situated so you can take advantage of Osaka's shopping and nightlife. The rooms are small but comfortable. The hip Planet 3rd café is next door.

Given its proximity to Narita Airport (15 minutes away on a free shuttle), this hotel is a solid choice for a one-night visit. All the rooms are no-smoking; if available, book one of the deluxe rooms, which are slightly larger and are done in neutral colors. Meal options include a Japanese restaurant, a Sichuan eatery, and the Terrace Bar for an evening cocktail. The breakfast buffet is a bit expensive but it offers a mix of Japanese and Western selections. Also, in case you forgot to get snacks for your flight, there is a 7-Eleven on the ground floor.

Almost a century old, this traditional inn has wood-decorated tatami rooms and narrow, squeaking corridors. The hosts are congenial and considerate, and for a small extra fee will prepare breakfast. Hoshide-kan is near the quaint Kawasaki area, five minutes north of Kintetsu Station or 10 minutes from JR Station. Follow the main street and it's on the right just before the second set of signals. If you want to explore the city on two wheels, the inn rents bicycles for ¥300 a day.

Established in 1957 and renovated in 2015, these budget accommodations offer both good value for the money and easy access (a 15-minute walk) to the nightlife of Roppongi. Standard rooms billed as semi-doubles here are really singles, but the superior twins are quite spacious for the price. Appointments are a bit spartan—off-white walls, mass-market veneer furniture—but each room has comfortable beds and plenty of basic amenities like a hair dryer, electric kettle, yukata (Japanese robe), and a TV. The restaurant serves a breakfast buffet that includes freshly baked bread.

One step up from a standard Japanese business hotel, the Buena Vista has a glowing marble lobby and facilities that include a coffeehouse, café-bar, and three restaurants. Single rooms snugly accommodate a small double bed, while standard doubles and twins have space for a table and chairs. The hotel is four blocks southeast of Matsumoto Station, and there's a free shuttle bus from the station.

Guest rooms at this hotel in Dogo are compact but have a modern Japanese aesthetic. If you want a larger room, opt for a deluxe twin, which combines a bedroom and small tatami mat room. Breakfast (extra fee) is a step up from the average midrange hotel offerings. It's a buffet of fresh local vegetables delivered daily direct from Ehime farmers, and the fish comes from the Seto Inland Sea.

This nine-story hotel curves around a corner just up from the ASPAM building as if it belonged in a periodically snowbound 1990s-era Miami Beach. The lobby is open and bright and has an adjacent restaurant. A prime location makes shopping and exploring the city center easier, and because it's close to the harbor, you can easily walk along the waterfront in the morning. The rooms are spacious, some have sea views, and some accommodate guests in wheelchairs.

Yamagata's most centrally located upscale hotel caters to many busy corporate travelers from Tokyo and other big cities. There are two connected wings, but breakfast is served in the main building. The lounge and rooms are spacious, the staff are efficient, and decor is snappy and stylish. Upper-floor rooms have views you won't want to turn away from.