I’m not going to recommend specific hotels because your budget and travel plans are unique to you, but here’s how you should pick a place to stay in Tokyo.
How to check out the options and book your hotel by yourself online
The best way to see all the options is to do a Google search (which you can refine by neighborhood, price, etc.) so you can check the map and see exactly where the hotel is but don’t click on the Google link. Use an app to book it or go to the hotel website directly. (Some Google booking service links have hidden charges and draconian cancellation policies, not to mention charging you a much higher room rate compared to the price listed on the hotel website.)
I use Agoda, because it’s in English, allows you to use a credit card not issued by a Japanese bank, and they sometimes have rooms set aside even when the hotel website says no vacancy. You can get it from your phone’s app store. It looks like this:
Now, here’s how to go about picking a hotel that fits your needs!
1: Choose your neighborhood
Picking a neighborhood depends on two things:
1) What part of town most of the things you’d like to do are in
2) What kind of eateries/drinkeries you’d like to experience
Key point: You don’t need to be in or near the neighborhoods you want to visit, you just want to be near train lines that get you there quickly and easily.
Here’s a subway map of Tokyo. (And here’s a link to the subway map PDF)
And here are some of the destinations clustered around the three main train hubs where there are a wide range of hotels: the Asakusa Area, the Tokyo/Otemachi Area and the Shibuya Area:
Local knowledge warning: Avoid staying in Shinjuku! There are lots of great hotels there, but Shinjuku Station is under construction (and will be until 2028) and it’s a NIGHTMARE. Even I get lost there and am cursing it by the time I find a train line I’ve been using for years. Save yourself. Shibuya Station is now (mostly) finished, and is nearly as big a train line hub as Shinjuku, so if you’re after that “big city, neon Tokyo” feel, go for Shibuya instead.
• If you want that bustling big city shopping/eating/drinking with a lively late-night vibe, search the Shibuya area for hotels in a wide range of prices.
• If you’d like a comfortable luxury hotel that’s central to everything, look for one near Tokyo Station/Otemachi Station. This district is also called Marunouchi or Chiyoda. It’s a big downtown business district, so it’s expensive and there won’t be any charming back streets near your hotel, but the train line access to everywhere is great.
• If you’re going to be exploring places in the northeast corner of Tokyo (in general, the northern part of town is the most charming and Old Tokyo), search for hotels in Asakusa. There will be a lot of hotels in Ueno too, which is convenient but much less interesting and picturesque.
2: What kind of hotel do I need?
Cheap “business” hotel:
Pros: Inexpensive, close to train stations, many choices all over Tokyo
Cons: Rooms are tiny (like, barely room to open your suitcase) and very basic; you have to be very careful to book a non-smoking room; many amenities are only available as upcharges; no gym; information may not be in English and there may not be English-speaking staff and there will be no concierge services for booking reservations. If there’s a breakfast buffet at all, it’s small and uninspiring and often an upcharge
Regular/expensive hotel:
Pros: Close to convenient train stations, many choices near major transportation hubs, more spacious/comfortable rooms (although will still seem small compared to anywhere else). More likely to have English-speaking staff and hotel information in English. They are more likely to offer amenities like gyms, breakfast buffet, and concierge services for booking reservations/tickets for restaurants, events and tours. Depending on the price, there may be an upcharge for amenities.
Cons: Not cheap.
3: Choose which hotel by the walking distance from the nearest train station
Distance to the nearest train station is key, because you’ll be schlepping between there and the hotel many times, sometimes with luggage. Hotel prices usually vary by how many minutes it is from the nearest station, and if the hotel’s “Access” page doesn’t estimate how many minutes it takes to walk there, Google it and check the map because you may find it’s quite a hike. You’ll already be doing a lot of walking, so adding mileage on both ends can be less welcome that you might imagine.
Also…
• Nearly every neighborhood in central Tokyo (except the big business district) has little local shopping streets and eateries and bars. The quality is incredibly high everywhere, so even random hole-in-the-wall places will be sublime compared to Japanese food back home. No matter where you stay, if you walk around outside you can find places like this.
• Japanese hotel breakfast buffet is fabulous. If your hotel offers it, I highly recommend it. They usually have both Japanese and western choices, and you can eat as much/little as you like, and be challenged by local culture only as much as you’re comfortable with first thing in the morning. Check to make sure they open early, because if you’re coming from North America, you’ll be waking up at 3:00 am and starving by 6:00.
More useful info:
Practical Japan travel advice (using the trains, how to travel in Japan with food allergies, where to get cash, and stuff like that) is at Travel Tips and Tricks
If you’d like to see the places I take my friends when they come to Tokyo, all my favorite destinations are on The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
and
Click here for all the other Japan goodness on Jonelle Patrick Writes About Japan:
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 