Nice hotels in Tokyo

[abbby]

Have a make a short visit to Tokyo, can anyone recommend a nice, affordable hotel with shops and eateries downstairs?

[malcontent]

Last time we were in Tokyo (2023) we stayed at the Bespoke Hotel Shinjuku. For the price and location, it was the best deal for what you get.

It’s a 5 minute walk to Higashi-Shinjuku station, 10 minute walk to Shinjuku-Sanchome station and a 15 minute walk to the center of Shinjuku.

There is an eatery and convenience store just next to the hotel, several others if you walk another couple of minutes.

[malcontent]

In our experience, there is significant value in being close to what I call “the heart” of a place.

Flights are almost always the biggest cost, so time on the ground is precious to maximize your time and see the most.

For Tokyo, Shinjuku is the heart (like Times Square in NYC or Orchard Road in Singapore), so I highly recommend staying close by.

There are many trains that depart from Shinjuku to places like Mount Fuji, and direct limo buses from both airports, further adding efficiency.

Shibuya would be the next best alternative after Shinjuku, considering how much there is to see and do there, but Shinjuku and Shibuya aren’t too far from each other, and it’s easy to get to other parts of Tokyo from either one.

[NYY1]

If you are flying to Haneda, you can also consider the area around Shinagawa Station (convenient to/from the airport and a reasonably easy spot to get around from).

Personally, I don't like Shinjuku/Shibuya and would suggest the area from Minato/Tokyo Tower up to the Imperial Palace (of course, that is subjective).

Anyways, attractions in Tokyo tend to be spread out, so regardless of where you stay, you often end up going in different directions depending on the day.

[malcontent]

If you are flying to Haneda, you can also consider the area around Shinagawa Station (convenient to/from the airport and a reasonably easy spot to get around from).

Personally, I don't like Shinjuku/Shibuya and would suggest the area from Minato/Tokyo Tower up to the Imperial Palace (of course, that is subjective).

Anyways, attractions in Tokyo tend to be spread out, so regardless of where you stay, you often end up going in different directions depending on the day.

Totally agree… you definitely have to consider the overall itinerary, objectives, and even the people who are tagging along to see what location makes the most sense.

A few examples that come to mind:

In London, I put my 20+ extended family in Stratford - because with so many people, it was a major challenge to satisfy everyone. Stratford had a quick/easy rail connection to downtown and was adjacent to the largest mall in London with a huge food court that could satisfy any tastes with relative ease.

In Seoul during winter, I put them in Times Square so that the more elderly among them could avoid slipping on the snow and ice. The hotel was directly connected to the mall and an underground passageway to the train station.

[NYY1]

Totally agree… you definitely have to consider the overall itinerary, objectives, and even the people who are tagging along to see what location makes the most sense.

A few examples that come to mind:

In London, I put my 20+ extended family in Stratford - because with so many people, it was a major challenge to satisfy everyone. Stratford had a quick/easy rail connection to downtown and was adjacent to the largest mall in London with a huge food court that could satisfy any tastes with relative ease.

In Seoul during winter, I put them in Times Square so that the more elderly among them could avoid slipping on the snow and ice. The hotel was directly connected to the mall and an underground passageway to the train station.

Seoul is kind of like Tokyo; things are spread out so if someone wants to see everything, there's really not one universal place to stay. I'd generally recommend Gwanghwamun (near some of the historical stuff) or Gangnam/the Lotte World area depending on what someone wants to do. Many others pick Myeongdong as a compromise. Regardless, you can easily end up with ~1 hour subway rides to/from destinations. It's almost better to stay a couple/few days in different spots, but that's also a pain.