Japan Hotel Tips by SLLiew Top 5 Page for this destination

General Comments: Accommodation in Japan

Usually Japanese will not invite you to stay at their homes because their rooms are very small and may feel that it is not good enough for you and you may not be used to their baths, no chairs and small spaces.

I was fortunate to know some Japanese well enough and stayed in different homes like home-stay. It was great but I had enough after 2 weeks as there is little privacy and I prefer hotel hot water free flowing shower than sharing a hot water tub with the entire family.

Hotels are needless to say expensive and small in size.

Ryokans are Japanese style accommodation and can be even much more expensive than business hotels as they may have gardens, meals served and you have to sleep on a futon (on the floor mat).

Minshuku are family run accommodations but mostly cater to local Japanese. Many accommodations outside of cities are adverse to cater to foreigners because fear of communication barrier resulting in misunderstanding. I spoke little Japanese then but it was good enough for me to stay anywhere although I hardly understood the long introduction of the available facilities by the welcoming receptionist.

Youth hostels are affordable for backpackers and students. Some youth hostels have no age limit and welcome foreigners though may restrict on the number of days of stay. Do not be surprise if Japanese and non-Japanese are separated in different rooms and Asian are separated from Caucasians when it comes to room sharing. It is just the Japanese way. Of course, you can still interact in the living and dining room area.

Although many have common public bath where modesty goes out the window, there is strictly no mixing of genders.

In Tokyo and larger cities, there are special Japanese accommodations like the love hotels and the capsule hotels. And I have seen in a major Tokyo MRT station, the homeless will start building their overnight beds with cardboards.

Thus the range of accommodations available to you.

Theme: Other

Hotel Nikko: Narita Airport - Transit Hotel

Stayed as this JAL (Japan Airlines) airport tranist hotel at Narita Airport, near Tokyo, Japan.

It is a complimentary hotel overnight accommodation for JAL (Japan Airlines) flight from USA to Malaysia.

Clean, organized hotel with bus transfer from airport to hotel. No Japan visa required for Malaysians for this transit overnight in Japan.

Disadvantage is that hotel is quite far from Narita town. Can take a cab to visit nearby town, temple or shopping center. Walking is can be done but far and cold if in winter.

Address: 500, Tokko, Narita-shi, Chiba-ken, Japan

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.nikko-narita.com/english/index.html

Crowne Plaza Metropolitan Tokyo: Tokyo Ikeburo business hotel Crowne Plaza Metropolitan Tokyo Review

Excellent location at Ikeburo with restaurants and shops just outside and Ikeburo subway station.

Like all Japanese business hotels, the room size is smaller than expected but nothing else to complain about. Stayed here during a business visit and so was out most of the time and did not check out the hotel facilities and restaurants.

Overall, great service.

Address: 1-6-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro

Comparison: about average

Phone: 81-3-39801111

Price: US$80-120

Theme: Hotel

Excel Hotel Tokyu: Business Hotel in Tokyo

This is a chain business hotels in Japan.

Excellent location. The room is slightly bigger than I expected as Japanese hotel rooms tend to be smaller than other countries.

Address: Shibuya Mark City Building, 1-12-2, Dogenzaka,Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0043

Comparison: about average

Phone: Tel 03-5457-0109

Price: US$80-120

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/en/TE/TE_SHIBU/index.html