Many people always hear about how expensive Tokyo is. Every time someone tells me that, I laugh a little.
Like anywhere else in the world, Tokyo is only as expensive as you make it. If you enjoy 5 star restaurants and high end hotels, obviously it will be expensive! However it doesn’t have to be. When I travel to Tokyo i have two criteria that must be met:
1] Central to where/what I will be doing. 2] Has to be a reasonable price.
So below is a list of places that I have personally stayed at. Keep in mind this is based on my set budget for board as well as the fact that I spend most of my time near the Shibuya district. Also this list is in no particular order. Cost per night on all these hotels ranges anywhere from $95-$120/pppn CAD, some include a full breakfast some don’t, prices also fluctuate by season obviously. Usually In early fall as prices for flights and hotels are a bit cheaper, as well as weather is warm still.
TOKYO GRANBELL HOTEL
This is the most recent hotel I stayed on my last trip, the closest hotel to Hachiko I have stayed at [5 min walk] to Shibuya station. Rooms are a bitt smaller than normal for a standard room, but they are clean, serviced daily, and always helpful at the front desk.
HOTEL ASIA CENTER OF JAPAN
The first hotel I stayed at all those years ago, have stayed here a few times. This hotel is about 3 km from Shibuya station. Hidden just off a quiet side street, this hotel is a bit of a challenge to find especially if you didn’t get a pocket wifi after arriving. Decent size rooms with basic amenities.
APA NISHI-AZABU
By far the most comfortable beds out of the lot of hotels, but seeing as I don’t tend to spend much time in the room this wasn’t a feature I care much about. Located in Nishi Azabu, a higher end posh area of Tokyo this hotel is a 5 minute walk to Hiro-o station. In the area there are a few quaint restaurants and bars, just note that prices in this area are a bit higher than others but still worth it for the food. For the nightlife scene i would go elsewhere as drinks are a touch expensive and some bars do have either expensive entrance fees or sit down fees.
TOKYU STAY SHIBUYA SHIN MINAMI GUCHI
A larger room size than the typical Tokyo economy hotel, has a kitchenette as well as a washer/dryer combo, which was my favourite feature!
being able to throw in a load of laundry before i started the day and having a completely washed and dried load of laundry when i got back to the hotel was AMAZING!
being a 6 Minute walk to Shibuya station is a huge advantage of staying at this hotel as you will be in the epicenter of everything Tokyo. No need to worry about missing that last train if you decide to have a night out on the town. Shibuya has so much to offer as far and food, nightlife, and entertainment you won’t have to venture far to find good food and great nightlife!
Now these are all suggestions based off my experience and the things I enjoy doing while in Tokyo, I tend to spend a good majority of my time while in Tokyo in the Shibuya ward. Shibuya is a great spot for food, bars, and nightlife, which is what I spend most of my time doing when I visit because I travel there to see friends and hang out. Tokyo is so vast that you might want to venture off and stay/visit other areas. Be mindful when booking a hotel that Train service tends to cut off at midnight and start back up at 5am.
