Where to Stay in Tokyo (My Advice After 10+ Visits)

Since my first trip to Japan in 2018, I’ve been to Tokyo over 10 times and have stayed in nearly 20 hotels across the city. As Tokyo is so big, there isn’t really a “central” place to stay. I usually look for a hotel in Minato/Ginza, Roppongi, Ueno, Asakusa or Shibuya, as they are well connected and have lots to see and do.

With 23 wards and thousands of hotels to choose from, I know exactly how overwhelming it can be to find the right hotel and the right area. A good hotel can really make or break a trip, so I’ve put this guide together with my tried-and-tested recommendations as a frequent Tokyo visitor.

I’ve only included hotels I’ve personally enjoyed staying in (leaving out any I wouldn’t rebook for whatever reason). I don’t have great photos of all of them, as I wasn’t blogging full-time during the first few trips, but I’ll add as much as I can.

As I travel to Tokyo quite often, I’ll keep updating this guide after every trip to include new hotels I find, try and like. There are some Airbnbs I’ve stayed in for longer periods, but as they are long-term stays, I won’t include them in this guide, as this is specifically aimed at tourists visiting for a few days.

In a Rush? Best Places to Stay in Tokyo Overview

Here are my top recommendations of hotels I loved staying in (and would book again in the future!):

In our Japan Facebook group, I get asked to share the best “central” place to stay in Tokyo almost daily. But Tokyo is huge, a lot bigger than most people realise, and it doesn’t have one central area that’s close to all the tourist sights. 

The best way to find the right “area” in Tokyo for you is to create a rough itinerary, or a list of things you want to see/do. Then, check what areas these cover in Tokyo (Google Maps is my go-to tool for this). You can easily get around the city by its public transport, but staying far from everything you want to do will add a lot of unnecessary travel time.

Because of Tokyo’s size, it’s best to stay near a metro or train station, ideally no more than a five-minute walk. For one, you won’t have to drag your luggage too far before and after your stay; plus, you’ll be doing more than enough walking during your time in Tokyo already.

A lot of online guides recommend staying near the JR Yamanote Line, but I don’t fully agree. This circular train line loops around the city, stopping near the majority of Tokyo’s main highlights. However, it’s easy to transfer metro lines, so as long as you stay near ANY metro station, you’ll be able to make it to your destination without too much hassle.

The size of the rooms and beds is another thing I watch out for when booking hotels in Tokyo. Tokyo hotel rooms are notorious for being incredibly small and compact. Sometimes there’s not even enough room to fully open your suitcase. If you’re on a budget in Japan, you may not mind dealing with the small rooms, but it’s important to know what you’re signing up for.

Every neighbourhood in Tokyo has its own character, and staying in the right place can make a huge difference to your trip. If you are planning to stay in Tokyo for a while (think a week or more), I would still recommend sticking with one hotel. It’s not worth wasting time dragging your suitcase across town and waiting between check-out and check-in times.

My Top Pick Hotels in Tokyo

Park Hotel Tokyo (Minato, Near Ginza)

• How far from the nearest train station?: 1 minute walk to Shiodome Station, 7 minute walk to Shimbashi Station.
• Pros: Large rooms and beds, great views of Tokyo, close to the station, unique “Artist Rooms” options.
• Cons: Not a lot to do directly near the hotel, but easy to go somewhere else on public transport.

Park Hotel Tokyo is probably the best Tokyo hotel I’ve stayed in. Located in Minato, it’s close to Ginza, but as it’s also connected to Shiodome Station and only a 7-minute walk from Shimbashi Station, it’s a perfect place to base yourself during your time exploring Tokyo.

The hotel starts on the 25th floor, with lovely views of Tokyo from pretty much anywhere. But best of all, there are over 50 Artist Rooms in Park Hotel Tokyo. Professional artists have painted directly onto the walls, creating some of the most unique hotel rooms in the city.

I was actually the very first person to stay in the “Birds and Animals in the City” room, and it was fantastic! The room itself was beautifully painted, but also very spacious with one of the largest beds I’ve had in Tokyo. I could sit near the window and watch trains arrive at the station, which was especially beautiful at night.

On my next Tokyo visit, I’m going to try and book this hotel again and see if I can get another Artist Room. If you want to read more about my stay and what is available in this beautiful hotel, you can read my dedicated Park Hotel Tokyo review. Or, you can go ahead and book it here.

Candeo Hotels Roppongi (Roppongi)

• How far from the nearest train station?: 2–3 minute walk to Roppongi Station.
• Pros: Well-sized rooms, comfortable beds, close to Roppongi Station for easy access throughout Tokyo and access to the Sky Spa (public open-air bath with views of Tokyo!).
• Cons: Tattoos aren’t allowed in the Sky Spa, and travelling from Roppongi Station often requires some transfers.

I’ve stayed in quite a few different Candeo Hotels across Japan (in Kyoto, Nara, Nagasaki and Osaka) and they’ve all been great, so when I visited Tokyo at the end of 2024, I decided to try the Roppongi Hotel. As expected, it was just as great as the other Candeo Hotels I’ve experienced.

With Candeo, you always know exactly what you’re going to get. Good-sized rooms (especially for Tokyo standards; I was pleasantly surprised at the size of this hotel too, I kinda expected them to be smaller!), great location and best of all, the Sky Spa.

I haven’t stayed in many Tokyo hotels where you have access to a public bath, let alone one with a view over Tokyo. When staying here, I had a soak twice, and the evening views were beautiful!

As I stayed here in December, the Christmas light display in Roppongi was only a short walk from Candeo, so I stopped by a couple of times after a long day of exploring Tokyo.

Minn Ueno

• How far from the nearest train station?: 2 min to Naka-Okachimachi Station, 5–10 min to Ueno Station.
• Pros: Apartment-like rooms with a lot of space (super comfortable) and a very convenient location in Tokyo.
• Cons: On the more expensive side.

Ueno is one of my top areas to stay, as it’s so convenient to get to pretty much anywhere in Tokyo. Plus, there are lots of restaurants and things to do/see nearby. Minn is another Japanese hotel chain that I’ve used in multiple cities, the one in Kanazawa is one of my favourite places to stay there. And the Ueno hotel is just as amazing, if not better.

While it’s on the more expensive side, Minn Ueno has some of the largest rooms of all hotels I’ve tried in Tokyo. They’re almost like a small apartment, so lots of space to fully open your suitcases and relax. The beds are also very big, which can also be an issue in Tokyo.

The rooms are very stylish, and because of the size, I can imagine it’s a great spot for families. But even as a couple, we thought it was fantastic!

Prostyle Ryokan Asakusa

• How far from the nearest train station?: 4-minute walk to Asakusa Station.
• Pros: Beautiful Japanese-style rooms with comfortable beds. Great location, walking distance from Senso-ji Temple. Some of the rooms also come with an open-air bath (check when you book!)
• Cons: Some of the rooms are on the small side, so take care when booking. Travelling to West Tokyo, Shinjuku/Shibuya, can take a while (40–50 minutes).

I’ve stayed in Asakusa a couple of times, and my favourite hotel/ryokan was Prostyle Ryokan. The traditional atmosphere in Asakusa is a lovely contrast to the more modern Shinjuku/Shibuya/Ginza area. The hotel has a great location, within walking distance of Asakusa Station and Senso-ji Temple (it was lovely walking here at night without the crowds!). If you’re arriving at Narita Airport, it’s also very easy to get to Asakusa.

Prostyle Ryokan has a lot of different room sizes; some of the cheaper ones are on the small side, but still very comfortable. The tatami rooms combined with Western beds are a great choice for first-time visitors. I love the Japanese style combined with a comfortable and thick mattress, especially when walking 20-30,000 steps when exploring Tokyo.

Some of the rooms also come with an open-air bath! I also tried the breakfast when staying here in October 2024, and it was really good. It’s one of the hotels I always recommend to friends and family when they want to stay in Asakusa.

There are some other ryokans in Tokyo, but they can get quite expensive. Kyoto has a lot more ryokans to choose from, but if you want a cheaper ryokan experience, it’s best to look at more rural areas.

Shiba Park Hotel

• How far from the nearest train station?: 3-minute walk to Onarimon Station, 10-minute walk to JR Hamamatsucho Station.
• Pros: Large, comfortable rooms, easy access to trains, on-site restaurant and quiet neighbourhood at night.
• Cons: Not a lot to do around the hotel itself in the evening.

Shiba Park Hotel is a great choice for families and couples. The hotel’s main highlight is its collection of 1,500+ books. A huge part of it can be found in the lobby (see picture below), but also on each floor. Every floor has its own theme. You can even take them into your room to read or flick through.

Since there is a JR station nearby, it’s relatively easy to get to Shiba Park Hotel on public transport from Narita or Haneda Airport. From it, you can also walk to Tokyo Tower and Zojoji Temple. During my stay here in 2024, they also just put down the Sailor Moon manhole covers nearby, so I went to check those out.

I have a full review of my stay at Shiba Park Hotel here. The kaiseki dinner I had at the on-site restaurant was fantastic! Breakfast was great too, I normally don’t book breakfast when in Japan, but I’m very glad I did for this hotel. Lots of choices!

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

• How far from the nearest train station?: 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Station.
• Pros: Great location near nightlife and lots of things to do, great comfortable rooms.
• Cons: Shinjuku Station is the nearest station, which can be confusing, and rooms are also a bit small.

Also known as the Godzilla Hotel, the Gracery Shinjuku hotel is pretty famous! Located in the heart of Shinjuku, this is arguably one of the best locations you can find in the city (only 6 minutes’ walking distance from Shinjuku Golden Gai). The famous life-size Godzilla resides here too, looking out over Shinjuku.

The hotel has modern rooms with flat-screen TV and air conditioning. You can even upgrade to stay in the Godzilla-themed room, making it one of the most unique hotels in Tokyo. It’s hard to beat this hotel. It makes for a perfect stay for couples who are visiting Tokyo for the first time and want to be near all the excitement.

It is located in Kabukicho, an area of Shinjuku that is sometimes known to be a little rough. It can get a little rowdy in the evening, but it’s really not as bad as people online make it out to be. When I stayed here, it was completely fine. I also stayed in an Airbnb in Shin-Okubo for a month in 2024 and walked over to Kabukicho quite often, even in the evening, and never had any issues.

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Higashi Shinjuku

• How far from the nearest train station?: 1-minute walk to Higashi-Shinjuku Station
• Pros: Affordable, next to a small train station, comfortable room with everything you need for a short stay.
• Cons: Typical Japanese business hotel, so smaller rooms than you may be used to.

During my very first trip to Tokyo, I stayed at the Sotetsu Fresa Inn Higashi Shinjuku. It’s a pretty basic business hotel, but it’s affordable, and we had a great stay here. The rooms are a bit smaller than other ones on this list, but the hotel is a lot cheaper (especially for Shinjuku!).

Shinjuku can be a bit tricky to stay in as a first-time visitor because Shinjuku Station is… overwhelming, to say the least. Even after 10+ visits to Tokyo (including a few months), I find Shinjuku Station very confusing, and I prefer to avoid it if possible.

With this hotel, you’d be staying pretty much next to Higashi Shinjuku Station instead. This is a smaller station which is much easier to navigate.

Nest Hotel Tokyo Hanzomon

• How far from the nearest train station?: 1-minute walk to Hanzomon Station.
• Pros: Affordable, stylish hotel in a quiet neighbourhood.
• Cons: Not super easy to get to from the airport and rooms are on the small side.

In May 2024, right before going back to the UK after spending 3 months in Japan, we stayed in Nest Hotel Tokyo Hanzomon for a couple of nights. It was a cheap option when we knew we wouldn’t be spending a lot of time in our hotel, and it was perfect for this. Even though the rooms were on the small side, the bed was comfortable, and it had everything we needed.

With a train station and Familymart within one minute on foot, the location was great. We also got a free breakfast, coffee and croissants with our stay, which was a lovely unexpected bonus.

My apologies for the terrible lack of photos for this hotel. I was so tired when we got to the end of this trip that I didn’t take any proper photos. Just one when we arrived, and they’d put a lovely card on our bed as we got married on that trip!

Final Thoughts on Where to Stay in Tokyo

With literally thousands of hotels in Tokyo, it can be very hard to narrow it down for your trip. Just remember: there is no “best hotel in Tokyo“, there are just a lot of great ones to choose from. As long as it has comfortable beds, enough space to move around and is within 5 minutes of a train station, you should be completely fine.

Tokyo accommodation will probably be one of the more expensive parts of your trip, but it’s worth not skimping out. A hotel can really make or break your trip, and getting enough proper rest after days of exploring a city as large and impressive as Tokyo is essential.

To continue planning your trip to Japan, you can start by using my 2 week Japan itinerary or 3 week guide. They include day-to-day breakdowns of what to see, what to do, how to get there and more.