May 5, 2015 |
APA branded hotels are a familiar sight all over Japan. It’s yet another one of those short transit business hotels that are also very popular for travelers who don’t need a posh room nor services. This time around my wife and I stayed at the APA Hotel in the Itabashi ward of metropolitan Tokyo.
Though this hotel is in a very quiet neighborhood there is a JR train station just a short 3 minute walk from the hotel doors. From there you can hop on the train and in 2 stops you’re in all the action of the Shinjuku district.
Itabashi JR Station – Only a short 3 minute walk to APA Tokyo Itabashi Hotel…
So like a lot of 2 or 3 star business hotels in Japan the APA Itabashi is a basic no frills hotel. Services are always good in my opinion in any Japanese hotel. Hotel staff are always friendly and quick to assist guests. But this hotel has no swimming pool or gym which is common for the types of hotels. There is free Wi-Fi which to me is way more important.
A little late night snack near Itabashi JR station…
I mentioned that Itabashi area is very quiet. It’s mostly a residential area. But there are many restaurants. We arrived late at night and after we checked in at the APA Itabashi we walked a few minutes out to the main road just opposite Itabashi JR station and found a ramen restaurant. I forgot to take a pics of the restaurant. If you’re in front of the train station just look straight and you should find it. So if you’ve arrived to the hotel around 9pm and everything else is closed go give them a try. There is a McDonald’s near the station too and as I recall opened pretty late.
There’s also an Italian restaurant right across from the hotel. They serve large servings of all kinds of spaghetti and decent pizza. It’s a lively restaurant with super friendly staff. My wife and I were there during Halloween and we played some sort of guess the weight of the pumpkin game. We lost. But we still got a piece of candy. It was a really fun place with good grub. I took pics but because the interior was very dark the shots came out poorly.
APA Hotel Tokyo Itabashi Ekimae – This is the small double room I booked…
So the rooms at the APA Itabashi are small. Okay, that’s not a shocker. It’s not a complaint as I am quite used to it. Their small double bed rooms are 12 square meters. It is what it is because most hotels in Japan in the $125 and under price range cost that much. There’s a small desk with a wide screen TV that nearly takes up the entire table space. A small fridge plus a hot water kettle with bags of Japanese green tea. And our room is clean. Though the bed sagged in the middle but my wife and I still slept fine. Sightseeing and walking around exploring is the best sleep medicine.
Door in the middle leads to the bathroom with a shower/bath tub…
The last time I stayed at this hotel was back in October 2013. I booked the room through Agoda and paid $120USD per night. But I just checked Agoda as I wrote this post and saw pics of the APA Itabashi and noticed that the hotel looks renovated. The hotel lobby looked totally different than the time I was last there. And just doing a random price check saw that a small double bed room cost around $90USD for the month of July with taxes included. Too bad I’m not planning on going to Tokyo then.
I like this hotel a lot. Taking a stroll through a cool October night through the hotel’s neighborhood was nice. And because the train station was so near we could hit a lot of the major tourists destinations easily. APA Itabashi is easily one of the easiest hotel for me to recommend to anyone looking to visit Tokyo.
(Just a quick note. APA hotels are all over so be sure you have the right address for the hotel. The first night we arrived in Tokyo we checked in at the wrong hotel called APA Ikebukro. A total rookie mistake. It was a $10USD mistake since we had to hop on a taxi to take us to APA Itabashi which was only a 5 minute taxi ride.)
Read reviews and find discounts for APA Hotel Tokyo Itabashi Ekimae.
Apr 30, 2015 |
Hotel Sunroute Higashi is located in Shinjuku district of Tokyo. Like a lot of hotels in Tokyo a Metro subway line or JR East train station is not far away. This is one of the reasons why I chose to stay at this hotel. And also, it’s one of the most affordable business classed hotels that I know of.
And the area is quite nice as well. A Korea Town is located just five minutes walk due east from the hotel. Plus you can walk to the main hub of Shinjuku station and passing many high end shops and restaurants along Yasukuni-Dori Avenue in about 25 minutes.
And if you love those little tiny Japanese bars with colorful patrons then you might want to check out Golden Gai that is about a 10 minute stroll too. Golden Gai isn’t exactly a red light district. But if a red light district is exactly what you’re looking for then head over to Kabukicho, about a 20 minute walk east or just north of Shinjuku train station.
Also from Hotel Sunroute’s doors you can walk south along Meji-Dori Avenue and reach beautiful Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in around 30 to 40 minutes. And from there I’ve even walked down to famed Harajuku fashion district and Meiji Shrine in 20 minutes.
You can hit up a lot of popular sites and attractions in the area without stepping foot on a train if you’ve got the time. Of all the times I’ve visited these places the weather was always perfect and beautiful. Which just makes it better when you’re out and about exploring.
Hotel Sunroute is one of the biggest hotels in the area with about 300 rooms. And like any other 3 star business classed hotels in central Tokyo this hotel is basic, meaning no gym or swimming pool. Though there are a couple of computers for guests to use in the lobby.
But the hotel provides guests with free in room Wi-Fi internet access. Plus there’s even a cable for LAN laptop hookup.
The room that I stayed in was clean and even though the hotel was built in 2007 I think the rooms must’ve gone through a renovation process because it looked modern and up to date. One thing I really like though is the mattress. It was so comfortable I slept like a log.
A lot of hotels I’ve stayed in Tokyo have beds that are way too soft. It’s not a big mattress though but it’s just enough for two people because the room I booked was a semi-double.
And like any other typical Japanese hotel the rooms are small because they are meant for travelers on a short trip for business. So for tourists a semi double room could bit tight if you’ve got lots of luggage. Though if you can book a room with two twin beds you get a slightly larger space.
The bathroom is small and tight too but just like the rest of the room modern and clean. There is a small bathtub but even a 6 foot guy like me could fit inside as long as I tucked my legs a bit.
I’ve stayed at this hotel a couple of times, especially when I come across some good deals. The lowest I’ve paid per night was about $118USD per night in March. Not really cheap but considering it’s Tokyo it’s not super expensive either.
I really like this hotel a lot because the immediate area is quiet but you’ll still be near restaurants and convenience stores to grab food and drinks.
Here’s What’s Around Hotel Sunroute Higashi Shinjuku Hotel
- Higashi-Shinjuku Subway Station (located right under the hotel with an entrance on the south entrance of hotel).
- Golden Gai – A very popular spot with private bars. But you can find some bars welcoming foreign visitors.
- Korea Town – Lots of Korean restaurants.
- Kabukicho – Shinjuku’s red light district.
- Isetan Department Store – Just a 20 minute walk south. Get to the basement food level by 7pm for excellent sushi sold at a discount.
Find discounts and read reviews for Hotel Sunroute Higashi Shinjuku.
Jun 13, 2013 |
Kaminarimon Gate at Asakusa
A big reason why I love traveling to Japan is because they are one of the few countries in Asia that keep a priority on maintaining their culture and traditions. The Asakusa district is one perfect example and I went there last year around March. The temperature was still a bit chilly that time but it was still an awesome day!
Normally I stay at the Shinjuku district but if you’re looking for affordable hotels in Asakusa also it’s not a bad choice. There are plenty of train stations in the area and no shortage of good restaurants.
The main attraction in Asakusa is the Sensoji Temple. Followed by the street stalls and shops called Nakamise that line the way up to the temple. And surrounding Asakusa are many traditional styled shops selling food, snacks and of course a whole lot of souvenirs. Pricey souvenirs too especially the hand made items. I didn’t buy any thing because I’m not a real big shopper. I typically buy souvenirs at Narita airports duty free shops to take back as gifts. This way there’s no need to lug extra stuff to the airport.
So I’m not a shopper. But I am an eater. There’s certainly no shortage of Japanese styled sweets and snacks to enjoy on a beautiful day. The temperature was in the low 70’s and I remember that the days before was rainy with light snow throughout the day. But that day in Asakusa was absolutely marvelous.
Though there were many foreign visitors in the area it’s a very special temple for the Japanese. Matter of fact there were more locals than tourists. Because Sensoji is a really popular Buddhist temple. Shintoism is the main national religion of Japan. Buddhism is the second most popular belief in the country. I didn’t know that little fact until I visited Asakusa. See, it’s still possible to learn something new everyday!
Agemanju shop…
So there’s a lot of sweets that I easily recognized from other Asian cultures. Like sweet dough with sweeter bean paste. I was hunkering for something unique. Something Japanese. I came across this little shop and heard the gentle murmurings of fryers going on. Anything that’s fried can’t be bad!
Just $1.50USD for this yummy fried morsel, surprisingly it’s not so greasy…
Plus the place had a line of locals waiting. Which is an even better sign. It’s a shop selling Agemanju with a good variety of flavors and fillings. It’s basically a fried battered soft cake filled with your choice of fillings. Though there were a lot unique flavors, I just went ahead and bought myself a green tea agemanju with green tea infused bean paste. I found a seat nearby and just sat my ass down and scarfed every morsel with the warming sun on my back.
The steps to the entrance of Sensoji Temple…
I really can’t stress how nice the day really was. There were lot’s of people all around enjoying the day too. And they come to Sensoji Temple to make prayers in hopes that their wishes come true. And though the temple is mainly Buddhist there is a touch of Shintoism which involves cleansing. So you’ll find an area where people can cleanse their hands.
Cleansing with incense…
And you’ll find an area right in front of the temple where they can “wash” themselves with incense. It’s a deeply religious site with many devote followers and you get this wonderful sense of peace and joy.
After wandering around the temple area I made my way back down Nakamise to take more photos. It was late afternoon by then and there were still a lot of people streaming in. Asakusa and Sensoji Temple is definitely a must not miss visit when you’re in Tokyo!
This shopping street called Nakamise leads all the way up to the entrance of Sensoji Temple…
