Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
13
LOVE HOTELS
Generally clustered in entertainment districts such as Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ueno and Ikebukuro,
love hotels
are places where you can rent rooms by the hour. Often sporting ornate exteriors and
a sign quoting prices for “rest” or “stay”, they're not as sleazy as they might sound, and the main
market is young people or married couples taking a break from crowded apartments. For the bold,
they can be a cheaper and far more interesting place to stay than a bland business hotel.
All kinds of tastes are indulged at love hotels, with rotating beds in mirror-lined rooms being
almost passé in comparison to some of the fantasy creations on offer. You usually choose your
room from a backlit display indicating those available, and then pay a cashier lurking behind a tiny
window (eye-to-eye contact is avoided to preserve privacy). Rest rates start at about ¥3400 for two
hours, while the price of an overnight stay can cost the same as a basic business hotel (¥7800 is
the general rate), though you usually can't check in until around 10pm; double these rates for
fancier love hotels, with rooms featuring four-poster beds, jacuzzi pools, swings and the like.
pp.118-119.
Smart, stylish place that's better value than
similar options in Nishi-Shinjuku. Come evening time, the
views overlooki
ng the
station lend the place a
Blade
Runner
-ish feel.
¥27,720
Kadoya Hotel
͔Ͳϗςϧ
1-23-1 Nishi-Shinjuku,
Shinjuku-ku
T
03 3346 2561,
W
kadoya-hotel.co.jp;
Shinjuku station; map pp.118-119.
This e
cient business
hotel is a little charmer. Single rooms (from ¥7560) are a
bargain for such a handy location, and the doubles won't
break the ban
k either.
A major plus is the lively
izakaya
in
the basement.
¥14,700
Keiō Plaza Hotel
ژԦϓϥβϗςϧ
2-2-1 Nishi-
Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
T
03 3344 0111,
W
keioplaza
.co.jp; Shinjuku station; map pp.118-119.
Though it's
long since been knocked off its perch as the tallest, most
glamorous hotel in Shinjuku, the enormous
Keiō
never-
theless retains some of its original cachet and the reno-
vated premier rooms, in grey and brown tones, are very
stylish. Rooms on the west side have the best views across
to the Tokyo Metropolitan Governm
ent Build
ing. There's
also an outdoor pool open in summer.
¥21,500
Ì
Park Hyatt Tokyo
ύʔΫϋΠΞοτ౦ژ
3-7-1-2
Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
T
03 5322 1234,
W
tokyo
.park.hyatt.jp; Tochōmae station; map pp.118-119.
Occupying the upper section of Tange Kenzō's Shinjuku
Park Tower (see p.121), this is the epitome of sophistication
and holding up very well to newer rivals. All the huge
rooms have breathtaking views, as do the restaurants and
spa, poo
l and fitness centre at the pinnacle of the tower.
¥44,200
Rocks Shinjuku
ϩοΫε৽॓
2-10-4 Shinjuku,
Shinjuku-ku
T
03 5367 6969,
W
rocks-shinjuku.jp;
Shinjuku station; map pp.118-119.
Safe and clean,
this cheapie sits right in the heart of Tokyo's main gay area
- a fun place to hang whatever your sexual orientation.
Though rooms are often rented in two-hour slots, it
actually makes a decent
place t
o stay; you'll save ¥1000 if
you check in after 10pm.
¥8400
HARAJUKU, AOYAMA AND SHIBUYA
Cerulean Tower Tōkyū Hotel
ηϧϦΞϯλϫʔ౦ٸ
ϗςϧ
26-1 Sakuragaoka-chō, Shibuya-ku
T
03 3476
3000,
W
ceruleantower-hotel.com; Shibuya station;
map p.115.
Shibuya's ritziest accommodation, with a
range of intriguingly designed rooms. Some have bath-
rooms with a glittering view of the city, while also on site
are a pool and gym (free to guests on the executive floor),
several restaur
ants, a ja
zz club and even a nō theatre in
the basement.
¥60,500
Granbell Hotel
άϥϯϕϧϗςϧ
15-17 Sakuragaoka-
chō, Shibuya-ku
T
03 5457 2681,
W
granbellhotel.jp;
Shibuya station; map p.115.
Curtains with Lichtenstein-
style prints, kettles and TVs from the trendy local electronics
range Plus Minus Zero, and a cool palette of greys and
crisp whites - and in a newer set of rooms natural colours
and mot
ifs - give this boutique hotel a hip atmosphere.
¥26,000
Ì
Tōkyū Stay Aoyama
౦ٸεςΠϗςϧ੨ࢁ
2-27-18
Minami-Aoyama, Shibuya-ku
T
03 3497 0109,
W
tokyu
stay.co.jp; Omotesandō station; map pp.108-109.
Designed for long-staying guests, but open to short-stay
visitors too, this high-rise hotel and apartment complex
scores for facilities, location and slick decor. There's a women-
only floor, wonderful views and rates include
breakfast
. There
are thirteen other
Tokyū Stays
around the city.
¥24,500
Unizo
ϗςϧϢχκ
4-3 Udagawa-chō, Shibuya-ku
T
03 5457 7557,
W
hotelunizo.com; Shibuya station;
map p.115. B
usiness hotel in the heart of Shibuya,
offering rooms with a tad more style than average. All have
been decorated with a gentle colour scheme. Though no
rooms ar
e all that large, the twins are especially appealing.
¥19,000
SHINJUKU AND THE WEST
Century Southern Tower
ϗςϧηϯνϡϦʔαβ
ϯλϫʔ
2-2-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku
T
03 5354 0111,
W
southerntower.co.jp;
Shinjuku
station;
map
