Where to Stay in Tokyo: Best Areas and Hotels

This article was reported by the authors of Lonely Planet’s latest Tokyo guidebook: Rob Goss, Todd Fong, Kim Kahan, Cherise Fong, Louise George Kittaka and Manami Okazaki.

If 20-plus years in Tokyo has taught me anything, it’s that my adopted home is a city that refuses to fit a simple description. In the Shinjuku district alone, a short stroll can take you from skyscrapers to ramshackle drinking streets and tranquil gardens to heaving department stores. Two people’s Tokyo experience might be entirely different, yet each can be unforgettable. All that makes it both a great place to live and to visit.

From hipster neighborhoods to nightlife centers, there's an ideal area and accommodation for everyone in Tokyo. These are our favorite hotels by neighborhood.

- Rob Goss

Marunouchi and Nihombashi

Neighborhood vibe: Some of the city's plushest hotels, easy access to the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station, and long-established retailers and restaurants.

Hoshinoya Tokyo

Ryokan
Price rating: ¥¥¥

Beautiful ryokan in Marunouchi combining urban and traditional Japanese aesthetics. Stay here for the natural hot-spring baths alone.

Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo

Midrange comfort
Price rating: ¥¥

Former ryokan-turned business hotel conveniently located near Tokyo Station. Rooms are not large, but the service and amenities are above average for the price.

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Palace Hotel Tokyo

Luxury
Price rating: ¥¥¥

Spacious rooms and impeccable service at this stylish five-star hotel overlooking the Imperial Palace moat.

Ginza and Tsukiji

Neighborhood vibe: Michelin-starred restaurants, high-end stores and accommodation prices to match.

Muji Hotel Ginza

Boutique
Price rating: ¥¥¥

Boutique hotel by Japan's favorite lifestyle store, Muji. Entirely furnished and stocked with Muji products.

Hotel Monterey La Soeur Ginza

Midrange comfort
Price rating: ¥¥

Midrange hotel decorated in a charming French apartment style. Good-sized rooms for the neighborhood.

Dormy Inn Premium Ginza

Midrange comfort
Price rating: ¥¥

Renovated hotel featuring a real onsen hot springs bath, plus complementary post-onsen ice cream and evening ramen.

Roppongi and Akasaka

Neighborhood vibe: It's not cheap staying here, but you'll be surrounded by contemporary art venues, great clubs and bars, and sleek urban complexes.

Hotel Hillarys Akasaka

Budget
Price rating: ¥¥

A charming, low-budget place that provides great bang for your buck, with a launderette, onsen-style bathing facilities, a free drinks bar and rooftop dining overlooking the metropolis.

Henn na Hotel Tokyo Akasaka

Budget
Price rating: ¥¥

Humanoid-looking robots greet you at the reception for check-in here. (Real humans are a phone call away.) Rooms come with clothes-deodorizing closets, an enormous LCD TV and smartphones.

First Cabin Akasaka

Capsule
Price rating: ¥

One step up from the capsule format is First Cabin. Each one-person cabin has a semi-double bed, TV and a safe box, with shared spaces including a cafe-guest lounge and a large bathing area.

Hotel and Residence Roppongi

Boutique
Price rating: ¥¥

An excellent-value oasis in the heart of town. Ample facilities, such as a gym, free lounge, a cafe and a restaurant-bar. Each room has amenities including a microwave, sofa and even bedtime chocolate.

Okura Tokyo

Luxury
Price rating: ¥¥¥

Japanese-owned luxury hotel brand that oozes tradition, from its design and facilities to its courteous customer service. Free tea and beer after a hotel swim, too.

Ebisu and Meguro

Neighborhood vibe: The place to stay for stylish shops, creative vibes and design hotels.

Ebisuholic

Boutique
Price rating: ¥¥¥

Boutique business choice for a stylish stay on the south side of Ebisu Station. Go for the funky bathrooms with tiled floors and transparent walls.

°C

Capsule
Price rating: ¥

Pronounced "Do-C," this Ebisu hotel features comfortable capsules with a twist: a Finnish-style sauna.

Shibuya and Setagaya

Neighborhood vibe: Youthful bars and clubs, cool neighborhoods and a good range of accommodation options, even if they lean on the pricey side.

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Mustard Hotel

Boutique
Price rating: ¥¥

Low-rise digs at the eastern end of Shimokita Senrogai, where a record player spices up otherwise austere rooms. Stay for the on-site California coffee and bagels.

Hotel Graphy

Boutique hostel
Price rating: ¥¥

Cool rooftop terrace overlooking the Shibuya Botanical Center, plus casual gourmet food with fresh ingredients and original cocktails. Various room types available, from en suite bathrooms to dorm beds.

Sequence Miyashita Park

Great views
Price rating: ¥¥¥

With a prime location, exceptional park views, a late breakfast and even later check-out (2pm), you'll never want to leave the window bench. Dorm rooms are also available.

Trunk Hotel Cat Street

Boutique
Price rating: ¥¥¥

Chic, eco-friendly, hyperlocal hotel featuring plentiful art and luxurious rooms, gourmet restaurants and a lively lounge-bar with outdoor terrace.

Dormy Inn Premium Shibuya Jingumae

Dependable chain
Price rating: ¥¥

A branch of a reliable business chain, with compact doubles and twins, and relaxing extras like a sauna and an indoor onsen bath.

Harajuku and Aoyama

Neighborhood vibe: Style in multiple forms, from youth trends to haute couture and cutting-edge architecture.

Tokyu Stay Aoyama Premier

Dependable chain
Price rating: ¥¥

In addition to a great location near Gaienmae Station, this business hotel offers smartly designed singles, twins and doubles.

West Tokyo

Neighborhood vibe: Not the most convenient area to stay, but ideal for anyone interested in alternative neighborhoods and in being closer to nature.

Toyoko Inn Tokyo Akishima-eki Minami-guchi

Budget
Price rating: ¥

This business hotel by Akishima Station is a solid choice for exploring the Okutama region. A free buffet breakfast and on-site laundry facilities add to the appeal.

Woodland Bothy Glamping Auberge

Glamping
Price rating: ¥¥¥

If you love the outdoors but are a bit squeamish about camping, this secluded facility offers a comfortable stay along the Yozawa River, complete with delicious meals.

Kamenoi Hotel Ōme

Ryokan
Price rating: ¥¥

A renovated family-friendly ryokan by the Tama River, combining the comfort of Western-style beds with hot-spring baths and Japanese course meals. Ten minutes by free shuttle from Ōme Station.

Satologue

Boutique
Price rating: ¥¥¥

Immerse yourself in nature at this new accommodation in Nishitama, which features local cuisine married with French techniques and locally brewed sake. Guests enjoy curated activities and a private sauna.

Shinjuku and Northwest Tokyo

Neighborhood vibe: An eclectic mix of accommodation options and attractions, from bustling bars and the city's main Gayborhood to the calm of Shinjuku Gyoen.

Vessel Inn Takadanobaba

Midrange comfort
Price rating: ¥¥

Sleek, family-friendly accommodation with direct access to Takadanobaba Station. The extensive breakfast buffet includes fresh seafood daily.

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

Midrange comfort
Price rating: ¥¥

This modern place offers a convenient base in the heart of Kabukichō. Book the Godzilla Floor for views of the iconic Godzilla Head outside your window.

Hotel Metropolitan Ikebukuro

Midrange comfort
Price rating: ¥¥

A local stalwart with comfortable rooms and multiple restaurants, including Italian dining on the 25th floor and made-to-order omelets for breakfast. One-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station.

Kōrakuen and Akihabara

Neighborhood vibe: The center of all things otaku (geeky), plus one of the city's finest gardens and the Tokyo Dome City entertainment complex.

Under Railway Hotel

Boutique
Price rating: ¥

A feature of Tokyo urbanism is the interesting use of the space under the rail tracks. This hotel has small but affordable rooms beneath the JR line in between Akihabara and Ueno.

Toggle Hotel

Boutique
Price rating: ¥¥

Located near Suidobashi Station, this hotel has monochromatic color schemes that extend even into the design-forward guest rooms. 

Ueno and Yanesen

Neighborhood vibe: Budget and midrange accommodation, top museums, a lively street market and great transport links to the rest of the city.

Hotel Resol Ueno

Midrange comfort
Price rating: ¥¥

Smart, modern lodgings by Ueno Station with singles, doubles and twin rooms.

Nohga Hotel

Boutique
Price rating: ¥¥¥

Spacious and tastefully decorated rooms, plus plenty of cool common spaces to hang out in. A handy location several blocks from Ueno Station. Modern art in common areas adds a nice touch, especially since some of it is by young local artists.

Sawanoya Ryokan

Ryokan
Price rating: ¥¥

A traditional ryokan with tatami mat rooms tucked in the backstreets of Yanesen. English-speaking staff.

Asakusa and Sumida River

Neighborhood vibe: Major attractions like Sensō-ji and Tokyo Skytree, down-to-earth neighborhoods, and Tokyo's sumo heartland. Affordable accommodation, too.

Asakusa Saunaland

Boutique
Price rating: ¥¥

Each room in this designer choice comes with a state-of-the-art sauna.

Asakusa View Hotel

Great views
Price rating: ¥¥

Standard, modern hotel, but views of Skytree at night are spectacular.

Sumida Nagaya

Hostel
Price rating: ¥

Small hostel inside a nagaya wooden tenement house, with an excellent lasagna cafe.

Cyashitsu Ryokan Asakusa

Ryokan
Price rating: ¥¥

Modern ryokan behind Sensō-ji; nice rooms and a half-outdoor private onsen bath.

Odaiba and Tokyo Bay

Neighborhood vibe: Family-friendly attractions and a growing art scene, though an inconvenient base for exploring the rest of the capital.

Mitsui Garden Hotel Toyosu Premier

Mid-to-upscale
Price rating: ¥¥

Located atop a skyscraper connected to Toyosu Station. Features plush guestrooms, including well-priced standard rooms, plus a 36th-floor onsen bath with extensive views.

Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo Ariake

Mid-to-upscale
Price rating: ¥¥

A step above a business hotel, this property near Tokyo Big Sight is connected to an onsen facility (extra fee) with multiple baths and saunas.