Tokyo hotel recommendation? Avoid high floors? Ginza/area?

We have just returned from THE most amazing trip of our lives :D

We spent 2+ weeks in Japan, and then a few days in Hong Kong.

We LOVED Japan (even though we have a lot of work to do, language-wise!)

DH has been able to arrange a trip to Japan again in a few months, so we are thrilled to be able to return reasonably soon.

Are there any recommendations for a hotel in the Ginza area (or other area suggestions), where there are at least some rooms that are NOT on "high floors"?

That probably means nothing above approximately Floor 20 or such.

We stayed at a great hotel last month, but it didn't have a "central" location.

We didn't mind taking taxis, but that's not the same as "walking out the door to things and activity nearby".

We had a few great tours, and will be working with the same guide a few times, but we'd like to be better able to explore on our own for short outings.

(I have slight mobility difficulties, and can't always walk for long distances as when I was younger. So being more in the thick of things would probably be nice.)

(Semi-lux category, probably, such as 4 star. But not looking for anything like the Mandarin Oriental in terms of price...!)

Many thanks.

My son and I spent a week in Hong Kong then a week in Tokyo before a cruise out of Yokohama. While not the hotel you are asking about, we found a wonderful choice of options via Airbnb. Certainly, Tokyo has an abundance and we had our own two bed apartment with kitchen and washer dryer close to the metro. Our preferred neighborhood was different than yours but we found it so relaxing at the end of the day to feel 'at home'.

Any thoughts on staying somewhere in Shibuya at like the Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel? During previous trips we've stayed in Shinjuku a few times, Asakusa once, and most recently Shibuya. We like Shinjuku as there's a lot going on but there are some sketchy areas around the Kabukicho area with touts bothering you. Asakusa was a bit quiet for us a night though there are areas of activity. We really enjoyed staying in Shibuya as we were looking to be able to step right into the action. There are a lot of restaurants and shopping in Shibuya and it is a bit of a transportation hub. It is more of a youthful crowd however. We stayed at the APA in April but my sister recently stayed at the Cerulean in May and really liked it. The only potential issue might be that I think their rooms start on the 19th floor. We also looked at AirBNB as an option and would consider using it for a future trip to Tokyo/Japan. We found some good options on AirBNB but had already booked our APA hotel and didn't want to bother with changing everything.

In case anyone else wanders into this thread, Airbnb has essentially been shut down in Tokyo. The council decided they wanted Airbnb rentals to be licensed. As a result, More than 80% of them closed. I

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/06/06/business/airbnb-drops-nearly-80-percent-private-home-listings-ahead-new-peer-peer-rental-law/#.W2pbDnopC2c

We have stayed at both the Conrad Tokyo as well as the Tokyo Hilton (Shinjuku), and were very pleased by both. Excellent customer service and lounges.

Next month we will be staying at the Palace Hotel because we wanted a bit of luxury in a different area than the Conrad.

PS: The Conrad is all "high floors."

Hotel Metropolitan Marunouchi Tokyo right at Tokyo Station / Ginza.

You will have to ask for a lower floor though. As most hotels in Tokyo it´s a tower.

http://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Hotels/JPN-Tokyo-Metropolitan-Marunou/jpn-tokyo-metropolitan-marunouchi.html

What's wrong with high floors.

We have just returned from THE most amazing trip of our lives :D

We spent 2+ weeks in Japan, and then a few days in Hong Kong.

 

We LOVED Japan (even though we have a lot of work to do, language-wise!)

 

DH has been able to arrange a trip to Japan again in a few months, so we are thrilled to be able to return reasonably soon.

 

Are there any recommendations for a hotel in the Ginza area (or other area suggestions), where there are at least some rooms that are NOT on "high floors"?

That probably means nothing above approximately Floor 20 or such.

 

We stayed at a great hotel last month, but it didn't have a "central" location.

We didn't mind taking taxis, but that's not the same as "walking out the door to things and activity nearby".

 

We had a few great tours, and will be working with the same guide a few times, but we'd like to be better able to explore on our own for short outings.

(I have slight mobility difficulties, and can't always walk for long distances as when I was younger. So being more in the thick of things would probably be nice.)

 

(Semi-lux category, probably, such as 4 star. But not looking for anything like the Mandarin Oriental in terms of price...!)

 

Many thanks.

We love Japan. Our 1st trip we had 3 weeks last year and loved it so much had 4 weeks again this May. Just used the Japan rail passes to get around. In Tokyo we stayed in Ueno but it is budget accom 2-3*. We really liked the area and stayed at same hotel for both trips. But I think you are looking for something more upmarket. Here is a link to a great site with lots of info on Japan.

http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/japantravelfaq

Cheers

Jean

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

What's wrong with high floors.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

Hi GeezerCouple

 

We love Japan. Our 1st trip we had 3 weeks last year and loved it so much had 4 weeks again this May. Just used the Japan rail passes to get around. In Tokyo we stayed in Ueno but it is budget accom 2-3*. We really liked the area and stayed at same hotel for both trips. But I think you are looking for something more upmarket. Here is a link to a great site with lots of info on Japan.

 

http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/japantravelfaq

 

Cheers

Jean

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

Thanks so much.

We were not familiar with this website, so now I have more homework cut out for me :)

(That's good, because I also love the planning.)

We didn't get back last fall as planned, alas, but we had an amazing trip to Norway. We took the Hurtigruten RT Coastal cruise in March, with an astronomy package, and we did have the good fortune to see some amazing Northern Lights, which was the primary goal. But it is so beautiful there, and we loved Hurtigruten so much more than we expected (we weren't sure... given the "ferry" aspect, but it was terrific in every way), that we now have another trip to the area to add to our growing list.

Um, I thought the list was supposed to get shorter, as we checked off some of the "must see some day" places :D

Instead, we seem to keep adding, and only a few places end up with a "been there/done that" check-off.

But that return trip to Japan is still "on", just delayed, so the timing of your link is really helpful.

In addition to the business meetings, we'll be wanting to spend considerable extra time, given the time it takes to get there, and also the recovery time.

(The "recovery" after arrival caught us totally by surprise. I had scheduled a full "rest" day, and only half day tour the next day, and we slept around the clock, except for 2 light meals, for more than 24 hours. Did not expect that! We'd never traveled that far, in distance or in time zones, before. But "now we know"...)

It will be tricky, deciding among places we'd like to see "more of", and places we haven't yet been.

GC

What's wrong with high floors.

Japanese people don't like high floors because of the risk of earthquakes

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

It's much more simple than that.

I simply don't like heights. :(

GC

Thanks so much.

 

We were not familiar with this website, so now I have more homework cut out for me :)

(That's good, because I also love the planning.)

 

We didn't get back last fall as planned, alas, but we had an amazing trip to Norway. We took the Hurtigruten RT Coastal cruise in March, with an astronomy package, and we did have the good fortune to see some amazing Northern Lights, which was the primary goal. But it is so beautiful there, and we loved Hurtigruten so much more than we expected (we weren't sure... given the "ferry" aspect, but it was terrific in every way), that we now have another trip to the area to add to our growing list.

 

Um, I thought the list was supposed to get shorter, as we checked off some of the "must see some day" places :D

Instead, we seem to keep adding, and only a few places end up with a "been there/done that" check-off.

 

But that return trip to Japan is still "on", just delayed, so the timing of your link is really helpful.

In addition to the business meetings, we'll be wanting to spend considerable extra time, given the time it takes to get there, and also the recovery time.

(The "recovery" after arrival caught us totally by surprise. I had scheduled a full "rest" day, and only half day tour the next day, and we slept around the clock, except for 2 light meals, for more than 24 hours. Did not expect that! We'd never traveled that far, in distance or in time zones, before. But "now we know"...)

 

It will be tricky, deciding among places we'd like to see "more of", and places we haven't yet been.

 

GC

Yes I will definately get back to you later on Hurtigruten. Interesting you mentioned the ferry aspect of it because I was weighing that up as well. Got an alert set for sale on winter gear...lol

Anyway to get back to Japan this site is more slanted for Australians but I think is still very useful to others as well. I had a lot of help with my itinerary from a friend on CC and this Japan forum. If you would like I can send my itinerary I did for both trips to give you some ideas. Some sites I visited others I ran out of time on. It was more of a guide so I would always have something I could do in the area and how to go about it. My first trip was a real adventure my 2nd trip was also good but I think I tried to do too much. We got really tired on the 4th week. Next time....and yes there will be at least another couple of times. I will take some more time out to just do nothing, people watch, chat to locals etc. As a Australian I can fully understand the long haul flights as we have to do them to get anywhere from here, Japan being the exception to the rule only 9hrs.

If you have questions happy to try and answer them for you.

jean_warren at westnet dot com dot au

Cheers

Jean

Bit of a thread drift but maybe useful for some more adventurous travellers...

Why not a high floor?

The main concern is NOT Earthquakes actually but Fire Safety.

In general, most cities’ Fire Departments in Third World countries do not have ladders that reach beyond the 8th. Floor.

Be very aware that lots of countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia ( mind you Japan has one of the very best Fire safety records, training and equipment) do not have regulations mandating 2 exit possibilities from any room.

In risk areas,( read areas prone to terrorism, like Bamako, Islamabad or Kabul) I stay above the 2nd floor ( car/suicide belt immediate bomb blast area below) and below the 10th floor.

On ‎10‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 3:42 AM, Despegue said:

Bit of a thread drift but maybe useful for some more adventurous travellers...

 

Why not a high floor?

 

The main concern is NOT Earthquakes actually but Fire Safety.

 

In general, most cities’ Fire Departments in Third World countries do not have ladders that reach beyond the 8th. Floor.

Be very aware that lots of countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia ( mind you Japan has one of the very best Fire safety records, training and equipment) do not have regulations mandating 2 exit possibilities from any room.

Isn't this thread about Hotels in Tokyo?

I suspect in Tokyo its about available space more than anything. When they can build multi story buildings using the underlying technology to protect them from earthquakes then the tendency is to use lower floors for shops, restaurants and offices - and the higher floors for hotel accomodation

On ‎8‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 4:27 PM, notjaded said:

We have stayed at both the Conrad Tokyo as well as the Tokyo Hilton (Shinjuku), and were very pleased by both. Excellent customer service and lounges....

PS: The Conrad is all "high floors."

The OP is after 4 star - the Conrad is unlikely to be even remotely close to their budget

It's a great hotel - but it is not inexpensive

In the Shiodome area there are hotels like the Park Hotel and the Royal Park Hotel Shiodome that would be more suited to their request for 4 star semi luxe level hotels 

We stayed at Citadines Shinjuku and were very satisfied.  Nothing fancy, but very clean, spacious (by Japanese standards) rooms with fridge and microwave.  We were on the third floor and as far as I remember there were only about eight floors in total.  The front desk staff spoke good English and were helpful and the area was safe to walk around, as is most of Tokyo.  We would stay there again as well as atthe Citadines Kyoto which was one of our other stops on our independent tour after a cruise.