Hotel Tips Japan

In the large cities of Japan, there are so many hotels to choose from that it is hard to know where to start. Let us help you with some great hotel tips for Japan for all budgets in the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka! Our previous customers have given good comments about these hotels, and many of the agents we collaborate with also have these accommodations in their portfolios.

Hotel tips for Tokyo

We especially recommend the following hotels in Tokyo (chosen based on great location and/or good design or good cost-performance):

Capsule/budget hotels: The Global Hotel Tokyo / The Hotel Shinbashi Tokyo / Ryokan Sansuiso

3-star hotels: Candeo Hotels Tokyo Shinbashi / Tokyo Grand Hotel / Hotel 1899 Tokyo

4-star hotels: Park Hotel Tokyo / Niwa Hotel / Mercure Hotel Ginza Tokyo

5-star hotels: The Tokyo Station Hotel / Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo

Hotel tips for Kyoto

We especially recommend the following hotels in Kyoto (chosen based on great location and/or good design or good cost-performance):

Budget hotels: The Pocket Hotel Kyoto Shijokarasuma / Kyoto Utano Youth Hostel / Guesthouse Sakura Komachi Hostel Kyoto

3-star hotels: Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Kiyomizu Gojo / Oriental Hotel Kyoto Rokujo / Hotel Tavinos Kyoto

4-star hotels: Ace Hotel Kyoto / Hotel Nikko Princess Kyoto / Hotel Granvia Kyoto / The Thousand Kyoto

5-star hotels: Aman Kyoto / Park Hyatt Kyoto / Four Seasons Kyoto

Hotel tips for Osaka

We especially recommend the following hotels in Osaka (chosen based on great location and/or good design or cost-performance):

Budget hotels: Imano Osaka Shinsaibashi Hostel / The Stay Osaka Shinsaibashi

3-star hotels: The Bridge Hotel Shinsaibashi / Hotel Intergate Osaka Umeda / The Lively Osaka Honmachi

4-star hotels: Hotel Nikko Osaka / The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Osaka-Midosuji / Hiyori Hotel Osaka Namba

5-star hotels: Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel / Imperial Hotel Osaka / The Ritz-Carlton Osaka

General tips for picking a neighborhood

Deciding on an area is a bit more challenging, but here are some points to consider that will make it a bit easier to pick a good area:

-> for convenience, it is good to pick a hotel near the city’s most major train station such as Tokyo Station, Kyoto Station, and Shin-Osaka Station

-> you can make your selection smaller by going for either western-style hotels or ryokan (traditional Japanese hotels). Many tourists prefer to stay in a western-style for most of their stay, and book 1 or 2 nights in a traditional hotel. Cities like Kyoto, Hakone, and Takayama are good places to stay in a ryokan while cities like Tokyo and Osaka are good for western-style hotels

-> depending on your personal preferences, it can be better to avoid staying in the most bustling areas of Tokyo (Shibuya/Shinjuku) and Osaka (Namba/Dotonbori) but instead stay in a neighborhood right next to it for easy access but better prices and less noise. Here you can read more about neighborhoods we especially recommend in Tokyo

Private tours in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka

Of course, finding a good hotel is a very important part of planning your trip to Japan, but finding good activities will also greatly influence how your trip will turn out! Doing a day tour with a private guide is one of the best ways to discover the most interesting parts of cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, whether you want to make sure to see all the highlights or prefer to experience the more local side of a town.

So why not book a private tour for one or a few days? A local guide can also give you great personalized advice on how to fill in your other days in their city. We have a network of enthusiastic guides who aren’t afraid to be flexible and simply want to provide you with an entertaining and enlightening day in their city. Check out our tours for yourself!