FYI: Top 10 Tokyo Hotels (via The Guardian)

I'm not one for linkblogging, but with the semi-recent talk of visiting Japan I thought this article posted on The Guardian's (Britain's premier wishy-washy lefty newspaper - a personal fav) web site would interest.

It has a good selection of hotels based on budget, pretension and culture, with cost of rooms per night listed as well as local bike rental fees for good measure. #1, Tokyo Ryokan, does sound the most appealing, but more for its domesticity and lack of curfew rather than the obvious budgettastic value. To quote the article,

The Japanese equivalent of the family-run B&B, Tokyo Ryokan is a good bet for travellers hoping for a brush with traditional Japan during their stay in Tokyo. Only three rooms, but all suffused with the life-affirming aroma of fresh tatami mats, plus sliding fusuma paper screens and tasteful wooden furnishings. No curfew and guests are free to spend their days lazing in their rooms if they wish. Showers and baths are shared, although a dip in the nearby sento public bath is recommended. The ryokan doesn't serve meals, but with every possible style of Japanese cuisine on your doorstep, that's hardly a drawback.

· All rooms 3,000 yen (£13) a night per person. Bicycles can be rented nearby from 200 yen (90p) a day.

I love articles like these (there are others on Tokyo shop and restaurants, too), but they are hateful evil things for making me want to visit Japan. Only essay deadlines and bloated Victorian novels are allowed preoccupy my thoughts at the moment. Bad, Guardian web site, bad.

Comments

[Martin]

"The ryokan doesn't serve meals, but with every possible style of Japanese cuisine on your doorstep, that's hardly a drawback."
QFT - I recall a recent news story that reported how Tokyo was lauded as the best city in the world for restaurants (I also recall the Parisians being really upset!). If this is the case I'm not too worried about food in the hotel itself.

I'll be bookmarking that Guardian article for future reference though. Sakura appeals to my low-budget otaku leanings but Park sounds a bit more sophisticated...moar overtime needed methinks.

[0rion]

Speaking as someone who has seen most of the hotels in question, as well as hearing reports from budget travelers who have stayed at them, I'd recommend staying away Tokyo Ryokan. I've never heard anything good about it except in guidebooks.

In many parts of Japan these little, inexpensive, hole-in-the-wall ryokan can be a great find. They often have a relaxed atmosphere and a nice traditional Japanese vibe. In Tokyo, however, you generally get exactly what you pay for.

That said, I've stayed at Sakura Hotel a couple of times, and been to their cafe on several other occasions, and I highly recommend it. I bit more expensive, but again, you get what you pay for.

It also has the added advantage that it's right in the heart of old town Jimbocho, so you get to feel like you're walking through one of the R.O.D. sets - dusty old bookshops lining the streets, with dusty old men sitting behind piles of dusty old books leisurely reading the newspaper while customers browse through the narrow aisles. Quite fun actually. I should send you guys some pictures. :D

[Hidoshi]

"Recent"? :P My entry's from back in July. Not that I mind the linkage of course. ^^;

Mm... I'd love to visit a Ryokan too. ^^

[Hige]

Martin:
Yeah, I think the Guardian reported that. Maybe the filthy cheese-eating surrender monkeys need to try a little harder. Too much casual sex while chain smoking and not enough gourmand-pandering. But anyway, enough easy shots at the French. I agree that article encourages far too much day-dream planning. I always find the most enticing articles when I'm meant to be writing essays. I should constantly have a deadline just so I procrastinate my way to internet gold.

0rion:
Cheers for your recommendations. Sakura does sound appealing for the bilingual staff, but I doubt my standards are high enough to be outraged by Ryokan's lack of frills. Assuming it's got working toilets/showers/heating, I'd be pretty satisfied. Remember I live in Britain where everything is a bit of a shithole.

Hidoshi:
*Semi*-recent. That gives me a six-month timespan at least! :x