by Devon Sponheimer

Toyoko Inn is a well known hotel chain with over 200 hotels located throughout Japan with additional locations in Korea. It offers a consistent experience at each hotel, so it is their aim that at each hotel you will have a similar experience.

During our last trip, we stayed in the Toyoko Inn in Shinjuku. This hotel was conveniently located being about a 10 minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station. This convenient location is not unique to this hotel but is a hallmark of all Toyoko Inns. Getting a taxi there was quite a hassle due to its proximity to the train station, but we finally managed to convince one taxi driver to take us there (With sad eyes and pitifully gazing at my luggage).

The Toyoko Inn is essentially a “Salary Man’s” hotel, so don’t expect many frills. Their website puts it best: “Toyoko Inn doesn’t offer the extravagant facilities of resort hotels, city hotels or hot spring hotels that provide a respite from daily life, nor do we provide their almost overwhelming personal level of service. Instead, we offer the necessary facilities and services and a safe, clean, comfortable environment that will serve as a practical extension of your daily life during your stay”.

Location

The Shinjuku Toyoko Inn is located in the entertainment and red-light district Kabukicho or “Sleepless Town”. This district features host and hostess clubs, love hotels and nightclubs. Although we felt safe and walked to downtown Shinjuku, I might not recommend the area for guests with young children. The area around the hotel was noisy and busy at night, but fairly quiet in the morning as you would expect from a bar area.

Check In

Even with my limited Japanese, check in was easy. The woman at the front desk processed our paperwork. As a foreigner, you will be required to hand over your passport so they can make a photocopy to keep on file. Be prepared for this.

Before heading up to your room, grab your yukata from the yukata storage located by the front desk. Optional but important: grab a snack, beverage or beer from one of the vending machines by the elevators.

Check-in & Check-out Time:

Check in is at 16:00. You may check in prior to 16:00 but are not allowed access to your room until 16:00.
Check out is at 10:00. Payment is required at check-in.

The Rooms

Room Types:

Smoking or Non Smoking-

Single room – Double bed for one person
Economy Double Room – Double bed for two people
Double room – Queen sized bed for two people
King Double room – King sized bed for two people
Twin – Two twin sized beds for two people (110 cm)
Economy Twin – Two twin sized beds for two people (92 cm)
Family Twin Room – A double bed, and a twin bed for three people
Deluxe Twin Room - Two double beds for four people

They also offer accessible rooms, but those reservations must be made by phone or fax only at the specific hotel.

Room costs will vary at each location.

Basic in-room features in all rooms include a writing desk, air conditioner, hot water/tea maker, refrigerator, bathroom, telephone, LAN port (with cord) and WiFi. Forgot your laptop? They also have a lobby computer.

We chose the Double Room with the Queen sized bed. The room is small and utilitarian. We got a double room, and the bed was unforgiving and rock hard. If that’s something you enjoy, you’ll love this room. It was challenging to move around in the room, with very limited space for me and my husband and our luggage.

Bathroom

Featuring a Japanese toilet (link article), and deep bathtub with shower. It also has toiletries – including soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb and razor.

Hotel Amenities

Breakfast

Because this is a hotel catering to salarymen, they offer a breakfast included in the price of your room. Our breakfast included rice balls, miso soup, curry and steamed rice, orange juice, coffee and a selection of breads. Admittedly, it was a little hard for my American brain to wrap itself around miso soup at 7am with orange juice, but the meal was filling and ample.

Additional features

If you’ve forgotten your laptop and MUST have one in your room, you can rent one for 1,000 JPY per night (excluding tax)
Toyoko Inn Club – Offers room discounts, coupons and early check-ins for a nominal membership fee.

Looking to save?

They offer discount rates for late night check in (after 23:00), which is great if you’re coming in on a very late flight, or from another location in Japan. It’s not available in all locations, so check their website for the current details.

Eco Plan – they won’t change your sheets, make your bed or replenish your toiletries but you save for 300 JPY per night, if you are stay two or more nights through March 2015.

Check-out

Check out was a breeze as we had paid at check-in and they held our bags for us while we explored the city for the day. Bags were tagged and left in a secure area.

Pros

The Breakfast
Decent price for a one-night stay with breakfast in Tokyo (¥9280)
Location
Handy confirmation with a map
Online booking in a variety of languages

Cons

The bed. It was nearly like sleeping on the ground.

Although the hotel was clean, had breakfast and you could certainly do much worse, the Toyoko Inn is average at best. Decent for a one night stay in a pinch, or if you’re not going to spend a lot of time in your hotel room.

How to Book

The Toyoko Inn makes it easy with an English language website with online booking. We found it simple to book our room for a one night stay, and received an English confirmation directly after booking. Reservations can be made up to 3 months in advance. Bookings can be easily made here, on their official website, or at bookings.com.

Location of the Shinjuku Toyoko Inn:

Tokyo Shinjuku Kabuki-cho

160-0021 Shinjuku-ku Kabuki cho

Tel: 03-5155-1045
Fax: 03-5155-1046

Japlanning Tip: Once you receive a room confirmation, print out the Japanese language map along with the English one and bring that with you to show to locals or taxi drivers for directions.

Getting there

The hotel is a 5 minute walk from the A1 exit of Higashi-Shinjuku station on the Oedo Subway Line

12 minute walk from the east exit of the JR Shinjuku Station
10 minutes from the B5 exit of Shinjuku san-chome station on the Marunouchi Subway line

The Toyoko-Inn chain is nothing special, beyond a place to rest your head, and have breakfast. The chain is quite standardised over its 200 locations, so you won't get any surprises at any from the above review. For those looking for a cheap, clean, and friendly place to stay, the Toyoko-Inn hotel chain is worth checking out.

Hotel Review - Toyoko Inn Shinjuku Kabukicho