Need help with hotel ideas for Tokyo w/ 9yo.

[Steph Wiestling]

Hi Everyone!

I'm hoping to get some great insight from some of you who may have been to Tokyo with kids!

My friend is going and needs some first-hand advice on a fun and affordable hotel.  She's not really looking for an immersion experience per se, so it can be a Marriott or other American brand if appropriate.  The big thing is to be kid friendly, safe, and near fun family activities.  They will only be there 4 days.

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

Steph

[Marian Goldberg]

Hi Steph,

 

I am probably the best person to reply to you, because I have been involved with Japan PR since 1997.

I think one of the bigger hotels, such as: Keio Plaza Takanaga Prince would be good. Both are walking distance to the train station -- Shinjuku and Shinagawa respectively. I am assuming you are looking for a mid-range price but a good English-speaking staff. I think the big buffet breakfast, so that fussy kids can choose is good. It's nice to have a pool, but make sure in advance that there is no extra fee for pool use.

You don't need too many hotel "resort-like" services, because you will spend most of your time out of the hotel.

What time of year are you going? I went with my daughter when she was 6 and my husband, son and daughter then my son was 4 and my daughter was 8.  Unfortunately, the hotel we stayed in, which was the Sofiel, right across from Ueno Park has been converted into apartments, so I can't recommend that, although the area is great, and I wish there were another hotel there :(  I like Ueno park for kids VERY much. There is a zoo, about 10 museums, a pond with pedel boats, a flea market every Wednesday, a bunch of small shrines with kid-friendly staff, a baseball field, some fun street food vendors, etc.  During cherry blossom season the whole park is pink!  Bottom line, as long as you are convenient to a subway, you are fine.

[Honor]

Hello Steph,

 

I'll add one more to this list in case you're interested. It's the national childrens hotel in Aoyama in the centre of the city. The nice thing is that the hotel is designed with kids in mind and it's really easy to access the major sights and activities from here. This is the link http://www.kodomono-shiro.or.jp/english/hotel/index.html

[Elaine Baran]

Hi Steph - this is one of my specialties and I write up selections for clients all the time.  You didn't mention age of kids which is critical, nor how many.    Most Japanese hotels do not have appropriate connecting rooms and sometimes even getting adjoining is not possible.  If kids are old enough to be nearby then that's the best to try to plan for; Japan is incredibly safe, but sometimes the kids are rambunctious and parents don't want to have them on their own.  If the kids are younger, then you run into the issue of standard rooms are small and often do not hold a third person unless they are an infant.   So you wind up having to upgrade the room just so it's large enough to hold the extra person.  Rooms for four are very rare or are in hotels that are much lower categories and usually means there are no non-smoking rooms and very little English is spoken.   There are some hotels that have connecting rooms - we make it a point to know them, but most are high end hotels.   Even the connecting rooms that exist depend on upgraded rooms for one of the rooms usually.   So you can see how age and number of kids is critical in what to recommend that will work.   As for recommendations, I agree on the Keio Plaza, pretty good location, near trains and family friendly.  If there are an odd number of kids and they can be on their own, check for triples, 3* hotels often have them.  Just realize that the on-site services and English in these hotels is more limited than in the higher end hotels.  As you mentioned, if they are OK with American chains, that may be the way to go - you can get pretty good information from the 800 numbers about what types of rooms are possible.   Getting the same info from the Japanese hotels is more difficult unless you know the name and can find their own website.  Then you can find out if they have triples, but there's usually no info on connecting rooms (usually because there are none).   Remember the Japanese have small families so this is usually less of an issue and also remember that the rooms, even in the best hotels, will be VERY small in Tokyo.   Even when you think you're paying a lot.     Totally agree with Marian (hi Marian! - Elaine from Esprit), as long as you're near a subway you should be fine, since Tokyo is very large and they'll spend time on the subway getting around anyway.   I also like to suggest if Tsukiji fish market is a place that's appropriate for them (no small kids, lots of fast moving vehicles on left side driving, so you have to watch the young ones all the time), that they go from Tsukiji, take Sumida river cruise to Asakusa, tour that area and then go to Edo Tokyo Museum, which kids seem to really like,   It works for a nice day of activities.      Good luck - I hope they come to love Japan as much as we do.      Elaine

[Marian Goldberg]

Hi All, she does say how old the child is. In her title it says " Ideas for Tokyo with 9-year-old" So, it looks like only one kid and he or she is 9. So, it should not be too bad re the issues that Elaine points out.

[Elaine Baran]

oops - thanks Marian - I read the message but didn't notice the very clear title.   Elaine

[Linda Beltran]

There is ONE Marriott in Tokyo and it's in the Ginza area (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/tyocy-courtyard-tokyo-ginza-h...), which is a family friendly area (in that it's got good location and easy access to other areas/things to do, but isn't really place that will have areas for kids to play or "cheap" places to eat (in general, Tokyo is EXPENSIVE to eat regardless, unless you eat ramen or McDonald's).  Also, overall, Tokyo is EXTREMELY safe, and she'll never feel that any area that she travels to, isn't a place she couldn't take her children.  The train system in uber efficient, clean and especially safe!

 

Again "affordable" for Tokyo may not be "affordable" in general.  But, I JUST left there, where I worked for The Ritz-Carlton, and our room rates were astronomically high compared to any other Ritz in the World, save Moscow and NYC.

 

Good luck, hope that helped!

Linda

[Steph Wiestling]

You guys are awesome!!!  Thank you!!! 

If you have more ideas, please keep them coming. 

It's just my friend and her 9yo daughter.  She would love info on insider eats, yoga and shopping!!  For hotel she said, 'something more traditional would be nice', which I guess could be taken either traditional Japanese or traditional American... hard to tell now.  Looks like they will be going in the Spring.  

Thank you again for your great help so far!!

[jen hopkins]

Hi,

Although it's quite old now and not overly flash, Shiba Park Hotel - (close to Tokyo Tower ) used to be quite reasonable.

I have stayed there on several different occasions with my own children,- then aged 6 and 7 and with groups of students from New Zealand.

The hotel is close to cheap eating places, including Mac Donalds as well as the Haneda mono-rail and Tokyo Station.

The staff are happy and friendly although it's cheaper to go out for breakfast.

Best wishes

Jen- New Zealand