I'm planning my first trip to Tokyo. Everyone says it can be very expensive.

I would appreciate any recommendations on a moderately priced ($50-$90 per night) hotel in Tokyo that is conveniently located, safe, clean, and near the subway or JR train.

When searching on Expedia, I came up with a Clarion Hotel and a Crowne Plaza Metropolitan Hotel for about $85. Has anyone stayed at either of these hotels?

Any other suggestions for sightseeing on a first visit to Tokyo also appreciated.

Thanks for your help.

[This message has been edited by Loderunner777 (edited 12-29-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Loderunner777 (edited 12-29-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Loderunner777 (edited 12-29-2001).]

The Crowne Plaza is quite decent, especially for $85, which is a good price for Tokyo.

It is located in Ikebukuro, which is a downscale but safe office/shopping area with no attractions at all.
Ikebukuro is on the JR Yamanote line, which makes for a relatively convenient run to most parts of Tokyo. This is however the most crowded line in Tokyo, avoid it at all costs at rush hours.
As a bonus, from Narita you can take the Keisei Skyliner to Nippori and transfer to the Yamanote line, provided you don't have too much luggage (this will be the most economical and fastest way to Ikebukuro).

For some tips on Tokyo, do a search on this forum or the Asia forum going back a year, e.g. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/Forum11/HTML/006311.html

My understanding of Japan is that nothing at all there is "moderately" priced http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

Not true Goldlust, you just have to know how and where to shop. It's now Y132 to the dollar, much cheaper than the Y116 when I was there in October. Staying in Japanese business class hotels can be done for $40~$65, but rooms are 10x10 boxes with combination sink/shower water lines in a phonebooth sized bathroom. Eating U-Don bowls of soup at little street front shops is around $6. Depends on how cheap you want to go. In a photo ng I see discussion on some Tokyo photo stores now matching NYC mail order prices.

hmm, 'business class hotel' might be misleading http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif . They are officially called business hotels, and cater to the travelling japanese 'salaryman', that is, non-management Japanese company employee, and priced accordingly. Definitely not to the businessman flying C/J transpac!

They are very predictable, as one always gets:
- one yukata (japanese pajamas/bathrobe) per bed
- disposable toothbrush/toothpaste/comb
- 'unit bath', that is a prefab one-piece molded plastic bathroom complete with bathtub/toilet/sink
- a small TV with coin-operated pay channels
- rooms often inaccessible during the day
- phone
- breakfast downstairs, but no other food service
- no other services such as laundry, etc.

The idea being that the travelling salaryman can do with just a change of underwear in his briefcase for an overnight trip.

The myth of Tokyo being impossibly expensive for ordinary mortals comes from an annoying Sixty Minutes report back in the 1980s in which the reporter went to Tokyo, did everything in the most expensive way possible, and made up a "gee whiz" report about $200 cab rides to the airport (forgetting to mention that it's 40 miles out of town).

Two years ago, when the yen was 110/dollar, I did three weeks in Japan, including airfare, a Rail Pass, and everything else for $3000, and I never resorted to backpackers' hovels or youth hostels.

Unless you need a big hotel room to satisfy your ego, the business hotels are perfectly clean, safe, and well-maintained and often include breakfast. Yes, they're small, but I don't go to Japan to sit around in my hotel room anyway.

I'm going again in May, and now the yen is 132/dollar, so I expect to have an even better time.

If you can get the Crowne Plaza for that price---go for it!! I just got back from Japan & before I went I spent weeks looking for decent hotel prices---we wanted a 3 star. I found the Shiba Park Hotel which was very nice & also convenient but I think our room was around $130 w/breakfast.