Hello all,
I'm heading off on my first trip to Japan soon (May 8-15, flying into NRT), spending most of the time in Tokyo with a few days in Kyoto. I'm desperately seeking help/advice on accomodations!

1.Opinions on staying in a hotel vs. ryokan? Are ryokans generally pricier? Another consideration: my boyfriend is tall, 6/5", and definitely wants to be able to fit into the bed/room we stay in...

2. Would it be a better idea to perhaps stay in a hotel while in Tokyo and a ryokan while in Kyoto?

3. Can anyone recommend well-located (near subway/rail) and clean/comfortable Tokyo hotels for $100US or less? Or good Web sites to find hotels?

Thanks so very much,
Stephanie

Ryokan can be expensive and some don't speak English. A cheap and english speaking ryokan that I have not stayed at but want to is Sawanoya, seems nice but no personal experience.
http://www.tctv.ne.jp/members/sawanoya/eigo.html

1. Ryokans range from Y5,000 to 50,000+, with the top end ones including in-room high quality meals and Japanese bath, etc. in the price.
The low-priced ones are basically family-run old guesthouses, where the experience depends a lot on the owners' personality. In my experience, a number have become quite blase and more blatantly profit-oriented in the past decade. Their clientele is usually mostly foreigners (especially in Kyoto), laborers, or students. Not considered prestigious among Japanese (most would not own to staying in an inexpensive one).

At any rate, ryokans have much more character than most Japanese hotels. I've really enjoyed perhaps one third of my stays in ryokans of all price ranges, and would not return to a similar number, mostly because of an overly suspicious/petty owner (e.g. the one in Kyoto who checked which numbers I was dialing from my room all the time; he once entered my room mid-call because I was using the 'wrong' long-distance carrier).


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">2. Would it be a better idea to perhaps stay in a hotel while in Tokyo and a ryokan while in Kyoto?</font>

Yes, I would do so.


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">3. Can anyone recommend well-located (near subway/rail) and clean/comfortable Tokyo hotels for $100US or less?</font>

Anything in this price range will be a bland 'business' hotel with the ubiquitous one-piece molded bathroom. Small but clean rooms. There are a number near Tokyo Station. Some better relatively lower priced hotels are the Shiba Park (best bet, check online specials), New Otani Inn, and Tokyo Dome hotels. US chain hotels are all considerably more upscale, with the Crowne Plaza being the cheaper one.


For a primer on Japanese accomodations: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/PS/#

P.S. your BF will have trouble fitting on a standard Japanese futon or bed. At least on the futon his feet will rest on the nearby tatami mat http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

Thanks! I'm just a bit nervous about booking from over here, but those hotel names and web site will certainly help. Guess I've just got to seize the day and go with the flow! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif
Thanks,
Stephanie

--The Tawaraya-- Kyoto-- will be a memory and experience you will treasure for the rest of your lives. This ryokan is unlike any other. You enter another world when you remove your shoes and enter the Tawaraya. It is very very expensive. So, I would economize every way I could just to spend one night at the Tawaraya.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by obscure2k:
--The Tawaraya-- Kyoto-- will be a memory and experience you will treasure for the rest of your lives.</font>Excellent advice. I have never been to Kyoto but this place is on my list as a must. It actually is excellent value (USD 700 per night for 2 but including breakfast and dinner in a classic Japanese style -- the dinner would cost USD 300 or more by itself). I think this is the web site (amazing to find Kyoto's oldest inn with a web site!). http://www.ryokan.or.jp/kyoto/nakagyou/tawara/english.htm

Number_6--thanks for your well-informed opinion and link. When one checks his shoes at the door and is shown to the room, a lovely woman appears, brings tea and very then with great discretion reviews your check-in formalities and your wishes during your stay.. The first order of business is to make the guest feel welcome. I cannot say enough about this Ryokan-- it is as if the staff magically or psychically knows your needs and schedule. After a day of sightseeing, the traditional Japanese bath, in the privacy of your bathroom will already be filled and steaming-hot. Dinner in your room is a mystical experience. I first experienced the Tawaraya with my husband. We knew that, one day we would have to share this experience with our 4 sons and so we did. As well, the Tawayara remains as seared in their memories as it does ours. May I suggest that anyone going to Kyoto, read "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden. It is a beautifully-written book and will shed much light on the history and culture of Kyoto. Skimp wherever possible in Tokyo and splurge in Kyoto. There are many who wax eloquently about their experiences on the Concorde. The Tawaraya is far more memorable than any supersonic flight. I remember every moment I have ever spent at the Tawaraya, from the gracious service, the choice of robes , pillows, the preparation of our "beds" to the beautifully appointed rooms, the gardens, the food and most of all, the serenity. Truly, it is another world and a world of tranquility and beauty.
Edited for puncutation.

[This message has been edited by obscure2k (edited 04-18-2003).]

I've never stayed at this hotel but the tariff, given the location, is very good.

7,400 yen for a single room and 12,000 yen for double. But rooms are small. 12 square meters for the former and 17 sq. m. for the latter. Breakfast included.

It's in the Ginza area with three subway stations within five minutes of walk.

Too bad the web site is in Japanese only.

http://www.presso-inn.com/

(another one in this presso-inn chain in Kanda is opening in June.)

I am not affiliated with them.

Considering the location and room features, this is a good deal.

After reading the observations about the Tawaraya I almost hesitate to mention these much more modest places.

In Tokyo, the Kimi Ryokan:
http://www.kimi-ryokan.jp/

In Kyoto, the Three Sisters Inn:
http://www.japaninyourpalm.com/travel/kyoto.htm has some information.

Two hints: when in Kyoto, make time for a side trip to Nara. Also, consider getting a small compass to help navigate in the larger train stations. (No kidding.)
Rich

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by rjh:
...Two hints: when in Kyoto, make time for a side trip to Nara. Also, consider getting a small compass to help navigate in the larger train stations. (No kidding.)</font>

I'll second these suggestions. Nara is less than an hour away from Kyoto and well worth your time. The comment about the train stations and their confusing layouts reminded me of a recent adventure. My partner and I needed to store our luggage for a day. After some deliberation, we decided not to get a locker at Kyoto station because we were afraid we'd never be able to find the locker again. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif And we like to consider ourselves "world travelers".

We stayed at a modest ryokan in Kyoto named Watazen (http://www.watazen.com) (the link is not working at the time I post this)and it cost about US$ 107 for the two of us, including tax, but no meals. This is a good place if you simply want to try a few nights in a Japanese-style room sleeping on the floor on a futon and soak in a Japanese bath. If you want additional “luxuries” you will have to find a different ryokan and possibly pay quite a bit more money, as described in earlier posts. After sleeping on the floor for three nights, this middle-aged body was ready for a bed. But I’m glad we had the experience.

As far as Tokyo, we used Expedia (http://www.expedia.com) to book the Akasaka Prince Hotel (http://www2.princehotels.co.jp/app_room/epiq0010.asp?hotel=002). This is a 4* hotel that has a special rate of approximately US$ 135 + tax. The hotel is well-located. The beds are of standard length. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/frown.gif The Expedia site offers other “deals” and generally had some of the best prices I could find on the web.


[This message has been edited by Flexible Flyer (edited 04-18-2003).]

Wow, this is excellent! The Tawaraya sounds gorgeous, but probably our of our price range (maybe next time...) I have heard good things about the Prince, though, and I will certainly check out the other suggestions. Thanks everyone for being so helpful (and, of course, if you have more tips, I'll keep reading)!
Stephanie

--Stephanie--have a wonderful trip.Still recommend reading "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden. It's available in paperback , most likely, audio, and will really enrich your experience.
O2K

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by obscure2k:
--The Tawaraya-- Kyoto-- will be a memory and experience you will treasure for the rest of your lives. This ryokan is unlike any other. You enter another world when you remove your shoes and enter the Tawaraya. It is very very expensive. So, I would economize every way I could just to spend one night at the Tawaraya. </font>

Hi, my wife and I will be going to Tokyo and Kyoto and the end of February and would love to stay here. The web link posted has changed to it is for a group of places, not just this one. They do list a fax number however. From peoples experience here would it be okay to send a fax in English? I typically would prefer to try to send one if the native language but that might be problematic here. Any thoughts on how to go about booking here or other comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

Definitely go to Nara....it is a place you should not miss. Kyoto is also wonderful, and there are so many places to see there.

If you speak a littel Japanese or are otherwise a world traveler already, then a ryokan would be good if you can find one that is not too expensive if that matters to you. Many allow you to sleep on a futon on the floor, so the basketball boyfriend might find it comforting too.

have fun

Thanks for my fellow FTers for this thread (and of course all the others). We are going to Tokyo tomorrow and after 3 days in Tokyo (in a hotel) will be going Kyoto and staying at the Tawaraya Ryokan for 2 nights. Wouldnt have even known of such a place without FT. We are really looking forward to it. Thanks again all for being such a wonderful source of info.

Hmm... I've always wondered about the Tawaraya: it gets so regularly trotted out in all the Japan guidebooks geared to foreigners (and FT) that they simply must have adjusted to accommodate a never-ending stream of mute, hairy barbarians. Are there any old Japan hands here who have stayed both at the Tawaraya and other, more obscure high-class ryokan -- how do they compare?