tboons

Was thinking of staying in Yokohama to take advantage of the half price Intercontinental hotel compared to tokyo branches. Seems like it's not recommended? IC Yokohama could be have for only 13000 yen!

AlwaysAisle

It is all depended on your plan and schedule. If you are heading to Yokohama area and majority of time will be spent at Yokohama area then IC Yokohama is a great choice. Little side note, if I remember correctly IC Yokohama is the first hotel in Japan to have dedicated concierges on duty.

Anyway, if your plan and schedule is to spend most of time at central Tokyo area then IC Yokohama is little far away. It can be 40-50 minutes train ride each way from IC Yokohama to central area of Tokyo, depending on where in Tokyo you are heading.

Some people are willing to pay little more to be in central Tokyo area for convenience, and some people have no problem with 40-50 minutes train ride each way, each day for saving on lodging.

If you are planning to head into Tokyo in the morning and return to Yokohama at late afternoon or evening, then it will coincide with rush hour commute. Your train ride into Tokyo and out of Tokyo can be standing room only.

evergrn

I really like where IC Yokohama is. Tons of shopping/dining within Minatomirai's chic connected development and other complexes right around it. You've got the giant ferris wheel, World Porter, onsen place all right there. I could spend a few days just in that area and not get bored. If you've got little kids, there's Kid-o-kid, Cup Noodle Museum, Anpanman Museum, amusement stuff around the ferris wheel, the list goes on.

Now if this is your first time visiting Tokyo and you're only going to do/see Tokyo stuff, then you're probably then better off being in center of Tokyo. But even then, IC Yokohama's station (Minato Mirai) only 30min straight-shot train ride to Shibuya on Toyoko line. Lot of other good stops along that train line, too... Yokohama Chinatown, Jiyugaoka, Harajuku/Omotesando (actual station name is Meijijingu-mae), Ikebukuro.

I agree that Sunroute, in general, is among the better biz hotel brands. Richmond is another... it's almost not a biz hotel. Not a fan of Toyoko in general. Mind you, I stopped staying at biz hotels 5-7 yrs ago.

ksandness

Read the thread to find out why the Old Japan Hands don't recommend staying in Yokohama if your main interest is Tokyo.

armagebedar

Four posts have been moved as they were originally in a 6-year old thread.

Regards,
armagebedar
Japan forum moderator

tboons

ah maybe i will do 4 nights in tokyo, 2 nights in yoko? I am not a big fan of disneyland and more of kyoto/nara type of person than osaka.

Toyoko is about 8000yen for a single room, and they are not of any international chain loyalty program... will check on sunroute.

ksandness

Why bother moving hotels between Tokyo and Yokohama? After many years of traveling back and forth, I am a great believer in taking a hotel room in one city in each region and then using it as a base for day trips. The small size of the country and the general wonderfulness of the train system make this feasible.

Commuting between the two every day would be a pain, but a single day trip to Yokohama (which should take care of all the sights) is an easy train ride if you can avoid rush hour. Take the JR train if you have a JR Pass (trains leave Tokyo and Shinagawa stations several times per hour) or the Toyoko Line from Shibuya if you don't.

AlwaysAisle

Kamakura, some people call it Kyoto/Nara of Tokyo, is far closer form Yokohama then form Tokyo. 56 minutes train ride from Tokyo to Kamakura, where 25 minutes train ride form Yokohama to Kamakura. If you have a plan to visit Kamakura then making a trip to Kamakura while you are staying at Yokohama will make sense.

ksandness

Even so, as I discovered many years ago, there are four trains per hour from Tokyo to Kamakura.

evergrn

+1

tboons

so why not base in yokohama for tokyo? hehehe.

ksandness

Because if you wanted to get an early start on sightseeing in Tokyo, you'd be in the midst of rush hour, and if you have never experienced rush hour in Japan, well, it's an experience that is best avoided.

ToGo

I was there for 2 1/2 weeks if someone have some question.

hailstorm

Far more than that.

In addition to the Yokosuka Line, you could also take the Ueno-Tokyo Line from Tokyo to Totsuka station, then a simple < 10 meter walk to change trains to either the Yokosuka Line or Shonan-Shinjuku Line, whichever comes first.

RichardInSF

The Yokohama Bay hotel, which is part of the Tokyu chain, is even closer to the station and the sights you mention. It's not a bad hotel and often has internet specials.

The limited express train on the Toyoko line you mention usually converts to an express Fukutoshin subway line train, which means it doesn't stop at Meiji-jingumae on weekdays. And the new platforms of the Toyoko line at Shibuya are buried very confusingly below the station (at least I find them so!).