<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by idainc:
CH is OK but not the same as the PH or GH. It can almost be a 3 hour bus ride to the hotel from NRT. Maybe $60 / US. Nice area but for a MR I might suggest skipping the bus ride and staying near the airport. Marroad or HI are about $60 or so a night. Much easier on the soul after an AA NRT run in Y.</font>
I think I'd go crazy if I had to spend TWO nights in Narita Town! The bus ride to any Tokyo area hotel could take 3 hours if traffic was really, really bad, but hardly ever does. Ask about traffic before buying your bus ticket and, if it's bad, take the train to Shinjuku station; the Narita Express takes 85 minutes and runs once an hour to Shinjuku (actually it leaves every 30 minutes, but on every other train you have to change at Tokyo station which is a bit more challenging for a first timer).
From Shinjuku station take a taxi to the CH or PH for Y660; to the GH, a taxi is pricier. The CH has a free shuttle bus every 20 minutes; the shuttle to the PH is sporadic and harder to find but there is a bus for Y100; it leaves from next to the airport bus stop. To the GH, you could take the Oedo subway line for Y210, but there are two stations near Shinjuku station; make sure you board at the Shinjuku station.
I prefer the train and haven't taken the bus in ages.
Either the train or the bus costs about $60 ROUND TRIP. If money is a major issue, you can also take the Keio Skyliner to Nishi-nippori for about $40 RT, and then ride the Yamanote line to Shinjuku station for about $5 RT, more complex, but just as fast as the Narita express.
If THAT is too expensive, you can take a non-limited express on either JR or Keio for even less.