Originally Posted by
Duke787
Looking for some guidance. Taking my Dad to Tokyo next spring for his first visit. Trying to figure out the best hotel / location as a LTP. I haven’t fully built out our itinerary yet but we are likely to go to a baseball game (haven’t figure out which stadium yet since the schedules aren’t out yet) and will definitely be doing sushi and ramen though location for both TBD (I am targeting Ryujiro but it’s a ways out so way to early to determine if that is realistic).
Last time I visited, I stayed at the Courtyard Ginza but the rooms look quite small for two (especially since my preference is for 2 twins over 1 King).
The new refurbished Westin is the cheapest option by far and looks like a spacious room with 2 doubles (with the benefit of having lounge access due to LTP) but I have never stayed in that area so I’m not familiar enough to know if the transport links from there are sufficient for our needs. The Ritz is also intriguing but is 90k more points than the Westin which doesn’t seem worth it since I also give up lounge access (although room is a little bigger). The MESM is 149k for the base or 175k for 2 doubles with a balcony with a garden view.
AC Ginza isn’t showing up at all and the Aloft has the same smaller room challenges that the Courtyard has. Looks like the Marriott itself is the only other option that has 2 doubles available (Prince hotels are all King beds only).
So really it seems like it’s either: Ritz, Westin, MESM, or Marriott (at least at the moment). Thoughts? We’ll be arriving and departing from Narita for what that is worth so will be looking to do the Airport Limo or train to/from the hotel
A few points to consider -- we live in Tokyo so it's been years since we stayed in a hotel but we do have family visit:
1) Many hotels in Tokyo do not publish rates that far out -- sometimes only the next 6 months are bookable.
2) There are actually two Courtyard hotels in Ginza -- and the good one just reopened after a remodel. The Courtyard Tokyo Station has some of the smallest rooms I've ever seen (and is not in Tokyo Station lol). The former Hotel Tobu Ginza is now the Courtyard Tokyo Ginza Hotel and it's rooms are far larger -- and they have decent sized double bed rooms. As far as I can tell they have not published rates for next year yet -- so keep an eye on this one.
3) When our Japanese fiends and relatives visit they often stay at a Japanese chain like The Dormy Inn. If you have the flexibility to pay for the room there are decent local hotel chains that are far less expensive than the western brands and offer a decent experience -- and often unexpected benefits like free ramen and an on site Onsen...