yann

We are going to Japan for 2 weeks during sakura season (end of march - early april). In order to keep costs down and enjoy some benefits, we are considering staying in chain hotels, using a mix of cash and points.

We will be landing in Tokyo and haven't really decided yet on destinations, so are fairly flexible. We have already been in Japan, thus not necessarily considering mainstream destinations. We are also more into enjoying the scenery than big city lights.

Finally, we have (mid-tier) status on Hilton, SPG and PC so would consider those first.

What would be your recommendations on where to start ?

Thanks.

beep88

http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/club.html

Obtain your card at the hotel on your first stay. You get the discount right away.

ksandness

that you don't need points to afford them. Some even include breakfast (although you may not like what they serve--the type and quality of breakfast served varies, even among properties in the same chain), and almost all have free wi-fi or at least free wired Internet connections and/or Internet-connected computers in the lobby.

The main chains are Toyoko Inn, Super Hotel, Comfort Hotel, and Dormy Inn. There may be others, but those are the ones I know about. Toyoko Inn has the most properties, but the others are not hard to find. Even if your destination has none of these chains, there may be a local business hotel or, for a more traditional Japanese experience, especially in rural areas, a minshuku, which is a private home that takes guests and serves two meals. These are cheaper and homier than the typical ryokan but usually serve local traditional cuisine, as at a ryokan.

joejones

The problem with using international chains in Japan is that, for the most part, they only offer 4 and 5-star properties here.

jpdx

I would recommend looking into Best Rate Guarantees with SPG and Priorityclub. SPG will match competing rates and give 10% off or 2000 bonus points, and PC will give you the first night free (entire stay free if only one night). PC also has its friends&family rate. (Hilton has a BRG program, too, but it's a marketing gimmick and IME will often deny your claims).

IMO, points are often a poor proposition in Japan, as hotels that may have a 10-15k JPY cash rate may cost 12k SPG points or 25-35k PC points. There are a few exceptions, usually at the top end, but the value for points will depend on how easily you earn points and how many points you need vs cash rates (e.g., IME most SPG hotels in Japan are a poor proposition on points about 90% of the year, but can be great value during high demand periods). In the past, I have used points at Hilton Odawara, Conrad Tokyo, GH Tokyo, PH Tokyo, Hyatt Hakone, etc.

For my upcoming Spring trip, I booked:

- 1 night IC Strings Tokyo (BRG, free)
- 3 nights Westin Kyoto (BRG, 11k JPY/nt)
- 3 nights St Regis Osaka (BRG, 15k JPY/nt)
- 3 nights Sheraton Osaka (special offer, 8800 JPY/nt) (still deciding between SR and Sheraton)
- 2 nights IC Manza Beach Okinawa (BOGO, 16k JPY/nt)
- 1 night IC Manza Beach Okinawa (BRG, free)
- 1 night IC Manza Beach Okinawa (credit card free night)
- 2 nights Sheraton Hiroshima (BRG, 10k JPY/nt)
- 4 nights Conrad Tokyo (AXON award, 145k points)

Pretty good value, IMO. Could be improved upon a lot if you're willing to hotel hop. Alternate between PC and SPG BRGs in Osaka, alternate between IC Manza Beach and CP Naha, alternate between Sheraton and CP Hiroshima, alternate between IC Strings and Tokyo Bay for the last 4 nights.

Pickettd

Thanks for the information jpdx! I'm particularly interested in the IC Manza Beach hotel for an upcoming trip. I've never tried using BRG for PC hotels before and am hoping you might be willing to give me a little advice. I'll send you a PM.

Pureboy

Two successors to the now-defunct Welcome Inn system:
http://japaneseinngroup.com/index.html
http://www.jnto.go.jp/ja-search/eng/index.php

StreetSmartTraveler

Thank you for sharing this! Friends have asked me for budget tips on Japan and it sucks not to be able to refer them to Welcome Inn anymore. Now I can pass along these sites instead.

SeriouslyLost

JNTO is hardly a successor. They've been around for ~60 years.

On the budget/business hotel front I quite like the Hotel Uverse chain. Which has become the Smile Hotel chain. http://www.smile-hotels.com/english.php

Pureboy

Of course they've been around, but has JNTO always had an online hotel search system? I hadn't seen it before.

SeriouslyLost

Oh, I see what you mean. Not sure how long they've had that, but I used one on their website (it kicked me over to JTB) back in 2002-2003, so at least that long.

egondo

Anyone can recommend any of the better chains in Central Tokyo. Seeking for affordability at most. Location is not that important (as long as it is in the Tokyo area). How about Daiwa Roynet? Ever heard of that and rooms look clean/sleek.

ksandness

I hadn't heard of the Daiwa Roynet, but judging by its website, it looks fine.

However, only two of its properties are in Tokyo: Osaki (most convenient, being on the Yamanote Line) and Akabane (toward the northern side of the city, OK, but not as convenient).

Really, you have to go down to the backpacker level to find a hotel that isn't clean and safe, although the rooms may be small.

evergrn

It's hard to just recommend a chain and tell you that that's going to be your best option. Things vary depending on the location and the dates. There're many areas where the best biz hotel option may be an independent place rather than a chain. It may also even be cheaper to stay at a decent full-service hotel at certain areas of greater Tokyo than to stay at a biz hotel at certain other areas. But to further complicate things, some biz hotels are actually superior to many full-service hotels in terms of cleanliness and room amenities.

In general, Daiwa Roynet is good, probably among the better biz hotels. Sunroute, Richmond and Tokyu EX tend to be good... the latter two are sort of a high-end biz hotel.

egondo

as there are so much of them in Tokyo, can you recommend any booking engines good to search such biz hotels? Any chains that is affordable (<10000 JPY for a twin)?

Thanks in advance