3 nights in Japan
 

I need recommendations on things to do and places/neighborhoods to stay in Japan for 3 days.

I will be arriving in early July into HND and flying 3 days later out of NRT.

I'm mostly a Starwood traveler, so any recommendations for hotels within the chain help, but I'm open overall to good neighborhoods to stay at and even if it makes sense to try to visit other cities during my short stay, such as Kobe or Kyoto... (I will be flying from SIN, so jet lag shouldn't be an issue... hopefully)

Thanks,

Mike

No, it does not make sense to go to any other city. Tokyo has enough to keep a person busy for a lifetime. If you want to see Kyoto, fly into KIX instead and take the Haruka express train to Kyoto. (Kyoto does not have its own airport.)

There are at least four publishers that produce guidebooks for Tokyo (and Kyoto), and they're usually available at your nearest large bookstore or in e-book form.

Also, there are dozens of threads about Tokyo in this forum. If for some reason you can't or don't want to buy a guidebook, start there.

Thanks Ksandness...

To ask about specifics... The hotels I'm currently looking (and could use advice on the location for a tourist) are:
- Hyatt Regency Tokyo in Shinjuku
- Westin in Meguru-Ku
- Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo

From what I've read so far both the Westin and Sheraton seem to be outside the city (meaning not as much to do in the evenings within walking distance)... but I also read some comments that things also close relatively early close in the Shinjuku neighborhood.

Thanks,

Mike

The main thing to do in Tokyo in the evening is eating and drinking, and Ebisu (the neighborhood where the Westin is located) has plenty of both - it's one of the best dining neighborhoods in the world. There are good restaurants on the 38th/39th floors of Yebisu Garden Place, right across the street from the hotel, and hundreds more within a ten-minute walk.

If you want more activities like department-store shopping (until 9pm), clubs, etc., then Shibuya (one stop away on the train or a short taxi ride) has all that. A Shibuya hotel such as Shibuya Hotel Excel Tokyu in Mark City would have more lively street life immediately outside the hotel, if that's what you're looking for.

Use HH Gold to do a Hyatt Diamond Challenge, book the Park Hyatt Tokyo, upgrade to a suite, and spend your entire stay inside the hotel.

If, for some reason, you feel the need to do some sightseeing, then still do the Diamond Challenge and try to get the Atrium Suite at the Regency.

The main thing to do in Tokyo in the evening is eating and drinking, and Ebisu (the neighborhood where the Westin is located) has plenty of both -

I don't stay in luxury hotels, but I agree about Ebisu. Lots of Japanese and international cuisine available, and it's on the lumpy circle of the Yamanote (commuter) Line, so if the English-language press lists an entertainment event (jazz, pop, classical) that looks interesting, you can easily get to any other part of the city.

Since when is the Westin considered a luxury hotel? :confused:

Hmm? Most all Westins in Asia, including the one in Ebisu, are five-star. Sure, it's not in the same league as the Park Hyatt or Peninsula, but it's still "luxury" in my book.

Every review site I looked at had it at four or four and a half stars.

I put the Western on par with The Strings. Good, but not "luxury", and certainly not worth mentioning in the same breath as true "luxury hotels" in Tokyo.

I put the Western on par with The Strings. Good, but not "luxury", and certainly not worth mentioning in the same breath as true "luxury hotels" in Tokyo.

For me, anything above a business hotel or a minshuku is "luxury."

That's your personal opinion, which is fine. But in your previous post, you said that the Westin Tokyo was "a five star hotel", and that is simply not the case.

I think the point of this thread is to recommend a decent hotel to the OP, not to discuss whether Westin is a 5* or 4*, it doesn't matter really as long as it fulfill one's travel needs, right?

To the OP, Westin is in the Ebisu area, which has a lot of dining options but imo, not so much shopping...

Sheraton Miyako is a residential neighbourhood, so not what I would recommend to a tourist/leisure traveller.

Hyatt Regency is in the wrong side of Shinjuku, as it's in the business (Nishi-shinjuku), rather than the shopping and night life district of Shinjuku (Shinjuku-3-chome).

If I have to choose between the three, I would choose Hyatt, as I can still cross the Shinjuku station to Shinjuku-3-chome (15-20 min walk) and its surrounds for shopping, dining and nightlife.

However, since you mentioned a Hyatt, you might want to consider Grand Hyatt? It's located in Roppongi and is a fine decent hotel with plenty of entertainment and dining options in the surrounds.

No I didn't. That was someone else.

You're right. My bad.

3 nights in Japan
 

Thanks for the comments.
Good to know the Hyatt regency is on the wrong side :)
Speaking of luxury hotels, I also noticed I could use the same amount of credit card points to stay at the Park Hyatt or Ritz Carlton. I've seen a lot of great endorsements for the PH, but not sure how it compares to the Ritz (or if the neighborhoods are significantly different too)

Thanks
Mike