LapLap

Mercure is now called the Welco. It was alright as a Mercure, not bad, but not great either. I don’t believe they have any beds bigger than a double though.

Haven’t stayed at the Comfort Hotel, but that’s what I’d look at if bed size was of interest and if I wanted to stay within Narita town. We have a regular contributor who is tall and he rates the beds of the Comfort Chain. I understand the hotel in a Narita has Queen size beds, but perhaps not Kings.

For someone wanting to drive and explore the countryside (Mt Nokogiriyama might be of interest, would depend on the weather) then the large airport hotels become more compelling. They generally have big beds but they are a pain to connect to with public transport except for the airport. That’s why I chose the Mercure/Welco. Comfort Hotel would be just as convenient.

FlitBen

The others' idea of a relaxing stay at Narita is good. I've stayed at the Mercure (now Welco) and their twin rooms at the back were spacious and quiet enough for a space next to the Keisei tracks, but only with double beds.

A night around Tokyo or Yurakucho Station will get you Shinkansen access to snowy Nagano country around Karuizawa.

phamdt8ft

Thank you. Completed this on new year day so this is for whoever need it in the future.

- With USA passport, no visa needed and you get 90 days visit. I didn't need to collect baggage as ANA and United are partners.
- After exited airplane, don't go through international connecting gate. Instead go to arrival. You'll go through quarantine, multiple security gates (something I can't remember and immigration custom). Fill out the forms (2). You'll need the next flight info.
- Note the terminal arrived at. For ANA, it's terminal 1.
- You can leave your carry-ons with baggage storage provider (GPA?). It costed us 650 yen for 2 small carry-ons for few hours. You pay when you pickup your baggage.
- Look for JR ticket booth where you buy NEX ticket. There you can buy Suica card. You can load amounts in 1000 yen, 2000,... Load around 3500 for Asakusa.
- Look for orange Keisei Access Limited Express entrance (B1?) and follow the signs.
- Scan suica card. It'll cost 1260 yen each way. Use google map or kiosk to search for route times. On new year day, the train ran every 45 minutes.
- Take the train to Haneda airport destination. The train goes directly to Asakusa. It takes around 50 minutes. Stay on train when it reaches Aoto and Oshiage.

We had around 3 hours there. Went to Sensoji Temple, then around Nakamise Shopping Street. The temple was packed on new year day.

YVR Cockroach

Stayed at the Richmond last year which has a complimentary but limited shuttle to/from NRT. Rooms are small but not tiny. Very short walk to the Narita city rail stations (one closer than the other) and the temple complex. Had my unagi fix (local specialty, not surprising given the rice fields I guess) in the nearby shopping centre as it was 1/3 cheaper that the unagi joints on the temple road. Bed may not be big enough though.

evergrn

I think the potential recommendation would depend on different factors:
- What time do you arrive and depart?
- What is your order of priorities amongst need for king-size bed, hotel budget, need to avoid urban setting, food, nature, temple?
- How far away from NRT each way are you willing to go?

If food is the most important, I don't know that I'd stay in Narita town. I find the food scene there to be pretty mediocre. I think Narita town is a decent place to take in once or twice. But I just feel like there are better places to spend 26 hours.

If your 26 hours are something along the line of 5p-7p and you don't mind a bit of a train ride, it may not be totally crazy to trek all the way to Ofuna (where there's a reliable hotel chain called Hotel Mets right by the station). It's a fair bit of train ride to get there, but it's a direct train ride without transfer on the comfortable NEx train from NRT. You get to check out Kamakura, which is a historical area, and hop around on the Enoden train along the scenic Shonan coast. This plan won't work as well if your layover is more like 12p-2p, though. For that type of time frame, you're better off staying in Narita or Tokyo area.

If food is the most important thing on your agenda but you don't want to travel more than an hour away from NRT, and you could deal with being in an urban environment, I would still opt for heading into the city... Asakusa has a fair bit of different reasonably-priced hotel options and has a famous temple surrounded by lots of interesting food.

In Narita city, I just think Richmond is the best option. I don't know all the hotels there firsthand, of course. But knowing how different hotel chains are and having read reviews of other Narita hotels on Rakuten, I've settled on Richmond as my go-to place if I have to stay in Narita town. Granted I'm sort of picky with hotels, but I just don't rate Comfort too highly. I've found Comfort Hotels in Jpn to be clean, but with sterile-looking rooms, mediocre breakfast and service. If Richmond has availability, I doubt they'd cost much more than Comfort. Richmond in Narita actually has a variety of room and bed types, from single-size bed up to near-king size. Their service is way beyond what you'd expect from a business hotel and their breakfast buffet is really good.

Finkface

I have 24 hours in Japan in Sept. Landing at NRT at 2025, departing the next night at 2010. I figured I would get a hotel in Narita, sleep, and then take a train into Tokyo the next morning but after reaidng this thread, I am re-thinking. So, should I:

1) get a Narita airport hotel, sleep, make it easy and just spend the next day around Narita town (temple, shopping etc) and head back to the airport for some lounge time the next day around dinnertime.

2) get a Narita airport hotel, sleep, take an early train into Tokyo the next morning

3) head straight into Tokyo that night, get a hotel in Ueno or ?, explore the next day and head back to NRT later that day.

I am leaning towards 3. And it seems the collective wisdom is Keisei to Ueno and hang out in the Ueno/Asakusa area. I have been to Tokyo once before and loved that area and also Yanaka.

So, which option? And what time to get back to NRT and have a bit of lounge time? Hotel suggestions (single female) appreciated as well. Do I need to buy a card for the Keisei and subway or can I just buy single ride tickets? And what time should I catch the train back to NRT?

tt7

I would do 1 or 3 and, as you suggest, # 3 - if you're going to go into Tokyo, may as well do it the evening you arrive and then you're ready to go exploring straight away in the morning. Hyperdia will give you train times to/from Narita. Going back, up to you as to how much time to leave for check-in, lounge time etc. before your onward flight. Keisei Skyliner leaves Narita Airport terminal 2 at 20.42, 21.12, 21.54 and 22.33. Keisei Skyliner going back (about 40 minutes) leaves Keisei-Ueno at 15.00, 15.20, 15.40, 16.00, 16.20, 16.40, 17.00, 17.20, 17.40, 18.20 (no 18.00 apparently..)

For tickets, try this for roundtrip Keisei ticket + subway. Note that it's subway only and doesn't cover the JR Yamanote line around Tokyo - shouldn't be an issue, just use the subway to get wherever you're going.

Finkface

Thanks. I think #3 it is. Are there any decent hotels (or any at all) in Yanaka? I see the Skyliner goes through Nippori. I could start there in the morning and work my way to Asakusa amd Ueno. Or hotel recommendations in Ueno!

tt7

We've never stayed in the Yanaka/Ueno/Asakusa area so I can't really make any specific recommendations - however, I'm sure others may be able to do so. If it was me, I'd be looking for somewhere as close to the train station(s) as possible. That way, you're not having to go far to get to the hotel (whether you just want to go to bed or want to go out to paint the town red....) and, assuming you can leave your bags at the hotel after you check out in the morning, when you go back to get them you're right by the station. It obviously depends on what you're looking for but see if the APA Hotel Keisei Ueno Ekimae suits - it is supposedly a 1 minute walk from Keisei-Ueno Station. Don't confuse it with the similarly-named APA Hotel Ueno Ekimae. There are no doubt any number of hotels in the vicinity so, depending on where you want to be, there are others that might suit you better .... but for me, coming/going to Narita in 24 hours, proximity and easy access to the station would be key (assuming the price is right). If you want to be at Nippori Station, there's the APA Hotel TKP Nippori Ekimae.

sgosline

I have been browsing this thread to get some ideas for our upcoming flight. We arrive in NRT 9:35 am and depart at 4:55 pm. We have never been outside of the airport in Japan. I am thinking we would have enough time to visit Narita. We are obviously a little nervous about it, not knowing the area or the language. We do have use of the United lounge (I don't think the Polaris lounge is open yet) but sitting there for 6 hours does not sound appealing. I am going to try and talk my husband into taking train to Narita for a couple of hours. So, I have a list of what we need to do- go to arrivals, not transit, get currency exchanged (how much for lunch and possibly a few souvenirs?), put carry on bags in locker?, get train passes. For a 4:05 pm boarding time what time should we leave Narita?

mnbp

How about visiting Tokyo Skytree? From Narita Airport to Oshiage station is less than an hour with a direct train every 40 minutes.

Arrive 9:35 am
Train to Tokyo at 10:04 (or 10:44) - fare 1170 JPY - arrive Oshiage 10:59 (or 11:39)
Visit Tokyo Skytree and the shopping mall TOKYO SKYTREE
Train from Oshiage direct to Narita Airport departing at 14:20 (or 13:40) arriving Narita Airport 15:17 (or 14:37)

Even if you choose not to go to the top of the Skytree tower, it is certainly a sight to see from the ground, and a chance to get some lunch at one of the many restaurants in the mall under Skytree.

The train is Keisei Narita SkyAccess Line and the services mentioned are direct with no change of trains. The SkyAccess service runs every 40 minutes in both directions and is simple because you don't have to change trains between Narita and Oshiage.

estnet

Visiting Narita and visiting Tokyo are very different. I think visiting Narita town is a fine idea - there is an interesting walking street (right near the train station) with shops, restaurants and a temple that could take up a few hours. If you do that go into the tourist office about halfway down the road - there is an interesting little museum in the back that is worth it (and free). I think there is a bus from the airport for around 200 yen - but you'd need to check.
Also there is a big shopping center called AEON and a circle bus that goes to many hotels, and I think the train station where the walking street is located as well as the shopping center- costs 100 or 200 yen. The shopping center has a LOT of restaurants (and a food court as well). There is a big Daiso 100 yen shop there - if that is of interest - some pretty cool stuff and it changes often.
The interesting thing about the circle bus is that you get to see some of the areas that are residential along the way.
That said if you've been to NRT you know there are lots of shopping and eating opportunities right in the airport (more outside the secure area IIRC)
One thing that surprised me was how cash oriented the society is - not so much in malls, etc. but in general you can't pay for transit with cc only cash and ATM machines are not as ubiquitous as they are other places - they are most often located INSIDE a 7-11 or Family store not on the street as they are most other places.

smithrh

For a trip in mid-May:

Arrive NRT at 4pm, leave next day at 11am (Friday night, Saturday morning).

Generally thinking I'd like to stay that night in Tokyo - was there 18 months ago so I'm relatively familiar with the transportation options.

Am I stretching things for little benefit, or should I consider staying around NRT for a more stress-free experience?

jib71

I'd definitely go into Tokyo. At the times you're talking about, you'll be in time for a dinner and wander around and you won't have to get up at silly o'clock to get back to the airport. Taking the Skyliner into town requires barely more effort than taking a bus / train to a hotel near the airport.

EuroFlash

Arriving very early at 7:35AM. Obviously cannot check-in in the hotel yet. Any suggestions on where to catch a few hours of sleep?