Full of contradictions, Tokyo overwhelms with its herded crowds, retina searing, hyperactive neon, incessant noise and unusual scents. In Tokyo things are either rooted permanently into the culture or exist for a fleeting moment: pop groups have a shelf life of a fortnight while sumo traditions are conducted in the same place and way as they have been for centuries. Tokyo has the newest trends in everything, fashion, clubs, food - you can buy almost anything from 24 hour vending machines (which never seem to be out of order) and take naps any time of the day in your own capsule when you’re overwhelmed by all the karaoke, kabuki, temple visiting and space age shopping. Many of the best places to stay in Tokyo are within reach of all of these things!

TWELVE MILLION people live in this city, packed tightly into miniature apartments in the centre but in the suburbs there are still wooden houses along narrow streets ending at shrines or temples set in bonsai perfect gardens. All this and the trains run on time.

Where to stay - the different neighbourhoods

Tokyo is big and varied and where you stay will make quite a difference to any time you spend here. It’s useful to be close to a Yamanote Line station, or a subway station, but it’s nice to be able to walk as well.

• Close to the famous Tsukiji Fish Markets, Shiodome sits shiny and modern atop reclaimed marshlands overlooking the bay. You’re close to Ginza and there’s a lot of development going on here in preparation for the 2020 Olympics.
• Awake all hours, Shinjuku’s skyscrapers are central and very well located for restaurants and shopping.
• The ‘real’ shopping district, Shibuya, also feels like it’s busy all day and night. Colourfully lit with neon, this is an area of busy streets and high-rise buildings. You’re close to Harajuku and some of the city’s most impressive temples.
• It’s not a stuck record, but Roppongi is also well located for shopping - especially Tokyo Midtown and Roppongi Hills, the difference with Roppongi is that it’s cosmopolitan and arty as well.
• If you’re looking for somewhere a bit quieter and less skyscraperish, you might like Nihonbashi? There are still shiny official buildings, but this is where the city of Tokyo really started and the area is still full of generations old businesses doing charming, old fashioned sorts of business, like selling fabric, seaweed or fans.
• Of you could try East Tokyo, which is where you’ll find some of Tokyo’s most traditional neighbourhoods, winding streets, kimono stores, teashops and some of the city’s oldest temples.

What Not to Miss

• You wouldn’t think a fish market would top so many lists of the best things to do in a city, but Tsukiji is right up there as far as places go. It’s dynamic, exciting and smells and tastes and sounds like the fantastic, traditional commercial hub that it is. And, just as the guides recommend, it is best to get there as early as you can.
• The gardens of the Imperial Palace certainly call you to them, located as they are in the centre of town. Close to the military museum, the science museum and the Yasukuni-jinja, which is a monument to Japan’s war dead.
• Then there are Tokyo’s temples, ranging from the grand and golden to humble wooden structures which are no less incredible for their age and the peace and tranquility of their grounds. Sens?-ji which is Buddhist and Meiji-jing? which is Shinto are Tokyo’s most visited temples, but the wonderful thing about Tokyo is that you’ll discover temples and shrines in amongst the skyscrapers - havens of historic peace.
• Then there are the gardens. Tokyo has numerous elegant, historic gardens, some established during the 16th and 17th centuries and still in much the same layout.
• The Edo-Tokyo Museum is a great place to get to grips with the city’s history.
• Shibuya, Ginza and Harajuku are where to come to see the city at its most youthful - and where to do your shopping.
• See the view from Tokyo Tower, the World Trade Centre building or the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building - which is free.
• Yoyogi Park is a great place to see modern Japan at its most lively, but of course Tokyo is a fantastic, colourful, neon hub in the evening.
• Try an onsen (hot spring bathing) at a local sento, or public bath.
• See the blossoms, or a sumo match - depending on when you visit.
• Visit the markets, take a boat ride, join in with a tea ceremony or try a martial art.

With so much to see and do and so much accommodation on offer staying in one of the best places to stay in Tokyo is very much personal preference. Here are our Guru's suggestions:

The best places to stay in Tokyo

Around Tokyo Station and Yurakucho

• The Tokyo Station Hotel offers fantastic East meets West style within Tokyo’s main station. Dating from around 1915, this hotel feel quite opulently European with antiques, chandeliers and large sash windows. There are 150 rooms plus a choice of buzzy bars and restaurants.
• The Four Seasons Marunouchi Tokyo is a sophisticated five star hotel with just 57 rooms. The location is perfect, as are the views and the French restaurant.
• The Peninsula Tokyo is a luxurious 314 room property in a superb location in the heart of Tokyo. The decor mixes Japanese and contemporary style, the views are phenomenal and the restaurants and spa do the rest of the hotel justice.

In East Tokyo

• The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon is a sophisticated contemporary hotel in a great location with 137 rooms and fabulous views. There’s a hip cocktail bar and a slick French fusion restaurant too.

• The Andon Ryokan is a traditional guesthouse in a quiet neighbourhood with 24 simple rooms with roll down futons and large windows. There’s a more contemporary lounge. If you’re looking for good value this is one of the best locations in town. Rooms start from around £70 per night.

In Shinjuku

• The Hotel Chinzanso is an elegant, luxurious hotel set in its own beautifully manicured Japanese garden. There are 260 European-feeling rooms - think chintzy fabrics, European antiques and chandeliers - and the proportions are huge by Tokyo’s standards. Tranquil.
• The Keio Plaza Hotel is a sleek, urban affair with 1400+ rooms. That extra zero isn’t a mistake. You’re in the heart of the skyscraper district and have access to some incredible facilities, including a rooftop pool, karaoke rooms and an incredible array of restaurants. The decor is minimalist.
• The Agnes Hotel and Apartments is small - it has just 56 rooms - and smart, in a quiet but well positioned neighbourhood. The decor is crisp with large windows and large bathrooms - by Tokyo standards.

In Shibuya

• The Shibuya Granbell Hotel has a range of rooms in different sizes, all with contemporary decor and pops of colour. There are 52 rooms and the rate starts from around £120 per night. Drinks and pizzas are served into the wee hours.

In Nihonbashi

• The Mandarin Oriental feels sleek and luxurious and has incredible views from its 179 cool, contemporary rooms - think parquet floors and modern Japanese furniture. The hotel has a number of elegant bars and restaurants and an impressive spa.
• The Shangri-La Hotel is another impressively luxurious hotel with spectacular views and contemporary rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows. There are 363 rooms and the facilities to match.

In Shiodome

• Known for contemporary luxury and Michelin starred restaurant, Conrad Tokyo has 290 rooms - famously with freestanding bathtubs overlooking the Tokyo skyline. The service is superb, as is the spa.
• The Prince Park Tower occupies a great position, surrounded by a beautifully kept garden in the very heart of Tokyo. The hotel’s 603 rooms are stacked quite high and feature floor-to-ceiling windows with incredible views. Rooms also have hard wood floors and modern art. A hotel this size is going to have good facilities but the Prince Park Tower has a blowing alley as well as an almost impractical number of restaurants.

For City Lights

• The Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku is a sleek, urban affair with 1400+ rooms. That extra zero isn’t a mistake. You’re in the heart of the skyscraper district and have access to some incredible facilities, including a rooftop pool, karaoke rooms and an incredible array of restaurants. The decor is minimalist.
• Close to Shimbashi Station, the Hotel Okura is smart and sleek and has 801 simply designed rooms - in decent proportions by Tokyo’s standards. There’s a 20metre pool and a huge choice when it comes to bars and restaurants.
• Close to Ginza, the Dai Ichi Hotel is a smart, Western style hotel with 278 rooms. The restaurant is Japanese and there’s an elegant lounge. Perfect location in the heart of everything.

For Something Special

• The Peninsula Tokyo is a luxurious 314 room property in a superb location in the heart of Tokyo. The decor mixes Japanese and contemporary style, the views are phenomenal and the restaurants and spa do the rest of the hotel justice.
• Known for contemporary luxury and Michelin starred restaurant, Conrad Tokyo has 290 rooms - famously with freestanding bathtubs overlooking the Tokyo skyline. The service is superb, as is the spa.
• The Four Seasons Marunouchi Tokyo is a sophisticated, five star hotel with just 57 rooms. The location is perfect, as are the views and the French restaurant.
• The Imperial Hotel is one of Tokyo’s great historic hotels, known for its opulence. There are 875 well proportioned rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and luxurious bathrooms, a choice of bars and restaurants and a wonderfully luxurious spa.
• The Tokyo Station Hotel offers fantastic East meets West style within Tokyo’s main station. Dating from around 1915, this hotel feel quite opulently European, with antiques, chandeliers and large sash windows. There are 150 rooms, plus a choice of buzzy bars and restaurants.
• The Palace Hotel is an iconic hotel in an incredible spot right by the Imperial Palace Gardens. The 290 rooms have fabulous views - which you can enjoy from the bathtub in many rooms, plus a choice of restaurants and bars. Swanky.

For Something Traditional

• The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon is a sophisticated, contemporary hotel in a great location with 137 rooms and fabulous views. There’s a hip cocktail bar and a slick French fusion restaurant too.
• The Andon Ryokan is a traditional guesthouse in a quiet neighbourhood with 24 simple rooms with roll down futons and large windows. There’s a more contemporary lounge. If you’re looking for good value this is one of the best locations in town. Rooms start from around £70 per night.

For Great Design

• Claska is an uber-hip design hotel with just 20 rooms. It also has an art gallery and a superb European fusion restaurant. The minimalist feel is very Japanese zen.
• In a fantastic location on the edge of the Imperial Palace Gardens, the views from The Capitol Hotel Tokyo stretch all the way to Mt. Fuji. The rooms are classical but minimalist and there’s a well regarded restaurant and excellent spa.
• For views of the city consider the Andaz, with seven floors of floor-to-ceiling windows right by Shimbashi Station. As well as the views, the 164 rooms offer luxurious bathrooms, minimalist style and service which spoils you.

For Luxury

• Aman Tokyo offers the luxury of the Man chain in a central location. There are 82 rooms, decorated in a chic, minimalist style, plus what some people consider to be Tokyo’s best Italian restaurant.
• The Mandarin Oriental feels sleek and luxurious and has incredible views from its 179 cool, contemporary rooms - think parquet floors and modern Japanese furniture. The hotel has a number of elegant bars and restaurants and an impressive spa.
• The Shangri-La Hotel is another impressively luxurious hotel with spectacular views and contemporary rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows. There are 363 rooms and the facilities to match.
• For something a bit different consider Hoshinoya, Tokyo’s first five star ryokan. There are 84 rooms spread over 17 floors, which each function as an independent guesthouse with their own onsets and cuisine. Very centrally located but peaceful.

For Families

• The Hotel New Otani is a shining, contemporary towner surround by manicured gardens - including a fantastic waterfall. There are just 62 rooms, some of them extremely luxurious, some good value. The decor is sleek.

For Great Value

• The Andon Ryokan is a traditional guesthouse in a quiet neighbourhood with 24 simple rooms with roll down futons and large windows. There’s a more contemporary lounge. If you’re looking for good value this is one of the best locations in town. Rooms start from around £70 per night.
• Ryokan Sawanoya is another charming, family-run ryokan in an historic part of Tokyo. There are just 12 authentically Japanese rooms with roll down futons, sliding paper screens and traditional baths as well. Rooms start from around £75 per night.
• For something more modern at a very reasonable price try the Wired Hotel in Taito. There’s a good range of accommodation from dormitories to luxurious penthouses and family rooms and it’s smart and modern. There’s a good Japanese restaurant and you’re close to the Nakamise Market. Rooms start from just under £100 per night.
• Tokyo is known for being expensive, so a room rate of around £120 in a great location, with good connections and a great meeting of Japanese style and modern design really represents great value. So the Hotel Niwa is worth including on this list.

For a self-catering Apartment

• If you’d prefer to stay in an apartment or private flat we recommend you visit our online partner booking.com.

Travel Information

• Narita and Haneda are Tokyo’s two international airports, Narita being the larger of the two. From there it’s easy to catch the Narita Express Train, which connects to all the major Tokyo stations. Haneda is closer to the city itself.
• If you want to hire a car we recommend you visit our online partner Rentalcars.
• Tokyo enjoys fairly temperate weather so there’s not really a bad time to go. Obviously blossom season in spring is spectacular, but autumn is very pleasant too. Summers are quite hot and humid.

Still not sure?

• Expand your search to include other major Japanese cities: Kyoto, Nara and Osaka
• Contact one of our friendly Gurus for advice.