10 of the most unusual hotels in Tokyo

Tokyo has an unusual hotel to suit every taste, whether you want to spend a night in a pod hotel, at an urban onsen, or stay with a Japanese family.

10. Shinjuku Kuyakusho-mae Capsule Hotel

That unique Japanese experience – a night's sleep in a tiny pod – in the heart of the city. There is very little here to appeal to visitors other than the novelty of doing something very Japanese, but the shared facilities, including a bath and sauna, are clean, and there are lockers for customers carrying a lot of luggage. The hotel is for men only, and – be warned – customers include drunk businessmen who have missed their last train home and are looking for somewhere cheap to stay. Rooms are cramped at two square meters, and have a television for those unable to sleep. A basic restaurant in the hotel also offers cheap snacks and light meals.

9. Tokyo Disneyland Hotel

Since it opened in the early 1980s, Tokyo Disney has been the most successful of the multinational's resorts. And once the company's original customers had grown up, it realised it had there was a brand new market out there – for adults. One of the results was the Disney Hotel. It offers all the expected amenities for the price, but the real selling point in Japan is the theme rooms, which thirtysomethings flock to. Peter Pan, Snow White and Alice are among the Disney character rooms guests can stay in. Lucky guests may also get to see a Japanese couple tying the knot in the company of Mickey Mouse.

8. Sukeroku No Yado Sadachiyo

Offering a strange mixture of traditional Japan and modern tackiness suitable for guests looking to "discover" the country, this ryokan has numerous "courses" for guests to try that demonstrate old-fashioned Japanese dining entertainment. Japanophiles will love the place, with its fading forms of entertainment such as geisha dancing, traditional comedy and ancient party games. And, if you must, there's karaoke too.

7. Asakusa Hotel & Capsule

This is a rarity in that it offers both standard rooms and small pods for men and women to sleep in. Capsule hotels are often men-only, due to the risks for women staying in places with questionable clientele. However, the Asakusa guarantees safety and is located in a part of town that is much quieter once the sun goes down. Internet and shared washing facilities are on the fourth floor. Standard hotel rooms are cheap and cheerful, with little beyond the most basic amenities. The hotel is in a decent location for visitors looking to explore the Shitamachi (downtown) area of the city.

6. Ooedo-Onsen-Monogatari

This is a traditional hot-spring countryside resort transplanted into the heart of the city. Rooms range from futon-only with access to shared hot springs to the height of luxury – top-end rooms with open-air baths and saunas. The onsen may prove a little contrived for long-term residents, but for first-time visitors it offers a genuine Japanese experience in central Tokyo. The shared indoor, outdoor and foot baths, with the water pumped from 1,400m underground, can be used without booking a room.

5. Komadori Sanso

One of the most "out of Tokyo" experiences you can have within the city limits is a stay at the Komadori Sanso, a secluded lodge high in the mountains. Getting there can feel like almost as much of a challenge as it would have in the days before public transport, involving a three-hour journey taking in two trains, a bus, a cable car and a 15-minutes walk. But it's worth it, with breathtaking scenery and solitude awaiting at this basic accommodation in the grounds of a mountain shrine. The lodge is perfect for relaxing, but the real draw is the waterfall endurance takigyo training offered by the shrine – guests learn to meditate as a waterfall thumps down on them.

4. I-Cafe Akiba Place

Since the economic reverberations after the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, many Japanese were left jobless. The final refuge before homelessness became the 24-hour internet cafe, which can be found wherever there are train stations. Customers are given a small booth with a comfortable reclining chair and a computer for surfing the internet. Shelves are also filled with manga. Some will also have shower facilities and discount offers for people staying for more than a couple of hours. The I-Cafe Akiba Place has all the facilities one would need for the most comfortable and cheapest night's stay in Tokyo.

3. Hilltop Hotel

Tokyo may not have artists hang-outs in the vein of New York's Chelsea Hotel, but the Hilltop Hotel is as close as it gets. A favourite of the late Yukio Mishima, the hotel was used as offices by the US military during the occupation before being converted into a hotel in 1954. It retains a historic air, with most rooms fitted with antique furniture, and writing desks add to the atmosphere. Two rooms also have small gardens. In a city known for demolishing and rebuilding once a generation, the Hilltop has managed to maintain charm and offers guests a true escape from the ultra-modern city.

2. Super Hotel Ikebukuro

The Super Hotel chain distinguishes itself with a level of service that seems a little excessive, even for Japan. While staff are generally friendly and hands-off, what are notable are the tiny touches the hotel makes to stay ahead of the pack. As well as six types of pillow to choose from, mattresses are flipped after 30 sleeps, air is purified, and the pyjamas and slippers provided are scientifically manipulated to increase comfort and relieve stress. The feel is one of surreal sterility, but perhaps this is the hotel of the future: a place where tiny innovations give guests a better night's sleep than they would get at home.

1. Yasuda no Ie

Minshuku – homestays where visitors stay in the same house as a family – are few and far between in Tokyo. Yasuda no Ie is relatively central for those looking for a more adventurous stay in the capital, around 15 minutes from Shinjuku. Simple rooms with either western beds or futon are relatively cramped, but people don't visit these places to stay behind closed doors – the pull is to briefly intertwine with Japanese family life. At Yasuda, the family speak a little English (don't expect in-depth conversation), and are welcoming to foreign guests. Shared washing facilities and a fridge on both floors are as luxury as the accommodation gets.

Source : theguardian

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