Staying in Tokyo

[shaya]

What are my cheaper accommodation options in Tokyo?

[yoshi]

If you want to stay cheaper and comfortable accommodation, I recommend you Toyoko hotel and Apa hotel.
Also, I recommend you rakuten hotel website, you can find lots of cheap hotel in there.

[Tokyo Posts]

I've stayed around Tokyo quite a bit, and you can get a reasonable business hotel for around $70 - $100 USD, they will be clean, comfortable and possibly with breakfast thrown in!

[Mel]

I've gotten an Airbnb account since moving to Japan. It's perfect if your want to be active around Tokyo and just need a place to crash after a night out. During Halloween I wanted to stay in Shibuya because nobody wants to wear a Psylocke costume through public transit at the end of the night. There were tons of places to choose from that were right in the heart of the downtown area. There was a restaurant right across from us, a few bars next door, and these adorable jewelry and stationary stores just down the street. Shibuya is the home of one of the most famous crossings, a bit like New York's Times Square, and it is a major hub for transportation. There was no hotel that could beat the location and price we got. Most places run from between $100-150 dollars per night which is pretty good for downtown Tokyo.
A few words of caution. You can definitely find places as late as a few nights before your trip, but the best places for price, location, and ratings are taken within a month out. Some hosts can be extremely particular about the rules in their home and it can feel like you are house sitting for a fee, however, there are a few norms in Japan that may seem excessive to foreigners. All hosts are pretty adamant about no shoes being worn in the house. There is usually a small entryway for shoes to be kept that is a step lower than the rest of the home. Also, all trash in Japan has to be sorted into burnables, plastics, glass, etc. Most hosts will request that you do this and if they are any good, they will provide multiple labelled trash bins. Most living areas are relatively cramped, and sometimes, the sink water doubles as the shower water. If you turn a knob on the sink, it reroutes the water to the shower head. The places in the best locations are usually a bit short on space, so keep that in mind while deciding how much luggage to bring.
The upside is that most of the places I have stayed at have been very clean and hosts have been very good at responding to questions and providing amenities. If you don't plan to get a sim card when you arrive, look for a place that offers a pocket wifi so you can use google maps when you are out and about. Also, look for a place that's close to public transportation. If you want to see all of Tokyo, navigating the trains (underground, metro, subway, whatever you call it from where you're from) is the best way to do it, and airbnb's closest to the stations get snapped up.
I didn't miss the hotel concierge to make travel recommendations. Lonely planet, tripadvisor, and michelin star ratings gave me more than enough to go off of.
Airbnb has been the best and most affordable way to get out and see Tokyo. It also leaves me money to experience the rest of the city!

[tsubaki nakajima]

One of the best option if you're looking for budgeted accommodations in Tokyo is Airbnb, you just need to have a credit card and of course you need to check their inclusions and hidden charges. It's best also if you pick a place that's near a train station since that'll be your main transportation there. But if you're feeling a little bit generous with money and you want to try some of hospitality services, I will recommend hostels, specifically, Khaosan Tokyo Kabuki ( price around 32 USD), their staff are friendly, location is close to the metro, and near the station, supermarket and restaurants. Room is spacious (in Japanese Standard) and with WIFI. Second is Hotel Kaminarimon Asakusa Sensoji Temple (price around 50 USD),its a very serene place, with ryokan, and next to one of the visited location (Asakusa Temple). It has a clean traditional room with new green tea, hot water, towels, bathroom set and yukata as well. I hope this helps.

[Robin Singh]

Hi Shaya!!

Finding accommodation in Tokyo depends on your how long you want to stay and also it depends on individual budget. I appreciate the comments by other members of forum as they have given you some pretty valid suggestions. I don’t have any clue about your budget and length of stay so my comments are based on my own thinking. Here are some of the best options for cheap accommodations if you are looking just for travelling or short term basis.

1. Internet Cafes/Comic Book Cafes/Manga Kissaten (800 to 1500 Yen per night).

2. WWOOF Japan (and other Volunteer accommodations) (5,500 yen for one year membership).

3. Couchsurfing (FREE accommodations).

4. Overnight buses.

I hope this information helps you.

[Louie]

Oh this is quite interesting, I've heard that some people actually stay at Internet Cafes during their stay in Japan and I didn't know that it's true. I always thought that it was just a joke by an acquaintance of mine. Checking out all of these options is really an eye opener, especially Couchsurfing and WWOOF Japan. Didn't know such options exists which is worth noting. I'll be sure to check these places if I ever find the need to rest for a night. When traveling, overnight buses is indeed a great option because you can sleep while you travel at the same time. Hope more people will give out more information on how to find cheap accommodations in Japan.

[tsubaki nakajima]

Louie I agree. I'm also not familiar with Robin Singh suggestion. These options will really help you especially on emergencies (when you got lost, forgot where you're staying, if all of the accommodations you know are already full, if you're broke or if you're feeling adventurous). I would love to experience couch surfing and staying to the Cafes, although I wonder how that works. Also, I'm curious if you can also stay/ sleep in their spa like in Korea.

[Robin Singh]

tsubaki nakajima ... Regarding staying to the cafes, its nothing complicated. Just go to a cyber cafe, ask for the rental PC. They will give you not only a PC but a whole cabin of your own. There will be a huge chair, on which you can easily sleep off. The cafe will be having other facilities like shower, dressing room, lockers, food service, drinks and a lot more depending that particular cafe.

Its not as comfortable as normal hotels ( as it doesn't have a bed ), but its cheap and worth experiencing once if you are in Japan.

[Anjali Payal]

I have not been in Tokyo till now and I am planning to visit it soon. Also, the information provided by all the forum mates is indeed useful and I thank everyone. I have also carried out some research on accommodation in Tokyo for my stay and in my viewpoint internet cafes/overnight buses and Airbnb are the best options.

I have also heard that some places like Saizeriya also allow people to stay overnight, which is quite interesting.

[Robin Singh]

Anjali Payal You are right about Saizeriya. It's an Italian food chain which has more than 200 branches all over Japan. Some of its stores ( specially which are in big cities like Tokyo ) are open overnight. For example, my nearest saizeriya is nearby ueno station, which is open from 11 AM to 5 AM next morning.

Now here is the hack. Japanese people are very much service oriented. They will never tell any customer to go out of the restaurant/cafe, no matter how long does it take for him/her to eat the food or finish the drink. Let's imagine you came to Tokyo but did not get a place to stay. You have to spend the night and it's too cold outside. You go inside this saizeriya, order for a drink or a pizza, get your food/drink and just doze off on the table. I guarantee you, no waiter will tell you what are you doing there!

There are many other food chains having overnight services. There are a lot of Mcdonalds, Gusto's, Doutors and Starbucks which help you to spend a warm time inside them!

[Misaki]

That`s right, staying at family restaurant long hours are doesn`t matter, nobody blame you or nobody ask you go out.

[Megancolt]

Need lodging? I was unsuccessful with tickets, but have a non-refundable room for the first week of the Olympics. I have contacted the hotel and they will not refund me, but are permitting someone else to stay in the room. July 25th - July 31st. Private room, shared bathroom. Location ideal!