Shinjuku Granbell Hotel (Tokyo, Japan)
I was trying to stay within a reasonable budget for my travel, especially with lodging since I wouldn’t be splitting the costs. During my research, I happened upon the Shinjuku Granbell Hotel, a beautiful new-ish boutique hotel in Shinjuku (opened late 2013). The furnishings and decor are very modern and edgy. After taking advantage of one of their consecutive stay deals directly through its website, my total for a 7-night April stay in the Economy Small Double room was ¥56700 ($478.39 or $68.34/night at that time’s exchange rate).
The room was what I like to call spatially efficient. Living in NYC, this was a non-issue for me, and I actually preferred it. There wasn’t much room to put away clothes or luggage but for the price and convenience, and the great bathroom and bed, I didn’t mind that compromise. A great element of the room was that there was a clear glass partition between the bathroom and the bedroom to not make the space seem smaller than it already was. And of course, the window had curtains for privacy during bathroom use.
The hotel offered free wi-fi but unfortunately wasn’t the most reliable in my room. My room may have just been further from the router but I did have to do some roaming around the room to find the best spot to connect.
The room cleaning was very thorough. I didn’t need it daily but I mostly took advantage of it to replenish the complimentary innovative drip coffee packets and tea, as well as the individually packaged body sponges that work like loofahs. I hoarded a few extra for the rest of my travels.
The hotel was perfect for me since it was rather centrally located to a majority of the things I wanted to do and eat in Shinjuku and nearby Shibuya and Roppongi. Located between the Shinjuku and Higashi-Shinjuku metro stations, the hotel was a 12–15 min walk to Shinjuku station and a very short and convenient 2–3 minute walk from the Higashi-Shinjuku station. The hotel is also very close to convenient stores (both 7–11 and Lawson) and McDonald’s for quick, delicious provisions. Shinjuku station is also a main hub and transfer point for a variety of your travel — shinkansen bullet trains, transportation to/from Narita or Haneda airports.
The one downside to the location is that it is a few blocks away from the red light district of Kabukicho. If you’re taking the most direct route between Shinjuku station and the hotel, you will probably walk through this. During the day, it’s harmless as most things are closed but at night, some of the “promoters” can be quite aggressive (think the Las Vegas strip). You can just continue walking through though but if this concerns you, just take the longer route along the main streets or transfer to get to the Higashi-Shinjuku station.