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TOKYO HOTEL FOR FIRSTTIME VISITOR

W8STER

POST

Imagine a first-timer (one of two travellers anyway) in Tokyo. Limited to four/five days (not including a plan for Kyoto after). Everyone tends to suggest Ginza for the easy access to everywhere. Would you go for the large chains like Hiltons, Marriotts, Hyatts, etc? Or try a local Japanese brand? I have Hilton and Marriott Gold, Golden Circle Jade and Discovery Black. Looking at options.

SGJNI1961

Personally, I would try The Strings by Intercontinental. Good hotel located two minutes’ walk from Shinagawa Station which has excellent connections to both international airports, particularly Haneda. It’s pretty easy to navigate the city from there with a little help from the English-speaking support staff near the ticket machines. Hotel is comfortable and reasonably priced.

SPEEDBIRD1994

I stayed at Hyatt Regency Shinjuku, which was a lovely hotel, with nice views, beautiful rooms and good views. It was also only a ten-minute walk from Shinjuku Station which is one of the main stations in Tokyo.

PETER19

I have stayed a few times at the Hilton Shinjuku. You won’t go wrong there. You come into the train station from the airport and it has a pickup point/ courtesy bus outside the station if you have bags to carry on arrival. The rest of the time it’s walkable from the hotel back to the train station, etc.

ST1969

Shinjuku or Shibuya. Plenty of decent hotels and easy enough to get where you need/want to be in Tokyo from both neighbourhoods. Omotesando or Roppongi also good. You might even consider Ikebukuro – all are well connected and have good amenities on your doorstep. But my first choice would still be either Shinjuku or Shibuya.

A_CANADIAN_TRAVELLER

I, too, based myself at the Hyatt Regency Shinjuku. Perfect stay. Not the most luxurious hotel in which you’ll ever stay, but a solid upscale option which is well maintained and in a great location. As mentioned, walking distance to the transportation hub of the area, and a metro station is beneath the hotel itself. Some good department stores are within walking distance, too. Having said all of that, I remember seeing the Hilton (close proximity) and thinking that probably the two are very similar. The Hyatt Regency represents a reasonable price point for expensive Tokyo, too.

COSMOB2012

Hi, a bit of an insider here as I lived and worked in Japan for eight years. I still visit twice a year for work and I can recommend the “Mitsui Garden Hotels” for your stay. Most of them are brand new, modern and if booked early enough they are cheaper than the big chain hotels. They are more “Japanese” than the Western hotels which for a first-timer might be interesting. Ginza, Otemachi, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo Station are all good places to stay as they are close to the Yamanote Line which will bring you to the most sights.

TRAVEL TIPS FOR UZBEKISTAN MININGGUY

POST My team and I will be heading to Uzbekistan in a few weeks’ time for a project. From what we have researched online, the country has only really opened up recently to the world, but it has a lot to offer in terms of its history and culture. We are planning on setting aside 2-3 days to do some exploration – a brief Google search does seem to indicate there is a lot to see!

I was wondering if any forum members have ever travelled there? If so, do they have any top tips?

MAXGEORGE

Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are extraordinary historic cities of the Silk Road, easily reached by train from Tashkent. Trains are surprisingly good – a/c, high speed and absurdly cheap. But book in advance at eticket.uzrailway.uz, or check out the ever reliable seat61.com. No visa needed for EU/UK passports. There are plenty of boutique hotels, but, as for trains, book in advance for popular spring and autumn seasons. Hot as the hinges of hell in summer, mind.

DIPLOMAT_BSB

I was in Uzbekistan in 2008. Wonderful place. I second maxgeorge on Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand. I especially liked Khiva (I’ve heard it is possible to do some tours into Turkmenistan from Khiva now, which must be fascinating).

MAXGEORGE

A reliable and responsive source of info on Uzbekistan is advantour.com. Turkmenistan visas are a pain, especially for land border entry. The British-run, Beijing-based agency koryogroup.com handles tours and visas for North Korea and runs tours to Turkmenistan too. I’ve used them three times. Never a problem, very professional.