Last updated: 10 October 2024
Finding affordable accommodations in Japan often means staying at “business hotels,” which offer reasonable prices, great service, and convenient locations.
Many travelers opt for these budget-friendly options to save money for food and sightseeing. While prices can spike on weekends and holidays, booking at the right time can lead to significant discounts—even in central Tokyo!
Here, we’ve compiled a list of major business hotel chains across Japan, highlighting their features, advantages, and pricing to help you find the perfect budget-friendly stay.
(This article may contain promotions)
1. Toyoko Inn: Japanese Business Hotel Chain
Toyoko Inn is a collection of basic Japanese business hotels that embody the concept of a modernized version of traditional Japanese guesthouses known as “station ryokan.”
This chain comprises approximately 260 hotels situated throughout Japan, with a significant presence of 39 hotels in Tokyo alone.
Among these, five are located in the Asakusa/Ueno area, while ten are conveniently situated around Tokyo Station and Nihonbashi, with numerous others scattered around prominent train stations and popular sightseeing destinations.
True to its motto, each Toyoko Inn ensures excellent accessibility, always positioned in close proximity to train stations or airports, and additionally provides a complimentary shuttle bus service for its guests.
- Price: Single rooms are priced at 7,300 yen on weekdays and Sundays, and 7,800 yen on Saturdays and the day before holidays. Twin rooms start at 10,300 yen on weekdays and Sundays, and 11,000 yen on Saturdays and the day before holidays.
- Breakfast: Toyoko Inn is renowned for offering a complimentary breakfast consisting of bread, onigiri rice balls, miso soup, coffee, and more. The breakfast offerings may differ depending on the hotel location. We particularly recommend trying the delicious onigiri. While some hotels serve bread sourced from local bakeries, others bake it fresh in their own kitchen.
- Major Areas: Akihabara, Asakusa, Ikebukuro, Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Tokyo Station, Ueno
- Wi-Fi: Free
Toyoko Inn Features
- All rooms are equipped with a humidifier and a trouser press. The bed in the single rooms is “double” size (150cm x 203cm).
- The lobby has a free water server and ice dispenser.
- A free shuttle bus to and from the main stations, airports, and other facilities are available. Toyoko Inn Tozai Line Nishikasai even offers a shuttle bus to Tokyo Disney Resort and Big Sight.
- The Tokoyo Inn Club Card Membership (1,500 yen entry fee) grants you benefit such as early check-in and booking up to 6 months in advance.
- Toyoko Inn Shinagawa Port South Gate Tennozu Isle features a free sauna.
2. APA Hotel: Excellent location, cheap hotels in Japan
The APA Group manages approximately 170 urban-style business hotels throughout Japan, alongside 147 partner hotels. In Tokyo alone, there are 51 locations that cover major areas including Ginza, Roppongi, and Asakusa, as well as quieter spots like Tsukiji, Kiba, and Sugamo.
Each of these affordable Japanese hotels offers an average of 152 rooms, resulting in a remarkable total of 55,793 rooms available as of August 2017. This extensive room capacity makes APA Hotels a reliable choice even during busy seasons. Furthermore, guests can opt for the complimentary APA Card Membership, which provides various additional services such as early check-in and discounts.
- Price: Single rooms are priced at 8,900 yen on weekdays and Sundays, and 13,900 yen on Saturdays and the day before holidays. Twin rooms, designed for two people, start at 19,000 yen on weekdays and Sundays, and 23,000 yen on Saturdays and the day before holidays.
- Major areas: Akihabara, Asakusa, Ikebukuro, Roppongi, Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Tokyo Station, Ueno
- Breakfast: APA Hotels provide the option of adding breakfast for an additional charge. Some locations offer “The Premium Breakfast,” a buffet featuring a diverse range of Japanese and Western-style dishes, which rewards you with 10 APA points. By booking in advance, you can enjoy a 200 yen discount on the breakfast price. The official website provides a public “restaurant breakfast ranking” that can be accessed at any time.
- Wi-Fi: Free (in every room and in the lobby)
APA Hotel Features
- The “Web Discount” is available on the official homepage, always letting you book with the best rates if you fulfill certain requirements.
- The beds are an original creation called “Cloud Fit,” developed together with the US-based company Sealy.
- Sometimes, sampling promotions are held, equipping the hotel rooms with various sample items.
- There are large LCD TVs in almost every room.
- The APA Member’s Club can be joined entirely for free and offers many benefits, including speed check-in and the industry’s best cash return rate. Usually, the goal of the card is to gather points, but you can opt for the famous APA Curry instead.
3. Dormy Inn: Bathing and great food
Dormy Inn, a Japanese budget hotel chain, places significant importance on bathing and culinary experiences. Across its 67 locations in Japan, Dormy Inn offers natural hot spring public baths in 44 of them. Tokyo alone houses eight of these locations, with six of them featuring outdoor baths for added relaxation. The hotel chain takes pride in its breakfast, known as the “Too Tasty Dormy Breakfast,” which is thoughtfully prepared using local ingredients.
- Price: On weekdays and Sundays, the price for a single room starts at 11,000 yen, while on Saturdays and the day before holidays, it begins at 13,090 yen. For a semi-double room designed for one person, the rate is 7,595 yen on both weekdays and Sundays, as well as on Saturdays and the day before holidays.
- Major Areas: Akihabara, Asakusa, Shibuya, Ueno
- Breakfast: Breakfast is offered at an additional cost. Dormy Inn is renowned for its delectable breakfast featuring local specialties. At the Akihabara location, guests can enjoy an Edo-style set menu that tantalizes their taste buds. The Ueno branch serves Kanto-style oden, while the Kanda branch offers local cuisine featuring soba and fried tempura. The price for breakfast ranges between 1,200 and 1,500 yen.
- Wi-Fi: Free
Yonaki Soba
Dormy Inn Hotel Features
- The natural hot spring baths are one of the biggest characteristics of Dormy Inn hotels.
- “Yonaki soba” is provided for free, depending on the time and volume. At five locations throughout Japan, the first 30 guests get to enjoy dinner service.
- Airweave and Simmons beds are available at some hotels.
- Dormy Inn Gotanda features “Global Cabin,” the luxury version of Japan’s characteristic capsule hotels. Free smoothies are available in the morning as well.
- Dormy Inn offers long-term stay plans. They’re available from 4,500 yen per day (per person) on a weekly and monthly base. Laundry is free, a cleaning service included, and free rental of various long-term goods is also possible.
4. Hotel Sunroute: Excellent access, hospitality
With a presence of 71 locations throughout Japan, Hotel Sunroute is a chain that caters to both business and leisure guests. They prioritize providing attentive and warm service, offering event spaces for conferences, banquets, and weddings. Hotel Sunroute prides itself on five key features that define its main strengths: convenient accessibility, exceptional hospitality, a membership system, dedicated women-only rooms, and a commitment to ecological practices.
- Price: On weekdays and Sundays, the price for a single room starts at 4,980 yen, while on Saturdays and the day before holidays, it begins at 6,800 yen. For a twin room accommodating two people, the rate is 9,880 yen on weekdays and Sundays, and 19,600 yen on Saturdays and the day before holidays.
- Major Areas: Ariake (Odaiba), Asakusa, Ginza, Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Ueno
- Breakfast: The breakfast offerings differ depending on the specific Sunroute Hotel, but typically, it is provided by a restaurant located within the hotel premises. Sunroute Hotels present a range of special deals, including complimentary breakfast when the combined age of two occupants in a room exceeds 100, free kids’ plates, complimentary special summer breakfast, and more. Some hotels even feature contemporary French cuisine or 24-hour family restaurants for added dining options.
- Wi-Fi: Varies by location. Rental pocket Wi-Fi available at some hotels.
Hotel Sunroute Features
- The “Ladies’ Plan” features free face masks, bath salts, and three DHC Cosmetics articles. Certain locations even offer massage cushions and aromatized air humidifiers.
- Sleep blissfully well in Simmons bedding, available some Sunroute hotels.
- Every room comes with deodorizer, a washlet, and a bath salt present.
- Hotel Sunroute Ginza’s rooms are equipped with air purifiers with humidifying function.
5. Super Hotel: Quiet rooms, relaxing atmosphere
The Super Hotel chain has around 120 locations across Japan, out of which over 75 hotels provide hot springs or public baths for guests to enjoy at their leisure.
Super Hotels are particularly renowned for their complimentary breakfast service, featuring organic vegetables and low-pesticide rice. Additionally, the automated check-in process through specialized terminals offers a seamless and convenient experience. One of the standout features of Super Hotel is the wide range of additional sleep options available, including soundproof rooms and special pillows.
- Price: On weekdays and Sundays, the price for a single room starts at 6,600 yen, while on Saturdays and the day before holidays, it begins at 11,090 yen. For a twin room designed for two people, the rate is 8,000 yen on weekdays and Sundays, and 15,600 yen on Saturdays and the day before holidays.
- Major Areas: Akihabara, Asakusa, Ikebukuro, Roppongi, Shinagawa, Shinbashi, Shinjuku, Tokyo Station, Ueno
- Breakfast: Complimentary breakfast is provided at Super Hotel, excluding certain locations. There are two breakfast options available. The first is the “healthy breakfast” which features a variety of dishes made from local and organic ingredients, including rice, miso soup, salad, and side dishes. This breakfast highlights seasonal and regional delicacies. The second option is the “freshly baked breakfast” which offers freshly baked delicacies like croissants and bread, along with rice porridge, yogurt, eggs, and more.
- Wi-Fi: Free
Super Hotel Features
- The two free breakfast choices are amazing.
- Automatic check-in and check-out make for a convenient experience. Check-in is possible until midnight.
- There are various discounts and services for students and seniors, both Japanese and international. Junior high students, high school students, college students, vocational school students, and graduate students can make use of a special discount if they show their student ID. Seniors of 60 years or older simply need to prove their age via their passport to get up to 20%!
- The pillow can be freely chosen from 8 different kinds in regard to hardness, height, and material.
6. Smile Hotel: Clean, safe, cheap hotels in Japan
As the name suggests, this cheap hotel in Japan is all about making their guests smile by providing relaxation, cleanliness, and safety. Smile Hotels has 42 locations all over Japan, mainly in sightseeing areas, and 6 hotels in Tokyo. The characteristics and features differ by location and the company offers various plans tailored to the specifics of every hotel. Smile Hotels are known for being close to Japan’s skiing areas, so winter sports tourists should keep an eye open for them.
- Price: On weekdays and Sundays, the price for a single room starts at 6,400 yen, while on Saturdays and the day before holidays, it begins at 7,900 yen. For a twin room designed to accommodate two people, the rate is 10,900 yen on weekdays and Sundays, and 11,300 yen on Saturdays and the day before holidays.
- Major Areas: Asagaya, Asakusa, Nihonbashi, Sugamo
- Breakfast: You have the option to choose between paid and complimentary breakfast at these hotels. The breakfast menu varies depending on the location, with some offering Western-style breakfast while others provide Japanese-style options. We particularly recommend visiting Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi and Sugamo hotels, where you can indulge in a delightful Minami-Boso Japanese-style breakfast that features local delicacies from the neighboring city of Chiba.
- Wi-Fi: Free
Smile Hotel Features
- A Card Members get a 10% discount on their rooms. This card is applicable to over 400 hotels all over Japan and has no annual fee.
- If you book via the official homepage, a one-hour extension of your stay is free of charge.
- Delivery, copy machines, and fax machines are available around the clock (for a fee), hand towels are offered upon check-in, and certain hotels offer coin laundry.
*This information is from the time of this article’s publication.
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.
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