Visiting the world’s third largest city means there is always plenty of choice of where to stay.
But when there’s 14.2 plus million residents, it’s important to pick accommodation which has great transport links as well as comfy rooms.
The Doubletree by Hilton Tokyo Ariake fits the bill perfectly. A minute’s walk from two major transport hubs and just 30 minutes into the centre of the city, it also takes just half an hour to reach Haneda Airport.
Opened in 2024 as the first Doubletree property in the Tokyo/Kanto area, the hotel is a welcome sanctuary from the buzz of city life.
It’s in walking distance of Tokyo Big Sight and the Ariake garden and coliseum and a 10 minute ride to the Toyosu fish market and Odaiba and 20 minutes to the Tokyo Disney Resort®.
There are two convenience stores right by the hotel and the first floor reception area is where efficient and very friendly staff are ready to check in and hand over the signature complimentary warm chocolate chip cookie.
An ice cold water station and access to paid for refreshments are available and there’s a calm and welcoming area to relax.
The 17 floor hotel is modern and swish at the same time, with 363 compact and modern non-smoking rooms and suites.
Decorated in cool colours, the rooms are well equipped and have the benefits of bathrooms with Hilton’s signature toiletries from Crabtree and Evelyn, shower and bath options, lovely comfortable beds, an ironing board, plenty of storage space and tea and coffee making facilities.
One of the best parts of the room is the slick Japanese toilet, which Is separate from the bathroom, and complimentary pyjamas, robes and slippers.
Downstairs the Brew33 Bar and Lounge serves craft beers, cocktails and a large-screen television and all day dining is available in the bright, airy and ultra-modern SAUS (meaning seasoning) restaurant which is the place to be for breakfast. With just 98 spaces, it is a busy old place but worth the wait as the selection of Japanese and Western food is excellent.
There’s an egg station to allow choice and each day a different noodle and rice dish to tempt and lots of cold meats, cheeses, pastries and curries to try. Homemade sauces are a must to try.
Lunchtime calls for comfort food in the form of classic Laska noodles and smash burgers, and the afternoon tea includes seasonal treats celebrating autumn where pumpkins and grapes are in abundance.
There’s a 24 hour fitness centre to work off the pounds and a handy all day coin laundry to keep clothes fresh and ready for the adventure Tokyo promises!
And what a city it really is, with so much to see and do. If time is short, then the Tokyo Skyhop Bus is a great way to look around. With red, blue and green routes exploring the best sights, from the Rainbow Bridge to the bustling Ginza district, the famous Scramble Crossing at Shibuya and Asakusa’s Senso-ji Temple, it’s fun and gives a great insight into what makes the place tick.
Slightly taller than Paris’s Eiffel Tower and just as majestic, especially at night, is Tokyo Tower built in 1958 at 333 metres high to represent hope following the end of World War II and is stronger and lighter than the French structure to protect it from earthquakes.
An oasis in the centre is the Hamarikyu Gardens, a historic Edo-period landscape which features a seawater tidal pond which changes Tokyo Bay’s waters. Idyllic and with traditional buildings, there is a lovely floating tea house which serves the best matcha.
One of the best museums is the one devoted to Snoopy. This fun spot pays homage to the cute dog drawn by Charles M. Schulz and is full of memorabilia and comic strips. There’s even a workshop to dress up Snoopy dolls in seasonal clothes and a nearby park is full of the characters featured in the Peanuts artwork.
Japan is well known for its sumo wrestling and watching this ancient art is fascinating. The Sumo Live Restaurant in the city has an entertainment show which give an insight into how the national sport works. It’s fun, with guests treated to a traditional bento box full of culinary delights to eat while watching former professionals explain the rich history and perform moves in bouts, with the audience encouraged to support their favourite wrestler and have a go themselves. It’s brilliant entertainment and sums up the strength of this wonderfully different city!
The Details
DoubleTree by Hilton Tokyo Ariake, 135-0063, Tokyo, 3-7-3 Ariake, Koto-ku, Japan.
Tel: +81 3-6426-0390
Website: www.hilton.com/doubletree-tokyo-ariake
Email: TYOAR_careline@hilton.com
The hotel is easy to reach from Haneda Airport by train or bus. Transport can be booked before arriving in Japan and an excellent planner app is www.omio.co.uk, which helps organise multi-modal trips.
Flights to Japan are available from all over the UK and I travelled via Frankfurt from Edinburgh Airport where Airport Parking and Hotels (APH.com) offers a wide range of parking and overnight hotel stays at all major UK airports. For more information visit: www.aph.com/edinburgh-airport. Comfort before the flight is available at the Turkish Airlines Lounge operated by Plaza Premium Group Edinburgh.
Lonely Planet has brought out new guides including the 15th version of the Tokyo book, third edition of Experience Japan, 19th version of the Japan guide, 11th edition of Pocket Tokyo and a fabulous Love Japan coffee table book. For more details, check out www.shop.lonelyplanet.com.
Type of Hotel: 4-Star Hotel
Number of Rooms: 363 rooms over 17 floors.
Price Band: Children under 12 stay free when sharing an existing bedroom with adults, breakfast charges apply for children ages 6 to 11 but are free for children aged under six.
Insider Tip: Make sure you ask for a table occupied card at meal times to keep the spot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9/10
Author Bio:
Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family on Twitter and Instagram @emojiadventurer and on Facebook via EmojiAdventurers2.
Photographs courtesy of DoubleTree by Hilton Tokyo Ariake
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