Cheap Sleeps Tokyo: Shinjuku

By Rachel Turner | Thursday, May 22, 2008

Shinjuku is home to some of the most expensive hotels in Tokyo. Even I was doubtful that I would be able to find a cheap place to stay in this haughty hood. When seeking cheap rooms in Shinjuku, both the words cheap and room need to be given a little leeway. Finding a place to stay for less than 5,000 yen per night for a single female traveler was my goal.

Before getting off the subway, I knew I would have to steer clear of the skyscraper district to the west of the station. This part of Shinjuku is home to such 4- and 5-star giants as the Keio Plaza, the Park Hyatt (of Lost in Translation fame), and the Hilton. So after exiting the station, I headed east to the red-light district of Kabukicho. And here I will issue the obligatory note of caution. Kabukicho gets a bad rap. I had heard that it is extremely dangerous, crawling with yakuza, and just riddled with crime. While I recommend being on guard after the sun sets, I found the neighborhood’s reputation to be exaggerated. If you are a single female traveler wandering around at night, keep your head up, don’t talk to the touts, and look like you know where you’re going.

With that being said, let’s find a place to stay! I was pleasantly surprised to find the Café Hotel, which is just a short 5-10 minute walk from the east exit of the station. In a tiny alley off one of the neighborhood’s main streets, this unassuming little hotel was a great fit for me. The place was clean, staff was helpful, and the room had all the fixings. I was even upgraded to a larger room at no charge, which bumped this hotel to the top of my list. By Shinjuku standards, the room I had at the Café Hotel was huge. Rooms for singles start at just 4,800 yen per night. Check out their website for more information: http://hotel.222.co.jp/index.html

At the tip top of my budget range is the Shinjuku Hotel Park Inn. This run-of-the-mill business hotel will put you up for 5,000 yen per night. Calling hotel rooms in Shinjuku small is a vast understatement, and this place is no exception. If you want to do more than sleep and shower, I would recommend springing for a more expensive place. But why would you want to spend all your time in your hotel anyway? The décor at the Hotel Park Inn is stuck somewhere in the late 80s, but rooms are clean. The hotel is a bit of a walk from the JR station, but only about 2 minutes on foot from the Shinjuku Gyoenmae Station on the Marunouchi Line. Pics, rates, and other info can be found on their Japanese-only website: http://hotel-parkinn.com/

Then there’s the hostel. The Ace Inn Shinjuku just opened its doors in August of last year. It’s a bit far from Shinjuku’s center, but it is the cheapest of the lodging options I found. Just over 3,000 yen will secure you a bed in one of their 28-bed dorm rooms. Yes. 28 beds, one room. This place is not for light sleepers. Coin showers are available, and internet access is free. Since all capsule hotels I found in Shinjuku don’t allow women, this hostel is a good alternative. Dorm beds do resemble capsule pods, and it is a great place to meet other travelers.

When all is said and done, Shinjuku is probably not the best place to go for cheap sleeps in Tokyo. If you need to stay in the middle of the city action, though, finding a budget bed is possible. The Kabukicho area is home to a number of inexpensive hotels…just be warned that many of them are of the “love” variety. And, of course, the farther you venture from the JR line, the more options you’ll have. Sleep well!

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Rachel's articles have appeared in publications all over Japan. Check out her blog at www.amateurfatalist.com

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