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Tags: Killer View / Tokyo Hotel Reviews / → All Tags

Room with a Killer View: The Keio Plaza Hotel

We are suckers for a room with a killer view.  We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty--yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.

Thanks to Flickr member Phonograffiti for dropping this Killer view from the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo into the HotelChatter Flickr Pool.

We suggest you flip through the rest of Phonograffiti's pictures taken at the hotel where they have "super fluffy down blankets", "awesome" beds, and some interesting but delicious food.

Tags: New York Times / Hotel Reviews / Tokyo Hotel Reviews / Lake Tahoe Hotel Reviews / → All Tags

The B Akasaka Could B 4 U

Where: 7-6-13, Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan, 107-0052

That's right, since the Purple One is all over the place these days, we figured we would bring back Prince titles--see above.

In any event, The New York Times recently sent writer Andrew Yang over to Tokyo's B Akasaka, and he's back with a fairly positive review. Tokyo gives the same sort of hotel room sticker shock as New York City, so it's good to see "budget" options expanding. The B Akasaka looks like a good entry in the Easy Hotel-style category--minus the blindingly-bright Stelios orange, of course.

Interesting then that the B Akasaka gets called out not as a Japanese Easy Hotel, but as an aloft-style budget-boutique. Says Andrew:

The hotel doesn't have certain services, like room service, in favor of a more do-it-yourself philosophy. No need to worry about extra charges for the minibar (there is none), or Internet access (it's free) or telephone calls (local calls are also free)...The B Akasaka is perfect for work-intensive business trips, quick solo weekend shopping excursions or just a place to stay while seeing friends. If you insist on being fussed over and want to have everything brought to your fingertips, this is not the place for you. But if you like the autonomy and anonymity that the metropolis of Tokyo affords, then the B Akasaka is a quiet, and serene perch from which to explore the city.

If you're not into Japanese minimalist hotels, this Sunday's Times also features the Lost Trail Lodge--a don't-even-think-about-WiFi lodge less than five miles from Truckee, CA. The Lodge has no phones, no plasma TVs and no roads leading to the property: you have to ski or snowshoe in from town. Minimalist indeed.

Image via Eloketh

Related Stories:
· Check In, Check Out [NYT]

Tags: YouTube / Tokyo Hotel Reviews / Jaunted / → All Tags

Remote-Controlled Drapes at the Seiyo Ginza

Where: 1-11-2 Ginza, Tokyo, Japan, 104-0061

Jaunted Editor Davie has been jaunting around Japan for the last week and has kindly taken a video of her hotel room at the Seiyo Ginza Hotel. Which is actually quite refreshing since we've begun to think the loding options in Japan were either love hotels, capsule hotels, or the Lost in Translation hotel.

And don't miss the ending when she demonstrates how to work the remote-controlled drapes!

If you want more of Davie's Japan stories (and who doesn't?), skip on over to Jaunted for the full scoop.

Related Stories:
· Seiyo Ginza reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Seiyo Ginza Hotel, Tokyo [YouTube]