Tokyo has thousands of hotels, and most “best of” lists are built from the same recycled twenty names without checking whether they are still open, let alone still good. This one is not. Every hotel below was checked against its own site, current listings and independent reviews, organised by what it actually does best rather than by star rating alone...
Tokyo does not have one obvious place to stay. It has a dozen good ones, each built around a different train line and a different version of the city. Base yourself in the wrong neighbourhood and a trip that should feel effortless turns into an hour of transfers before breakfast. Base yourself in the right one and the whole city opens up within a few stops...
If you are booking flights to Tokyo, you will quickly discover two airport options: Narita International Airport (NRT) and Haneda Airport (HND). For many visitors, particularly those on long-haul flights from Europe, the Americas, or Australia, this choice is partly made by your airline. But when you do have a choice — or when you want to understand what you are...