My partner and I paid 237 eur for one night at the Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Gochome, excluding breakfast. That’s actually quite a lot for a small room in Tokyo. But in reality, it’s a decent price by Tokyo standards.

I still liked the hotel, though. Mainly because of its location right next to Higashi-Ginza station, the spotless cleanliness and the room, which, whilst small, is practically laid out.

Would I choose it again? Yes, provided it wasn’t more than about 15 per cent more expensive than an APA Hotel in a similar location. If the difference were any greater, the extra cost wouldn’t make sense to me.

Check the price of the Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza

My rating

What I was interested in	My experience
Location	Ginza, about 1 minute from Exit 4 of Higashi-Ginza station
Room	Small, clean and better laid out than at my APA hotel
Cost of our stay	237 eur per room for 2 people for 1 night, excluding breakfast
Breakfast	3 300 jpy per person; for that price, I’d have expected more
The biggest advantage	The location and the direct train service from Narita
Biggest drawback	Relatively high price considering the size of the room

Why I chose this particular hotel

Tokyo wasn’t originally the main destination of our trip. We were returning home from Hong Kong, and it was on the Tokyo leg that I managed to find a business-class ticket with Emirates using my bonus miles.

What’s more, we were able to spend more than 36 hours there. So why not make the most of it?

When looking for a hotel, I had two main requirements:

• to stay in the city centre so that we could make the most of our short stay
• to get from Narita Airport to the hotel by train without having to change trains

However, hotels all over Tokyo were very expensive during our stay. Perhaps there were several events taking place at the same time. I don’t know the exact reason, but I noticed high prices across the city.

After a really long search, the Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Gochome eventually came out on top. At the time, it offered what was probably the best combination of location, price and quality.

Price and booking via Revolut Stays

We paid 237 eur for a room for two people for one night, excluding breakfast.

That’s quite a steep price. Especially as I’d seen offers for the same hotel in July for under 123 eur . When I checked prices later, I was actually surprised to find dates that were even more expensive than our stay.

I wouldn’t therefore take our price as the hotel’s standard rate. It depends a great deal on the specific dates.

This time, I booked the stay through Revolut Stays. Mitsui was on offer with 10 times the usual RevPoints, which was a nice bonus for me.

I describe how I collect points and what I use them for in the article ‘RevPoints in practice’. I explain another reason why I have a paid plan in the article ‘Revolut Ultra and airport lounges’.

Before booking, I’d compare the final price for the same room on Booking.com and on Revolut, with the same breakfast and cancellation terms. We had the offer of 10 times the points during our stay; it’s not a permanent benefit of this hotel.

<a href="http://cestujlevne.com/go-revolut<a href="https://www.booking.com/city/jp/tokyo.cs.html?aid=355333;label=review-mitsui-ginza-comparison-btn" data-btn="true">Get Revolut with a bonus</a>">]

Location in Ginza and transport from the airport

For me, the location is the strongest reason to book the Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Gochome.

You’ll be staying right in the Ginza district. From the hotel, you can head straight out to the shops and restaurants, without having to travel halfway across the city first.

For a short stay, like ours, this is a huge advantage.

Nearest stations:

• Higashi-Ginza – about 1 minute from Exit 4, on the Asakusa and Hibiya lines
• Ginza – about 4 minutes from Exit A5, including the Ginza line with a direct connection to Shibuya

You can find out how tickets and the individual lines work in our guide to the Tokyo Metro.

Please note when booking: there are other Mitsui Garden hotels in the area. This review specifically concerns the Ginza Gochome, located at 5-13-15 Ginza.

From Narita without changing trains

From Narita Airport, you can travel to Higashi-Ginza station on selected direct Keisei Access Express trains, which continue onto the Asakusa metro line.

In practice, this means you stay on the same train, even though the operator and line name change during the journey.

• Destination station: Higashi-Ginza
• Ticket: 1 330 jpy for one adult, one way
• Payment by Suica or PASMO card: 1 318 jpy
• From Exit 4 to the hotel: about a 1-minute walk

When searching for a connection, please check that it has 0 changes. Not every departure from Narita goes directly to Higashi-Ginza.

The fastest train takes 62 minutes. However, the specific train you take and any waiting time before departure may extend the journey. To us, the journey on a slow train seemed endless, so a direct journey without a change does not automatically meana quick journey.

The Skyliner does not run directly to Higashi-Ginza. You’ll need to change trains.

I compare other options in the article ‘Transport from Narita Airport to Tokyo’.

From Haneda Airport

The location is also convenient when arriving at Haneda. Selected Keikyu trains continue directly onto the Asakusa Line to Higashi-Ginza station.

The hotel states that the journey takes around 30 minutes. Please check the specific service and number of changes again before setting off.

You can find further details in the article ‘Transport from Haneda Airport’.

Arrival and quick check-in

We arrive at the hotel around 6.00 pm. After the long journey from Narita, I’m already delighted by my first impressions.

The building looks lovely, and the reception area is spacious and modern. Everything is spotlessly clean and it smells wonderful in here.

Check-in is quick and hassle-free.

There are also self-service check-in kiosks available in case there’s a long queue at the main reception desk.

Useful times for planning your stay:

• check-in from 15:00
• check-out by 11.00

Toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs and other small items can be taken free of charge from the stand down by the lift. They aren’t provided in the room, but this is standard practice in many Japanese hotels.

I really like the little details, such as the stylish room key cards and the lovely magnetic signs for the door (‘Do Not Disturb’, ‘Please Clean the Room’, etc.).

The room is small but well laid out

I liked the room as soon as I opened the door. It’s nice, clean and has a cosy feel to it.

However, as is typical in Japanese-style accommodation, there isn’t much space.

Compared to the APA Hotel Ginza Shintomicho Ekimae Kita, where I’ve also stayed, our room at the Mitsui is, after all, more spacious and better laid out.

I’m particularly pleased with the small armchair and the table where I can work. In my experience, this isn’t always the case in similar Japanese hotels.

Power adaptor and other amenities

The most practical little item is definitely the adapter for Japanese sockets, which is available to borrow free of charge right in our room.

Sockets in Japan have let me down twice before, because my universal travel adapter simply doesn’t have the Japanese plug types. And I always forget to bring one.

Our room also has:

• a hairdryer
• USB-A charging
• electric kettle and tea
• instant coffee
• fridge
• two free bottles of water

In my view, a solid, practical range of amenities. I’m just a bit disappointed about the coffee. For a hotel in this price range, I’d have appreciated something better than instant coffee.

Bathroom

The bathroom is small but quite well laid out. And, above all, it’s spotlessly clean. Just like the rest of the room.

Japanese bath, gym and laundry facilities

As well as the room, you can make use of several services that come in handy, especially on a longer trip around Japan.

Free Japanese baths

The hotel’s pool area looks lovely in the photos. In reality, though, it strikes me more as a large bathtub.

These are Japanese communal baths, with separate areas for men and women. If you’re looking for a hotel swimming pool, you won’t find one here.

Practical information:

• Free entry for hotel guests
• Open 6.00–9.00 and 15.00–1.00
• Please bring a towel from your room
• Please have a shower before entering the spa
• Swimming is without swimwear
• Tattoos do not prevent entry, in accordance with the hotel’s current rules

I see the spa as a nice bonus. However, when choosing a hotel, I would give it less weight than location and price.

A small, free gym

The hotel also has a small fitness centre, free for guests, open from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm.

It is a very small gym, but compared to other hotels in central Tokyo, it is a big plus.

I was surprised by how few hotels in a similar price range have a gym.

Washing machines with card payment

The hotel has three self-service washing machines available for a fee. You can pay by card, so you don’t need to hunt for coins.

To me, that’s a more useful detail than a whole host of flashy hotel services. Especially if you’re stopping off in Tokyo as part of a longer trip.

What’s more, you’ll find drinks vending machines in several places around the hotel, in the corridors or the main lobby.

Directly opposite the hotel is a FamilyMart shop, open 24/7.

Breakfast for 3 300 jpy

Our stay didn’t include breakfast, but we ended up paying extra for it.

It is served in the SHARI HIGASHIGINZA restaurant, which is part of the hotel:

• price: 3 300 jpy per person
• time: 6.30–10.30
• last admission: 10.00

During our stay, we pay directly at the restaurant till after breakfast.

The menu combines Japanese and Western cuisine. The hotel describes it as a choice of a main breakfast set complemented by a small buffet.

The selection is interesting, but to be honest, I would have expected a lot more for this price.

For a couple, that’s an extra 6 600 jpy for one morning. Next time, I’d probably opt for a room without breakfast and eat out instead. If breakfast is included in your package for a small extra charge, it might be a different story.

Mitsui or APA and other hotels I’ve tried

I found the Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Gochome more pleasant than the particular APA hotel in Ginza where I stayed.

The room is better laid out and the whole hotel strikes me as being of a slightly higher standard. However, the extra cost must be justified by what I get in return.

My limit is probably around 15 per cent above the price of a comparable room at the APA. I’d compare the same dates, two people, breakfast and cancellation terms.

If the difference is greater, I’d be more likely to choose the cheaper APA hotel.

Alternatively, I’d check out the traditionally affordableKOKO HOTEL Ginza-1chome, although I haven’t personally tried it yet.

For comparison, here are some of my other experiences in Tokyo:

• 🏨 APA Hotel Ginza Shintomicho Ekimae Kita – a standard hotel with a private room and en-suite bathroom
• 🏨 Tomariya Ueno Capsule Hotel – an option for solo travellers, with considerably less privacy
• 🏨 Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya – for greater comfort and views, though the view is of the crossroads itself

You can compare the current prices of these options here:

• APA Hotel Ginza Shintomicho Ekimae Kita on Booking.com
• KOKO HOTEL Ginza-1chome on Booking.com

If you’re still mainly deciding on a neighbourhood, start with our guide to Where to stay in Tokyo.

Would I choose the Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza again?

Yes. Especially for a short stay in central Tokyo, when I want a good location and the easiest possible journey from the airport.

The hotel is spotlessly clean and I found our small room practical. At a similar price, I’d choose the Mitsui over the APA, which I’ve stayed at before.

However, for our 237 eur, excluding breakfast, I wasn’t all that impressed with the value for money.

During the peak season, it was a sensible choice amongst the available hotels. On my next trip, I’d carefully compare prices again.

Check the price of the Mitsui for your dates

💬 How much did you pay for a hotel in Ginza? And would you pay extra for the Mitsui rather than the APA?