Hotel4Real!

(Note: Hotel JAL City Haneda Tokyo is NOT the subject of this review, these are adjacent properties but operate independently, and the offerings are slightly different)

Nothing beats a nice shower and a good night sleep during an overnight connection, and in that department, I have nothing to complain about my stay at Hotel JAL City – everything went to plan.

My arrival into HND was late in the afternoon, and if I did not misunderstand the hotel’s shuttle schedule, they did not run during that time, so I had to make my own way to the hotel. It was not a hard trip by any means though – the world-famous transit system in Tokyo brought me to the hotel within 15 minutes. Staff was great, everyone spoke good English and were proactive. Check-in went smoothly, and in addition to my room keys I was offered an option of amenities. I chose the “Relaxation” option, which included a face mask, a fidget-y looking ball, and some foot-related pads that I couldn’t figure out how to use. But hey, free stuff is free stuff.

I did not expect much before my trip in terms of the actual room itself – the rooms all looked tiny from the pictures they had online and the tininess seemed standard across Japanese economy hotels, but when I opened the door I was still amazed by how small the room actually was, to the point I was wondering how on earth they were even able to squeeze the bed in. Functionality-wise though, it was perfect for shorter stays. The bathroom was impressively well-equipped as well, with a compact tub and smart toilet seats (although I kind of expected this after flying Japan Airlines who managed to fit them ON THE PLANE).

The hotel had a little breakfast area as well as free drink fountains in the lobby. I did not have a chance to have breakfast, nor did I try the drinks because I couldn’t find many diet/sugar-free options except for green tea. But, it ain’t Japan if they didn’t have all kinds of vending machines, and I managed to find this awesome 9% seltzer in one of them. I wish we could have these in Canada.

Shuttle next day was on time, and the driver was awesome at keeping us informed and entertained during the 8-minute trip back to HND.

I designed the RealScore to be as “subjectively objective” as it can be, so naturally the scores for this one won’t be high, but it won’t stop me from booking here again. International hotels are known to be on the expensive side in Japan, and ultimately, all I need for a launching pad is good transit access, a convenience store nearby and a bed, all of which can be found here. So, if staying here means I can save upwards $200 per night on hotels, I definitely won’t hesitate to book here, and *maybe* spend the money I just saved on the seltzer machine.

RealScore

Service: 8.5

Design and Room Size: 6.0

In-room Amenities: 5

Bathroom Size and Layout: 7

View from (my) Room: 7

Hotel Location: 8

Available Guest Facilities: 6

Food Quality: N/A

Food and Beverage Service: N/A

Executive Lounge Quality: N/A

Final RealScore: 6.90

Final RealRating: B

Hotel is built/opened: 2016

Total number of rooms: 103

Length of stay: 1 night

Membership level at check-in: Member

Room type experienced: Premium Room (better amenities)