Shinjuku Granbell Hotel

I just have to say the staff at this hotel go above and beyond! So friendly and accommodating! They helped me call restaurants for reservations and sort out some minor troubles during my travels. The rooms a small but not the smallest for Tokyo. We fit 4 large suitcases in one of the smaller rooms since there was no option to upgrade to a bigger room. Honestly you don’t spend a lot of time in your room it’s pretty much just sleep so it wasn’t a big issue. The room was clean and really good shower pressure. For what you pay I think it’s up to par. Area felt safe and lots to do within close walking distance. Only thing I’d say is it is a 15 min walk from the main train station. If your considering staying there and don’t want to struggle with heavy bags I’d recommend planning ahead by either getting the hotel to send your bags to the airport or getting a cab from the train to the hotel (it was roughly $12 cad, pretty reasonable considering cabs are expensive in Tokyo). Overall my experience was great and I would recommend this hotel if you want to stay in this area.

The service was poor, and the staff were unable to communicate in English, making even basic interactions frustrating. I arrived around 4 AM, and instead of being accommodating, the staff seemed impatient and unwilling to make any effort to understand me due to the language barrier. What stood out even more was that they appeared to be more welcoming and accommodating towards Western guests but were dismissive towards other Asians. Despite Japan being known for its hospitality, this hotel was an exception. Their attitude made it clear that not all guests were treated equally, and their lack of effort in assisting non-Japanese Asian visitors was particularly disheartening. The overall experience was unpleasant, and I would not recommend this hotel to anyone expecting fair and respectful treatment.

Australian family travelling with two adults and two boys - 16 and 11. |We stayed in two economy rooms on the same floor opposite each other. This was perfectly fine. We definitely could not have fit in one room. While tight, we could store suitcases comfortably. No fluffy robes but the kimono style pyjama shirts are a nice touch. Coin laundry was handy (and large capacity machines) but you will need the extra dry cycle and clothes will still be damp so be prepared to allow around 2.5 hours for this. The hotel breakfast was okay - not a huge buffet but definitely enough options to keep everyone happy. And rice for breakfast is a good carb load for all the walking! The hotel location is very handy - the main train station is an easy 8 minute walk. To avoid walking past some of the seedier hotels in the area (there a a lot of strip joint and love hotels) - turn left out of the hotel and walk down the first street. You will see a small bridge and some trees - this laneway will take you out pretty close to the large crossing in front of the station. That said, the area really wasn’t that seedy. A little rowdy on the weekend but all fun and good natured. We walked to Harujuku from the hotel and it was a pleasant walk. The front desk was very helpful and lovely. We had no problems conversing.

The hotel was clean and comfortable. The room we stayed in had a good view of the city. Staff were friendly and spoke English well. They helped us to send our luggage to another hotel for another portion of our trip.

As a female traveler, I was a bit skeptical due to the location around the hotel. However, I was worried for nothing! The hotel is amazing and I felt so much safer and reassured once inside. My room was a loft and it was beautiful! The view was amazing. Hotel staff are super helpful and assisted us with getting my suitcase delivered to Haneda airport for only $15!!!

I was worry before of the bad review. May be I am lucky... room is not big but good enough. Location is super convenient ! Breakfast is great. If the queen side bed is not in the corner and comes with some drawers, that would make the room flawless. Anyway I am sure will come back.

I stayed at this hotel recently, and while the staff were really nice and friendly, the overall experience wasn’t great. The internet connection was terrible. I had to connect to a different room just to get a decent signal. Room service was disappointing too. They didn’t clean properly, and if they found a half-full coffee cup, they’d just cover it instead of replacing or cleaning it. The location was another downside. It’s about a 1km walk to the main train station, which can be a real inconvenience. The biggest issue, though, was the laundry situation. There are only two machines for the entire hotel, so it’s nearly impossible to use them. You’re forced to go to a laundromat outside or pay for their overpriced laundry service. The staff’s friendliness was the one saving grace, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to make up for all the other issues. Wouldn’t stay here again unless they make some big changes.

We stayed for 5 nights in the largest suite on the top floor. We were celebrating our anniversary so splurged on a suite. Online, the room looked amazing, but in reality it was dated and not so nice. It was large and spacious but the couches had seen better days with stains and the cushions are worn. The shower head was not working well. The room does not get very dark as there are no blinds to cover the outside tub. The in room amenities were also lacking. | |Also the breakfast is not good. There were not many pastry or healthy options. The only fruit were grapes and pineapple. No hot chocolate. The waffles were hard and tasteless. They ran out of items by 8 am and it was so busy it was hard to make toast! Only bread choices were white or strawberry? Had sometimes pasta/noodles but ran out early every morning we were there. ||The lobby didn’t have an area to sit and visit just room to store luggage. ||The room was supposed to have PJS and sometimes we did and sometimes we didn’t. ||I did voice my concerns at checking out to the manager and was told the online pictures are 10 years old so not representative of today. |Be warned as we paid a lot for the experience and were not given any credit or offers due to the lack of meeting expectations presented online!

This hotel was one of the best during my recent trip to Japan. Although the room was pretty tiny, the hotel had everything we could want. All the amenities, hotel staff were a pleasure to experience. the rooftop bar was a gem and had a lovely view over the shinjuku area. Have to say it was also more modern and cleaner than the other hotels I stayed in. Of course it's super central to Kabukicho, so it can be a little overwhelmiing; but if that's not your vibe, then maybe Shinjuku isn't the area you want to stay anyways.

So far so good. Staying a couple days in Tokyo and perched up here at the Granbell Hotel. Very cozy hotel. Our room was small, but clean and offered the necessities. The staff is pleasant and accommodating. Needless to say there is plenty of restaurants, stores conveniently all around the hotel. For a cheaper budget hotel, this place gets the job done and I look forward to coming back when I have more time.

Granbell Hotel, Shinjuku My buddy and I enjoyed the convenience of the Granbell Hotel in Shinjuku and would stay here again! It's affordable, and the hotel has everything you need. Once you arrive at the Granbell, they have plenty of front desk employees to check you in and help you with any directions. They also have a luggage service (at no cost) to keep your bags before check-in or at check-out, allowing you to explore the city without carrying your luggage. Most hotels do this. On the first floor, they have a cafe and a few vending machines. We got to our room to realize we reserved the wrong type of room! They don't do like a full or queen; they list it as a double or something haha. So we upgraded our room cheaply and got our own "twin beds" basically. The rooms are super small, and we barely fit our luggage, so we had to rearrange the room. The rates in person were way lower than online, and of course, you don't get the other fees on top of the rate, so I think it would be wiser to book the hotel the day of and in-person, but that can get risky if they don't have a room.

I stayed with my friend for three nights; it was okay. When I got my key and went to my room, it reeked of cigarettes, and I called the front desk immediately. The staff initially did not believe me because their hotel was non-smoking, but once I entered that room, I couldn't deny how strong it smelled. One of the front desk staff came up to my room and checked it for herself. She said, "Oh, it does smell like cigarettes," and I replied, "Yes, so can I get another room? I don't like the smell of cigarettes, and I already have a migraine from this." A few minutes later, after returning to the front desk with the staff, we were given another room key; this time, it was an okay room. The interior needed to be updated and was way pricey compared to my other hotels in Tokyo (they were more modern and newer, too). The staff can speak English, so it was a plus for foreigners. The hotel was within walking distance of all the fun things around Shinjuku. Like I said, my stay here was okay and comfortable enough for a three-night stay.

I'm rounding up, mostly because of the great location and value. The rooms are small, but it's Japan so that's to be expected. Staff was super friendly, the rooms were clean and it's walking distance to some great restaurants. I'd stay here on a return trip.

Solid hotel in Shinjuku. Staff speaks english well and can handle slightly more complicated requests (like shipping your bags to another hotel). More so they had a sense of humor which was fantastic. Room has the standard stuff and pjs you'd find anywhere. It's a bit far from a train station but not too bad a walk. You're close walks to bars and food so that's cool. We had the modern room...which was nice but a bit to designer mod to be as functional as a standard room. That said, I'd return here next time I need to stay in this area. Just might book the standard room (or maybe upgrade it?).

As much as I love to visit Japan. I should have done more research before staying at this hotel. The surrounding area is not clean. It is not like the majority of areas in Tokyo. This is due to the types of businesses in the immediate area. Bars, host and hostess bars, etc. Trash on the streets, it smells of sewer and trash. Drunk patrons on the streets. The staff at the hotel were very good. The room was passable. The breakfast buffet has some delicious choices, western style as well and Japanese. The breakfast staff were fantastic and I commend them for having to deal with some, not so nice guests staying from other countries. In general, I would say that this hotel is a step up from a hostel. This is not putting down hostels it is just not the way I prefer to travel. Again, this is my fault for not doing my due diligence prior to my trip. They have 2 clothes washing and drying machines on the second floor, convenient but not enough for the amount of people the hotel holds. You get tiny packets of soap and shampoo. Keep in mind, there is no room service or staff to deliver things to your room. You must go to the front desk anytime you are in need of any items, such as towels, hangers, soap etc. It is not very far from the train station but it is also not close. There is no Workout facility/Gym on the property and there were none nearby that could be suggested. I did see a gym in Shibuya. The lines that run from that station are not very convenient or "easy" to navigate. I do not discourage travelers from staying here, I just want to make them aware that for the price, or similar, you can get a better hotel, in a better area. Look

Granbell Hotel Shinjuku was our Tokyo HQ for six nights! That long anywhere may get old, but we were very pleased. To start, Shinjuku was a great neighborhood to stay in, as many places we wanted to visit at night (Golden Gai, Robot Show, etc) were in the area or a short walk away. So many restaurants to choose from and yes, also near their Red Light District, but we always felt safe. There were a couple of subway lines within a 10 minute walk which was convenient to get all over the city, as well. Our room was tiny as expected, but the bed was comfy and I was impressed with all the amenities they provide including two bottles of water each day, razors, toothbrushes, nice hair products, an efficient hairdryer, and more. The bathroom was a very adequate size when compared to the rest of the room. It was also always quiet no matter what time of day which really comes into handy when jet lag hits. They also provided a mobile phone which you could use to make local calls and even take with you as a city guide for free. I only used it to make a call once but it was a really nice touch! The hotel has a "rooftop" as well as a restaurant, and a small cafe in the lobby level. We had breakfast at the restaurant one day and didn't love it... It was a super eclectic buffet and since it wasn't included in our room price, we didn't find it worth the money. The bar provided a really cool view though and they have happy hour! The cafe too came in handy when we needed to hang somewhere while our room was clean. The staff was helpful the couple of times we had questions, but we mostly left them alone. There are SO many hotels to choose from in Tokyo and I was certainly overwhelmed; however, this was a great choice within our price range.

We stayed here for 6 nights, spent 3 in the double luxury mature suite then moved to the Villa Suite. Our other travelers stayed in the Penthouse and a double room. We didn't skimp out on our accommodations and have 0 regrets! Spend that extra $100+/night, you'll thank yourself later! We had amazing views, comfy beds, & great upgraded amenities in the bathroom. The villas outdoor shower with sound system throughout made us feel like royalty! There is plenty of vending machines on each floor and there's even a beer, snack and ice cream vending machine on the 1st floor. Get premium movies for $10/day too. One of the best perks of our room was the handy mobile WiFi hotspot and phone that they let you take out of our room! Yes I'm serious, for only $3/day you get unlimited WiFi in your pocket! No need for an international SIM card. I believe that all premium and luxury rooms get breakfast included, which is a nice perk too. So if you don't want to be disappointed, just go big! We already plan to come back when we are in Japan next! PS- Minami is one of their best servers! She was very funny and sweet, not to mention very attentive to our needs every night we came to the rooftop bar. Outstanding service all around. And don't worry if your Japanese isn't very good, they speak English quite well.

The Shinjuku Granbell Hotel is perfect for a mid-range hotel while in Tokyo. Aside from sleeping and showering, while traveling in Tokyo, you leave in the morning, and don't come back until bedtime. We didn't want to spend money on a high end hotel, knowing we would rarely be at the hotel to enjoy it or get our moneys worth. The Granbell check in was easy, and staff was very nice. We arrived in the room and it was small, as expected, but very clean and nice. Even though most Tokyo hotels are small, just like in Europe, the Granbell gave you space where you really need it - the bathroom. The shower was roomy, and included shampoo, conditioner and body wash. The water pressure was great, making it even more enjoyable. There was a full length mirror by the front door next to the bathroom, allowing one person to use the bathroom while the other got ready there. There are complimentary waters, and drip coffee to make in the room. There is a rooftop indoor/outdoor bar that has a lovely city view, and a pretty large cocktail menu. We ate here one evening and it was good. There is a breakfast restaurant that offers a buffet with both Western and eastern offerings. We tried it one morning and were able to get a large, solid meal before a busy travel day. The hotel is quiet, yet close to so much action. It is just a few blocks from the Golden Gai, many restaurants, and walkable to all that Shinjuku has to offer.

My wife and I stayed here for about a week. This hotel was neither on the cheap nor the expensive side and it had pretty decent reviews online. Also, our travel points covered the cost so it was an easy choice. The hotel is in a great location - super close to the Red Light District, Golden Gai, tons of restaurants and shops. We literally walked everywhere or took public transportation which was pretty easy. The room was a little small, but big enough that you were not uncomfortable. Room and bathrooms were clean and all the essentials were there and changed everyday. I would recommend staying here.

Great place to stay and good location! Comfy room and very clean! Location was ok would have preferred diffent location but price was good! WiFi was good! only one American channel cnn.

I can't say enough good things about the Shinjuku Granbell hotel. You have to look hard to find things wrong with this hotel. I spent 4 nights in this hotel over Memorial day weekend and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I want to preface this review by stating that I've paid as much as $800/night for hotels in the past and I've stayed in pretty high end brands so I'm not exactly easy to please. Obviously I adjust my expectations based on the price. I paid about $220/night for my stay here. The Pros: 1. The hotel staff is amazing. Really they are godsend. I had several great experiences and lots of support whenever I needed it. Miyaka at the front desk (hope I got the spelling right) was especially helpful calling a tour company to help me get in at the last minute. I didn't end up going on the tour but her going above and beyond was such a relief. At that stage I was early in my Tokyo trip and the first day is always tough for me in a new country until I get my "sea legs". So having a hotel that was willing to accommodate and support me was such a relief. More shocking to me is that Japan is not really a tipping country so these people go above and beyond without that expectation. For me (as an American) that makes it all the more impressive. 2. The hotel itself is beautiful. A nice coffee shop downstairs with light food options, outdoor seating, a lounge and dining area. It's very modern and clean and well kept. 3. The room: AMAZING. I thought I fell into a suite when I walked into this room. It's futuristic (as is common in Japan) so it took me some time to figure out how to turn on lights (and use the toilet!) but once you get the hang of it, it's great. I had am amazing view, a huge bed and sitting area, big TV (not that I ever watched it) and a huge bathroom with big clawfoot tub, walk-in shower and an ultra modern and comfortable toilet (with bidet). Also the amenity kits you get in the bathroom are among the BEST I've ever had in a hotel. 4. The breakfast: This was included. I've seen other reviewers criticize the quality of the food but really I don't know what the expectation would be. It's a breakfast buffet and it's included. This isnt the 4-seasons and I didn't expect steak and eggs. I thought the food was actually quite satisfying and well done. I enjoyed it each morning. Is it high end? No. Is it hot cooked food with interesting dishes, an extensive amount of choices (hot and cold), good coffee, and both American and Japanese options? Yes. 5. The biggest biggest PRO of this hotel to me is the location. I really hit the gold mine there. It's so close to so many things. Most importantly you are WALKING distance to Shinjuku station (the busiest train station on EARTH. Literally, I'm not just making hyperbole. It actually is.) So needless to say you can use this hotel as a base to explore Tokyo and many many areas around it. It's also in the heart of Shinjuku and there is endless endless things to see and do in Shinjuku. Not just the amazing neon lights and red light district and gay district and theaters and shopping and squares but also a huge central park Shinjuku-gyoen right up the road from the hotel. I didn't even realize all this was there until late in my trip. Just pick a direction and there is so much around you. Cons: 1. Room closet space: The only big drawback to me was the amount of space to hang clothes. It's such a big room I really wish they'd give you a real armoir or closet so I don't have to squeeze my stuff into a small space to hang up clothes. I'd strongly reccomend adding an armor of some kind. If we had been two people there simply would not be any room to hang things up. 2. I really wish they'd install some USB ports. For such a modern room, I was very surprised about that oversight. It's minor but it would be nice.

Hotel is located in the red light district, but still close to the main Shinjuku shopping hub and restaurants/bars. Location is good, but not great especially if you are travelling with a JR pass since the closest JR station is 13 min away. However, the closest non-JR station is only 5 min away. We stayed here for 1 night and it wasn't bad, but there are better options out there (see Tokyu Stay, also in Shinjuku). Cons: -Call me a prude but I'd prefer not to look at large pictures of mostly male evening "companions" every time I leave and arrive to my hotel. It's hard to miss the 2 hour rates every other hotel around Granbell offers, and personally, it made the area seem tacky even though the hotel itself is not a love hotel. It's perfectly safe, but just not my first choice of ambiance... Def would not bring kids here but that's my personal preference. -Cleanliness was OK. Kinda dusty above the headboard and the toilet could have been cleaner. -Walls were thin. We could hear next door pretty well. Pros: -the lobby does up the class, and our room was ready 2 hrs before check-in time. The rooms were also on the modern side, and although small, the double rooms offer a side sofa that you can utilize. - close to a don quijote; love that place!

The JR station is a bit far from the hotel. If you use g**gle map, as long as "Mr. Donut" is on the way, then it's an easier path to get to the hotel. Husband and I used the subway line when our JR passes expired and it's a closer and "safer" looking area since it's the Square Enix business area. Stop at "Higashi-Shinjuku" station when taking the subway. It'll just be 3-5 min walk to the hotel. Room is small but we made due. Better tv channels than the place we stayed in Roppongi. The bathroom sink or whatever is there does give a weird foul odor in the morning.

Great hotel, everyone who works here made sure that I had a wonderful stay. All the staff speak excellent English. I think there is confusion here with some other reviews. This hotel is a you get what you pay for type establishment. If a cheaper rate is your goal then the rooms are smaller and with fewer amenities and options. I stayed on the luxury level and if you didn't want to travel with bathroom supplies you would not have too as they literally supply high quality everything including toothbrushes and razors. The WiFi in the room was iffy at times. The WiFi worked well in the public areas such as the lobby, the restaurant, the bar, and the upper lounge for luxury/executive class rooms. The food was good quality and excellent taste in all the various serving areas of the hotel. While I was a guest the hotel had closed all buffets and but did not lower the price. They served a set breakfast and a set lunch each for a set price which seemed a bit higher priced than local establishments; however, if they did have buffets the price would be more reasonable. I did not hear any noise from any adjoining rooms. I did not turn the TV on since I knew that the only English language channel was CNN. They do offer a 24 hour video on demand pass for 1000 yen. You can purchase them in the hallway. I would happily return to this hotel.

Hotel was cheap, room was typical size for a hotel in Japan (small by US standards). Hotel staff was friendly and courteous. My one complaint was that the mattress was very thin and uncomfortable. My back hurt when I woke up the next morning. To be fair, it seems like every hotel we stayed at had these terrible mattresses, so maybe it's common in hotels in Japan.

We had a relatively comfortable stay. The rooms are small by US standards, but we made due. Bathroom was stocked with various amenities and had a nice view of the city. It's located in Kabukicho, which is a red light district, so that really depends on how you take it. Major beef with the dryer here. It's terrible. We went through three hours of drying cycles, but still our clothes were damp. Ended up just laying out our clothes inside our room overnight.

Had a wonderful stay over winter. Our room was beautiful and clean, and stocked daily with quality toiletries as you would expect for the price. Incredible views from our room and the breakfast area. Great location, however it is in the love hotel aka prostitution central area, and many locals told us not to walk the area at night due to it being dangerous, largely because of the yakuza (Japanese gangsters), but we didn't have any trouble. Top tip: The air in the rooms gets really dry in winter so ask for a humidifier and have it on while you're in the room.

My husband and I stayed here for 4 nights during our trip through Japan. It was such a lovely space, and we loved the cool modern touches in the room; from the open floor plan, the sliding glass doors, the views! We loved being in such close proximity to shopping, restaurants, transit, and ofcourse the bars of Golden Gai. Our only negative was that they only gave us two small waters at night and there was nowhere else to get fresh water (I think we looked in the vending machine but only saw beer? then again we don't read Japanese).

I liked this place. Its a newer hotel and I got the biggest room available that wasn't a villa. The room was nice! It had a cook top, washing machine, bathtub, and nice hardwood floors. The internet was fast, the rooftop bar was nice, the people there spoke good English and very helpful. It's located in the red light district, so that maybe convenient for some people. There were all kinds of cool places walking distance from the hotel. I don't have any complaints!

I had high high hopes, but sadly this hotel fell pretty short of the mark. We booked a suite to finish of our Asia trip and this hotel was meant to be a standout, instead it was just ok. Major gripes were some of the staff were just plain rude. Manners seemed to be lacking and bad attitude was the dish being served. That's when dishes are actually getting served. Room service hours were extremely limited. At such a "plush" hotel you should be able to get chips delivered to your room at 9.31, but no cut off is 9.30! Very strange IMO. That said it still gets 3 stars. The room was nice, loved the massive bath. It's was a decent location and has reasonable transport links. One word of warning is that it is quite near the red light district, this did not impact on our stay, but it's worth knowing. All in a decent hotel, but nothing spectacular. Doubt I would go back when I return to Tokyo.

Nice park to chill, walk the grounds and picnic at for around $2 Nice grounds. Lots of beautiful ponds lined with lovely trimmed bonsai style trees. Huge grounds to sprawl out with friends and family for the day, very relaxing to say the least. The reception and breakfast Staff were always so helpful and courteous and attentive. Room was minuscule, the loft room had barely room for 2 people to move together at one time and no room for suitcases to be out open, ever. The Loft bed had very little head clearance and the bathroom was a hot box. The mattress on the loft bed wasn't much for back support than a futon. It was a rough sleep for 5 nights. The location of the hotel was good, close to the 305 and 302 and not far from the Shinjuku JR station and subway lines too. And there's so many bars, clubs, restaurants and shopping nearby to choose from. Morning runs were doable along the 302 and 305 before 7am, afterwards would become a frogger nightmare times 100. Breakcast buffet wasn't too bad, had a nice salad bar but not a great option of warm food for vegetarians or gluten free folks. Some cereal and milk or yogurt. Some runny, yellow orange scrambled eggs, rice and beyond old Kimchi, under-cooked thick fatty ham, sausage and dry and over baked croissants. And no sriracha, thank goodness they at least had Tabasco. Was disappointing at the fact there was no gym considering the overall size of the hotel and their wifi was unbelievably slow and intermittent.

I'm giving this place a 3 overall for the following reasons: 1) Room given to us was not the same as the photos that are posted on the website or on Trip Advisor. The room we got was sooooo small. I know not to expect much given that it's Tokyo, Japan. But, the photos were really deceiving. Even the ones they have posted on the elevator walls and on the TV ads! False advertisement. 2) Rooms were clean and bathroom was clean. Again, the bathroom was tiny. 3) Location was great because we were able to easily walk to the train stations. We were able to get around and back quickly. 4) The staff is exceptionally good, nice and helpful. They set the standard for the rest of the hotel staff we encountered throughout the rest of out trip to Osaka and Kyoto! Looking back, they are a good staff. I can't comment on the food or amenities because we didn't use any of it. We were too busy roaming around and exploring Tokyo! I would stay here again for sure, even though I gave it a 3. It's a cute boutique hotel that's clean and a good location, at a decent price. I am giving it a 3 mostly because of the false advertisement on how small the room was. I also didn't like how close the bed was to the bathroom window/wall. I thought that was kinda weird but having traveled throughout Asia this seems to be normal to have a glass window facing the bed. They have blinds and covers you can pull down.

Stylish rooms, great location. We've stayed at this hidden gem twice, and both stays have been exceptional. The rooms are bright and clean with stylish, modern touches throughout. The bathrooms, especially, are deserving of note: All feature oversized wet areas with stall showers and separate soaking tubs. The amenities are high-quality, and the wifi is reasonably fast. Although this hotel is surrounded by "love hotels," it is a fully mainstream business hotel. Its location only two short blocks from the Higashi-Shinjuku subway stop makes it easily accessible by foot, even when traveling with moderate baggage. The bar terrace has excellent views of the Tokyo skyline, and serves decent cocktails and excellent Japanese whiskers at reasonable prices. The breakfast buffet is large, and reasonably calibrated to appeal to most cultures' norms. The restaurant is...OK, but there are many better options within a 5 minute walk. The staff is courteous and helpful, even handling a 2:00 AM taxi reservation for me, so that I could see the Tsukiji Tuna Auction.

I enjoyed my stay in this hotel for sure. I guess my rating is more of a 3.5 than a 3, but not quite a 4... (you can tell I'm great at decision making right?) So. Things I liked: - Location! Perfect spot about an 8-10 min walk from Shinjuku station, and 5 min walk to Golden Gai (go!). It's also pretty close to the red light district which to be honest isn't that bad - I quite like to stay somewhere with a bit of spice, so it suited me grand! - The View! WOW. This was hands down my favourite thing. They have these amazing horizontal windows - long and skinny - which frame the lights and buildings of Shinjuku just perfectly. I could lay on that bed all day and look at it. - Artwork & design was gorgeous - lots of original pieces and really cool stuff on every turn. - Staff were pleasant and helpful. I wouldn't say crazy-friendly but they were very professional and always very able to answer any questions I had. Things I thought could have been better: - Size of the rooms. Yeah they really are tiny. If there are two of you with two suitcases staying in a standard double, you're gonna be literally falling over each other. Having said that, everything was in proportion & squashed in well. These rooms really were designed for one person rather than two which is very evident (one luggage holder, one bedside table, one power outlet on one side of the bed etc) - Stuff like no dressing gowns, only two pillows and two big towels just gave this place a bit of a budget twang. Double bed should always have four pillows! And a hotel bathroom should always have four towels! - Room service stops at 9.30 which was a bit odd. Food was extremely average, bordering on.. well... a little bit shit. Cold & slightly anemic fries are never gonna fill you with delight! - No mini-bar. (though depending on your perspective, this might be a good thing as you could fill the fridge with your own booze) All in all, it was actually a really nice stay. But the points above gave me a feeling of staying in a three star rather than four star hotel which isn't what you want when you're paying a price of the latter. If I could afford it, I might bump up a notch in bedroom grade next time and visit again though, as there were many merits of the hotel I enjoyed.

While looking for somewhere nice to stay for the last days of our trip, I came across this hotel on Expedia. I know I looked at it before, but the price at the time was high. Luckily Expedia was having a sale on it and I was able to book a Villa Suite for around $650 for two nights. For the room that we got, I think we got excellent value in a great location in Shinjuku. Like the hotel, our suite itself was very clean and by far the most spacious place we've stayed at during our entire trip. It had a sleeping area with king size bed, living room area, mini-fridge, sound system to connect your iPhone and nice bathroom as well that not only had a tub and shower but also an outdoor shower as well. It was pretty fun to be able to able to shower and outside and look up at the Tokyo sky. Seeing as we were staying on the top floor, we did get access to the club lounge as well (for anyone above the 13th floor) which was nice because they offered free drinks throughout the day so you never had to worry about having to buy anything. The only things my wife and I did not like at the hotel was the hotel Wi-Fi & the breakfast buffet. The Wi-Fi was terrible and as it kept disconnecting every few minutes. As for the breakfast, there wasn't that many selections and what they did offer wasn't that very good...that's nothing a trip to the local 7-11 can't fix!

Overall - for $150 per night on major travel sites, this place is a bargain. The room is clean, modern, and suitable size for Tokyo standards. The maid cleans the room very nicely, but the bathroom is a bit small. Service at the front desk is average, the attendants speak average english but you can get by. The breakfast upstairs is average as well, so skip that option and try the local fares outside. Free wi-fi throughout and vending machines - but no workout room or pool.

In a great location short walk from Shinjuku station and close to bars restaurants and convenience stores rooms are a good size for two people not a small as I expected from a hotel in Japan. Staff where pleasant and helpful I would recommend this hotel to anyone staying in the area

In terms of price this place is a nice choice. The room is small but expected here in Japan. The staff didn't seem as welcoming, so I knocked off one star for that and for the stinky bathroom due to the shower curtains. However, it is close to restaurants and shopping areas. Also, about 20 min from the station.

Check in at the front desk the lady was really nice, but when I check out the following day, the lady was not nice at the same time kind of rude.... She greeted with a smile, but she s done with the process.... I asked her is it okay to get some hot water and she immediately told me they don't have hot water there.... hmm "a hotel doesn't provide hot water?!?!?!?" It doesn't sound to right already and when everyone around us are wrapping their luggages with plastic bags or garbage bags we asked another lady and see if we can get two as well and she told us they don't have plastic bags or garbage bags ?!?!?! Seriously if you don't want to provide any services please don't work at the customer service department. I used to work as a customer service representative and I know it's hard but at least tried and respect your jbo

Close to Subway and many many restaurants and pubs. Just around the corner across the road amazing sushi. Yes rooms are small but clean. Cando laundry in hotel. Good bed. Restaurant and outlets didn't checked. Staff is helpfull. And really nice. Please note check in before 3 pm . Extra $$$ Unfortunately no gym. I think if you're single traveler it's very good.

I have very mixed feelings about this place. We splashed out and stayed in a suite (this is not the norm!) while we were here so I probably have a slightly different perspective to others who stayed on the "lower" floors. So from my view. Good - Lovely room good sized room - not massive tho. Amazing view. Great maid service. Private check in on 13th floor. Bad - Average location for sites and transport. Very mixed staff attitude depending on who you were dealing with and what room they knew you were staying in. Not very good breakfast. Limited room service hours. Leaking shower. If I come back to Tokyo I would not stay here. I would probably look in the harajuku area, but that's not to say I had a bad experience here. I just was no as blown away as I should of been for renting a suite.

Stay was ok. Upon checkout we asked for assistance booking a restaurant reservation and they refused as we had just checked out. Couldn't make a fucking phone call for us? Wow great customer service. Would never stay again

Hotel is great. Restraunt is NOT good. The pizza was like it was from an easy bake oven. As long as you eat out, it's great.

I really can't fault this hotel for the location, rooms and price. The location is great, being a short walk from Shinjuku station. The hotel decor is pretty cool and it is finished to a really high spec. The rooms are lovely, very fancy for the price I thought. I read a lot of reviews complaining about the size of the rooms. They are small, but this is Tokyo and they were by no means cramped. The roof top bar is a pretty cool setting at night for a few drinks overlooking the Tokyo skyline. However, this is where I mark the Granbell down. The bar service was not good. The staff were friendly, but once you got your first drink good look getting a second. I would stick to the beer as well, the cocktails were not the best. It is a shame, because the setting is perfect.

Absolutely the best value for your dollar in Shinjuku. Located in the nightlife area of Shinjuku The Granbell is a 4-Star Hotel that caters to Western and European travelers. The staff speak English and Japanese (of course) and a few other languages as well. The club was never open when I was there but the rooftop bar was. It had an excellent and expansive view of Shinjuku, and was a memory I will never forget. The rooms are small compared to American hotels, but are much larger than rooms you would normally get for the price in Tokyo. They free albeit slightly spotty Wifi, Tea, Coffee, and a fridge - not a minibar, a fridge. The rooms have shampoo, conditioner, and body wash so you don't have to travel with those.

I really can't fault this hotel and think it was a great deal for the price. I would stay here again for sure. Location: The location was kind of weird hence the four stars (it is near the red light district), but a positive is that it is not too far from the subway (it took us ten minutes to get there). Amenities: There are tons of supplies offered in the room including toothbrushes, slippers, tooth paste, razors, and even Japanese style pajamas. We called room service a few times and they were very prompt. The decor was modern and we enjoyed it. A lot of people complained the rooms are small and they are. There is no closet space and things are honestly a bit tight. But this is Tokyo, so if you want a big room you will have to either stay further out of the city or pay for more space. I feel like this hotel was great value.

The receptionist I spoke with asked how many people were staying and said the price was 13,000 yen but when we arrived they changed the price to 26,000 yen and then after we left our bags and came back during check on time the price went to the full 30000 yen again. We were provided with 3 different prices in one day and the business refused to honor the original price. Needless to say, we will never be staying at this location again. This was for a delux double room which is also really small.

Size wise, the room is decently big, but man it's such a trek trying to locate the hotel because of the way the streets are in Shinjuku. A walk to and from the hotel to the subway will definitely get you distracted with things along your path being included are Robot Restaurant, Pretty Boys Club, School Girl Cafe, Cat Cafe, etc... Oh yeah, the bathroom wall is completely made of glass so think wisely before sharing a room with someone other than your signifiant others, but there is a vinyl shower curtain to close off the see through glass so it might still be ok, if that's your thing.

I spent a week here with my husband and loved it. Location was good, the hotel was modern, and the room was bigger than the bed. Had a dreamy bathroom with a bathtub with a view. There are many room types to choose from and we went with a "luxury designer double/mature" because I wanted a room where the bed was not against the wall on multiple sides as well as having a king size mattress. Housekeeping was always prompt and attentive, one minor annoyance was they they always rearranged my things. Breakfast was included in our rate and was a good way to start the day - except on the days where they hadn't adequately planned for large tour groups; there was about three days we ate somewhere else due to that. Overall though an excellent stay, friendly staff, always someone at the front desk that spoke English, clean and modern hotel.

Is it a love hotel? Is it not? A friend came to visit and booked a night at the Granbell Hotel because 1. the price 2. the location 3. the high ratings/Michelin Guide award? Granbell Hotel is a less than 10 minute walk from JR Shinjuku station and Seibu Shinjuku Station. It is in an area with lots of izakaya, close to Golden Gai and a ton of great shopping/restaurants. It is also in Kabukicho or the love hotel/red light district of Shinjuku (I didn't know why the taxi driver gave us a smirk when we gave him the address.. it made sense when we got there). They even have a "rest rate" or allow reservations for just the day, instead of night- as love hotels do. Once you are inside it is obvious it is not a love hotel for they have a bar and because of the openness of the check-in process. From outside eyes, it definitely looks like a love hotel. The room we got was larger than the images online, however reading other reviews it seems like others weren't so lucky. I had spent the previous two nights at the Grand Hyatt and the linens here were obviously not as nice. However, it was decent. We had a view of the love hotels next door. The room itself was clean and the bathroom was filled with all of the essentials +more. Most of the guests seemed like they were foreigners and all couples. I did not see any kids! I know the hotel is not supposed to be a love hotel, but I would still not book a room for my family/kids. The staff was extremely friendly and all spoke English. My friend really appreciated that :) I only give 3 stars because I felt deceived. I felt a little uncomfortable being so close to the red light district! (which is completely safe, btw). The room itself deserves 4 stars.

Had a great time here. I'm not saying it's the greatest hotel in the greatest location but when we booked it we knew what we were getting into. The neighborhood isn't for everybody but I loved it and it's right near the subway, so you can easily get where you want. The staff completely surpassed my expectations and really added a personal touch to the experience. We stayed in some type of executive room which was very well laid out and very modern. Great bathtub and bathroom with great hot water. The breakfast that was included with our room was excellent. A great buffet with a lot of attention to detail. With our room also came access to a lounge at happy hour which included free drinks. We didn't spend much time at the restaurant , but had a great cocktail and German beer on tap. I would recommend this hotel, and feel we got a great deal, awesome service and great access to Tokyo. Thanks !

Tiniest rooms ever. I can't even open my suitcase! Dirty. The hallways were a mess with trash bags. Just called to get towels to our room and was told they don't have enough staff and to come down to lobby. Ridiculous! Avoid this hotel

The hotel look, feel, and staff are excellent. It's about a 10+ minute walk to Shinjuku station which is a little annoying, but two other train/subway stations are maybe 5-7 minutes away. We got the Luxury Designer Double Mature room. It was plenty big with a double sink, waterfall shower and a stand alone tub. We also had access to the daily 13th floor snack/drink room. Free drinks and finger food throughout the day. Would stay at again.

Not sure what all the complaints are about! Stayed here on our honeymoon and loved the place. Great value (for Japan - sure, the room was about $300 a night, but Tokyo is an expensive city). The rooms were really funky and nicely designed, the bathroom products supplied were great (amazing toothbrush - sounds silly but I loved the fresh toothbrushes they supplied), and we got a room on a high floor with a great view of the city. The breakfast is ok-ish, but what do you expect for a hotel buffet? Easy, quick start to the day with some healthy options. The front desk staff were very friendly, and cleaning staff great - our room was immaculate! Within a 5 - 10 minute walk of shinjuku station, and close to tonnes of restaurants and pubs.

Seriously a great hotel. Modern and chic and close to JR stations and lots of places to eat. Fairly centrally located. Far enough away from some of the shadier areas. The price of this place was surprising. Don't hesitate on booking this place.

We booked the luxury triple with loft and terrace for 4 days while we were in Japan. It came out to around $280 after tax through Hotels.com which seems to advertise the rooms earlier than the hotel's website. The front desk staff were nice and efficient, the vending machines on the first floor were reasonably priced and well stocked. Our room wasn't massive but had enough space for 3. There are no closets so you'll either need to use the loft of have them laying around. The loft bed was some padded carpet with a think pad put down, not the most comfortable sleep I've had. The bathroom was a decent size and the shower was great, there was a frosted window in the bathroom so you don't have to worry about seeing anything you shouldn't. While we didn't really use the patio it was quite nice and would be great if you want to bring a large group of friends back to your room. The location was pretty decent and about a 10 minute walk to the JR Shinjuku station. It is across the street from a bunch of love hotels and our Japanese friends who walked us back to our hotel were a little skeeved out but the Granbell is most certainly not a hotel of that type. We didn't visit the restaurant or bar here but instead went to the 7-11 which was less than 3 minutes away. I would definitely consider staying here again the next time I visit, it was a great hotel for the price.

We stayed here for a week, and would definitely stay again! For the price the accommodation was extremely comfortable. All in-room amenities were refiled daily at no charge, including bottled water, coffee & toothbrushes! When we first walked in we were a little surprised at really how small it was, but it was all we needed for a Tokyo base. Loved the tub, bed was comfortable and we rested well. Location was great, near many eki entrances, but also surrounded by many love hotels, and host/ess bars/clubs so a bit on the seedy side for Tokyo.