When visiting Tokyo with family, accommodation is everything. Photo / 123RF
Space can be hard to find in Japanese hotels, especially when travelling as a family. Lindy Alexander discovers a handy trick to making it easier and cheaper in Tokyo.
If you’ve ever tried to wedge a family of four into a typical Tokyo hotel room, you know the drill: suitcases stacked in the bathtub, making instant coffee by torchlight in the morning so you don’t wake anyone and the nightly debate over who gets the spare pillow.
Before we even arrived in Japan’s capital city, I was overwhelmed. Not by the city’s scale or the language barrier, but by the challenge of finding the right accommodation for two adults and two kids in one of the world’s biggest cities.
My hotel search quickly turned into hours spent trawling the internet for the perfect place. We wanted space for the kids to have their own room (and, let’s be honest, for the adults to have a little peace and a door we could close), a washing machine to tackle the constant stream of dirty clothes, and ideally a bath for tired feet at the end of a long day. A small kitchen would help us dodge the cost of eating out for every meal, and a sofa or dining table to gather around at night would really feel like we’d hit the jackpot (without actually spending the jackpot).
We wanted self-contained accommodation in a neighbourhood that made exploring easy. That meant being close to a train line, so we weren’t spending half our holiday trying to find subway stations, but also not so central that we’d be kept awake by neon and nightlife. Knowing how partial my kids are to snacks, we also wanted to be within walking distance of a good “konbini” (convenience store).
On every family travel forum I scoured, one hotel brand kept popping up as highly recommended – Mimaru Hotels. This fast-growing apartment hotel chain has become a go-to for antipodean families. With 27 locations across Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, it’s easy to see why: instead of squeezing into a tiny twin room, you get a proper apartment with a kitchen, dining table and laundry – perfect for families wanting comfort and flexibility without a luxe price tag. Even better, each Mimaru is within easy walking distance to train stations, convenience stores and pharmacies.
After two delayed flights, we finally arrived in Tokyo close to midnight, tired but congratulating ourselves for booking a car from the airport instead of navigating the trains at that hour. At Mimaru Suites Asakusa, a friendly staff member was waiting at the front desk to check us in, hand over slippers and toothbrushes, and guide us upstairs.
Stepping into our suite felt immediately comfortable. Instead of four of us lined up in a single room, we had two separate bedrooms with low beds that felt instantly Japanese and a lounge space with a proper sofa where we could actually stretch out. The apartment was spotless, the air-con was on and there was ample storage for our suitcases and souvenirs-in-the-making. There were two bathrooms – one with a deep bath for soaking away the last of the flight, both with showers.
Within minutes, the kids had claimed their beds and had fallen asleep. It felt like we’d discovered the ultimate Tokyo hotel, where the traditional family room – in which everyone has to go to bed at the same time – gets a very welcome Japanese upgrade.
Over the next four days, we explored the best of Tokyo from our Asakusa base, wandering Senso-ji Temple’s bustling streets, grazing on street snacks and taking day trips to Shibuya’s famous scramble crossing, Tokyo Skytree and TeamLab Borderless art museum. Each time, our apartment was an excellent home base, and on the mornings where we weren’t in the mood for a traditional Japanese breakfast, we made bowls of porridge in our kitchen. When the kids needed a break from ramen and sushi, we cooked meals with produce from a local supermarket.
As for the area, Asakusa proved to be the perfect spot. Despite being so close to some of the city’s busiest attractions, the neighbourhood itself feels like a slice of old Tokyo: tiny izakayas with red lanterns swaying out front, locals riding bikes and endless food options (like the iconic Age.3 which serves fried sandwiches filled with everything from chocolate cream and strawberries, to egg and fried noodles).
Even after dark, the neighbourhood felt safe and welcoming, the kids trailing behind us as we wandered quiet backstreets, discovering late-night ramen joints. On our last night in Tokyo the owner of a tiny 10-seat restaurant we’d just had dinner at came running after us to generously give us her umbrella as it started to rain. As we walked back to our apartment, the four of us huddled under one umbrella, we felt like we’d really found a little corner of Tokyo we could call home.
The writer was a guest of Mimaru Hotels.