Japan’s Unique Hotels and How Much They Cost For A Night

This year has seen some interesting additions to Japan’s collection of unique hotels. We introduce the three headline grabbers below and how much they cost for a night’s stay. Costs come directly from the establishment.  Booking through other sources might turn up cheaper deals.

Book and Bed

This hostel in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district has the concept of an ‘accommodation bookshop’.  Now, before you can cry, “This just sounds like some cynical attempt to flog books!”, the books here aren’t for sale.  In fact the English text on the homepage is even more humble, “The perfect setting for a good nights sleep is something you will not find here.  There are no comfortable mattresses, fluffy pillows nor lightweight and warm down duvets.”.  You’ve got to respect the honesty, I suppose.  What you do get in Book and Bed are dorm beds tucked in behind bookshelves, with books on em.  1,700 apparently. This writer's initial reaction of, What’s the point?, has subsided, and I now see the beauty. Where manga kissa and Internet cafes encourage nights of chain-smoking, picture books, and porn, Book and Bed is onto something far more wholesome, and should be celebrated for it.

Cost (exc. tax)

Standard: 4,500 yen

Compact: 3,500 yen

Day-time plan: 1,500 yen (13:00 - 19:00)

Web:  http://bookandbedtokyo.com/en/

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

There was a lot of excitement surrounded the release of movie director Gareth Edwards’ take on Godzilla. Amongst the scramble for kaiju based marketing opportunities, Hotel Gracery Shinjuku managed to pass itself off to the international media as the Godzilla Hotel, a remarkable feat given the contrasting names. And the fact that only two of the hotel’s rooms are Godzilla themed.  Still, there is a massive Godzilla construct stuck on the roof which can be seen from one of the rooms.  Confusingly though, the hotel announces on its website that reservations of the rooms is ‘by only our website’.  The next line reads ‘Reservation site is under construction’.  The room opened in April 2015!

Cost

According to IGN, the Godzilla Room costs 39,800 yen on weekdays.  49,800 yen on weekends.  The Godzilla View Room is 15,000 yen a night.

Web: Hotel Gracery Godzilla Promotion Landing Page

Henn na Hotel (変なホテル)

Literally, Strange/Peculiar/Odd/Eccentric Hotel.  The homepage for this Nagasaki based lodging has motion imagery that looks a bit like a Bjork music video.  The tagline (in English) is ‘A commitment for evolution’.  On the positive side, this means the incorporation of a number of energy saving, environmentally friendly systems.  On the dystopian side, and let’s face it, the hotel’s selling point, the majority of staff at the hotel are robots.  Quote; ‘Please feel free to enjoy conversing with these warm and friendly robots…’.  Errm, yeah!  I wonder what their thoughts are on world conflict and poverty?

Despite the hotel’s name and concept, rooms here are hilariously normal.  As for the robots, they seem to be in the form of trussed-up flight attendants, and … dinosaurs!  I feel like this place should come with a parental advisory for its potential to give the little ones nightmares.

Cost (exc. tax)

Standard room (1 person): 14,000 - 28,000 yen

Standard room (2 people): 8,500 - 10,500 yen

Superior room (1 person): 16,000 - 30,000 yen

Superior room (2 people): 9,500 - 16,500 yen

Deluxe room (1 person): 20,000 - 34,000 yen

Deluxe room (2 people): 11,500 - 18,500 yen

Web: http://www.h-n-h.jp/en/

If the idea of overnighting in a room of ice doesn’t sit well, Hoshino Resorts ‘The Tower’ (above) is nearby, and a suitably bonkers looking building given its natural setting.

Cost (per person, per night based on two people sharing)

From  5,000 yen