Dai-Ichi Hotel Tokyo Seafort

Set atop a concrete-and-glass skyscraper right on the edge of the water, one of the Dai-Ichi’s best features is the views. The hotel occupies floors 23 and up, and most common spaces and rooms offer panoramic vistas of the surrounding high-rises, the waterfront, and even famous Rainbow Bridge. Interiors have a clever design that makes the most of the views and the space available, with the main restaurant occupying a huge ground-floor area with three-story windows, and the lobby located right above it in the mezzanine level. This allows for light-filled, attractive spaces that focus more on the outdoors than on the indoors. The lobby is mostly generic and business-like, with polished marble floors, a long wooden front desk, blond-wood paneling throughout, and limited seating. The restaurant has comfortable seating and high ceilings, but interiors are overall nothing to write home about. Everything, however, is kept in good shape and clean, and the hotel offers all the basics for a comfortable stay. 

The property has been around for a few years and isn’t looking sparkling-new anymore, but it is a solid upper-middle-range for business and leisure travelers wanting to be within easy access of Haneda Airport. Those on a tighter budget seeking to stay in the area may want to compare rates at the New Otani Inn Tokyo, which offers free breakfast, easy walking access to the metro, and pleasant rooms with impressive city views. The Tokyo Marriott Hotel is a good alternative at a higher price point, featuring modern rooms, free shuttle service to Shinagawa metro station, and an outdoor restaurant with garden views.  

The hotel is located right by the water, on the eastern edge of Shinagawa district. It is connected to a mall housing restaurants and shops, as well as to exit A4 of the the Monorail Tennozu Isle Station, which provides quick easy access to Haneda Airport. Though this location is convenient for those looking to stay close to the airport yet not in an isolated location away from the city center, those wanting to explore downtown Tokyo may find the hotel to be a little bit out of the way. The Odaiba is the nearest tourist sight, located a 20-minute metro ride away, but the rest of the main landmarks -- think Senso-ji, the Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower, Koyko, and the Imperial Gardens -- are all between a 30- to 45-minute metro ride away. It takes one hour and 45 minutes to get to Narita International Airport by metro.

The Dai-Ichi Tokyo Seafort has 127 rooms occupying floors 23 and up of a tall skyscraper. Decor is generic and a tad dated, consisting of dark carpets and simple blond-wood furniture, but big windows let in plenty of light and offer panoramic views that in most cases span all the way to the Rainbow Bridge. Rooms come in different layouts and sizes, but all are larger than the average central Tokyo guest room, with enough space for either two doubles or a king bed, plus a small seating area with two chairs and a small round table. Single units are available, as are family suites with two double beds, two twin beds, and a window seat. 

In-room amenities are good for the price and include flat-screen TVs with international channels, electric kettles, air-conditioning and heating, and minibars stocked with soda, water, beer, and ice tea. Wi-Fi is available free of charge throughout the property, and all rooms come with ironing facilities and robes. DVD players and VCRs can be requested for a fee. Bathrooms are simple but clean, with shower/tub combos, spacious sink areas, and bidet-style toilets. 

Grand Cafe is the hotel’s main restaurant, located on the ground level and serving up international cuisine for all three main meals. Breakfast, which is not included in the standard rate, offers Japanese and Western options and gets consistently good reviews for taste and variety. The rooftop teppanyaki restaurant, Tennoz, opens for lunch and dinner, but views are more stunning at night, when the city lights extend all the way to the horizon. There is no hotel bar on-site, but the property is connected to a mall with a few restaurants and bars. 

As a hotel that caters to business travelers, the Dai-Ichi Tokyo offers five conference rooms, including a 3,230-square-foot hall with panoramic Tokyo views. There is also a wedding chapel surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, and a business center with a couple of computers and a printer that guests can use free of charge.  Underground parking is available for a fee.