Clean, affordably priced hotel near several train and subway stations
Hamarikyu Gardens is about a five-minute walk
Basic, well-equipped guest rooms have microwaves, mini-fridges, and kettles
Units with kitchenettes and/or balconies are available
Coin-op laundry and luggage storage
Free in-room Wi-Fi
Not within walking distance of most top attractions
Guest rooms have bland decor
Limited facilities; no food service
No public Wi-Fi and limited front desk hours
The two-pearl Hotel Livemax Shimbashi is a solid, if somewhat humdrum, budget hotel in the Shiba neighborhood of Minato, within a short walk of Hamarikyu Gardens, Tokyo Tower, and several train stations. Interiors are a bit bland and the hotel lacks food service and facilities, but its 63 guest rooms come well-equipped. All have flat-screen TVs, microwaves, mini-fridges, electric kettles, and free in-room Wi-Fi, and units with kitchenettes and balconies are available. Nearby Shiba Park Hotel is a little closer to Onarimon Station and it has a breakfast buffet and restaurants, but room rates run a little higher.
Scene
Simple, modern budget hotel with limited facilities for a mix of travelers
The Hotel Livemax Shimbashi is housed in an eight-floor modern building with a fairly nondescript lobby. It's furnished with blue sofas and striped carpeting, plus there are vending machines and a rack of tour brochures. Since the hotel lacks any facilities, the lobby is the only gathering space. The hotel draws a diverse mix of travelers including tourists and business guests who want basic and tidy accommodations for an affordable rate.
Location
In Minato ward, a short walk from Hamarikyu Gardens and train station
The Hotel Livemax Shimbashi is on a busy street just off the Daiichi Keihin/Japan National Road 15 in the Shiba neighborhood of the Minato ward. There are many corporate offices in the area and a fair number of shops and restaurants. The Shimbashi 6-Chome bus stop is a three-minute walk, Onarimon station and Daimon Station are a five-minute stroll, and Shimbashi and Hamamatsucho stations are roughly a 10-minute walk from the hotel. The vast Hamarikyu Gardens features a teahouse, 300-year-old pine tree, and Kyuinao Shrine, and its western edge is eight minutes on foot.The 1,092-feet-high (333 meters) Tokyo Tower is a 15-minute walk from the hotel, but most of Tokyo’s major attractions, including Tokyo Skytree observation tower, Tokyo Disney Resort, Sensoji Temple, and Imperial Palace, are 25 to 45 minutes by metro. Haneda Airport is 20 minutes by car from the hotel or a little less than 30 minutes by monorail, while Narita Airport is 60 minutes by car or just over an hour using public transit.
Rooms
Clean and contemporary, with mini-fridges and microwaves, some have kitchenettes
Guest rooms at the Livemax are clean and quiet, with a simple, modern budget look that some may find a bit dull. The color palette is a subdued beige, tan, and brown, there’s very little art on the walls, and apart from the checkerboard-print wallpaper, there are few decorative embellishments. Units come in at 151 square feet (14 square meters) to 205 square feet (19 square meters) in size, which is average for similar Tokyo properties. Some rooms feature balconies and/or street views. The in-room amenities package is excellent, as all come with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs (some are small), microwaves, mini-fridges, electric kettles for instant tea and coffee, and free in-room Wi-Fi. Some units add kitchenettes with sinks, one-burner stovetops, and washer/dryers. Bathrooms are a bit cramped, and they have limited counter space around the sink. All come with hairdryers, yukata (Japanese bathrobes), slippers, and shower/tub combos with deep Japanese-style soaking tubs.
Features
Limited facilities, with coin-op laundry and drink vending machines, but no breakfast
The hotel has an extremely limited selection of property features. It has no breakfast or other food and drink service except for some drink vending machines, and there's no gym. A coin-op laundry is on-site, and the hotel also offers luggage storage. The front desk is closed overnight but hotel staff is available 24 hours a day. Wi-Fi is available free of charge in the rooms but not in the public spaces, and nearby public parking is available for a fee.