Mitsui Garden Hotel Ueno

This hotel suits a range of travelers looking for affordable rates in the heart of Tokyo’s cultural district. The hotel building is located on the corner of a busy road junction and is accessed via a pedestrianized street, so guests might hear traffic noise. The noise levels are a trade off for access to several major attractions and public transport links within a 10-minute walk. The lobby area is light and bright, with a marble-topped reception desk and touch screen check-in machines. Small cubed seating is available in the lobby, but the area is also used for luggage storage, so space is limited. 

The Mitsui Garden is conveniently located near a major transport hub: both Ueno Station and the Ginza Line Metro are within a four-minute walk from the hotel. Located in Taito, Tokyo’s museum and art district, this hotel is ideal for exploring nearby cultural attractions including Tokyo National Museum, a five-minute drive away, and the National Museum of Nature and Science, a three-minute drive away. The area is best known for its art galleries including the National Museum of Western Art and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, that are both a four-minute drive from the hotel. Sensoji Temple, Tokyo‘s oldest and most popular temple, is an 11-minute drive away and the Asakusa Shrine, is an eight-minute drive from the hotel. Ueno Park, one of the best places in Tokyo to see the cherry blossoms, is a 10-minute walk away. Haneda Airport is a 25-minute drive away and Narita Airport is around an hour in the car.

Moderate Rooms are small at 18 square meters (194 square feet) but are well-equipped with comfortable double beds, good-sized desks, and large wall-mounted LCD televisions. Like many chain hotel interiors in this area, the decor is neutral with gray carpets and cream painted walls. Rooms are well-maintained and wooden paneled feature walls add character. In some rooms long desks with office chairs are positioned by the window overlooking a main road junction. Bedside lamps offer additional lighting. There’s ample space for suitcases with a wardrobe alcove for smaller bags and a folded luggage stand. The television rests on a floating shelf, giving the illusion of extra floor space. In-room amenities include a mini-fridge, air-conditioning, trouser press, kettle, telephone, alarm clock, and electronic safe. Thoughtful touches, like pajamas, slippers, ice buckets, and Japanese tea, are welcome extras. Panda Twin rooms are decorated with cute patterned cushions, plush panda toys, and fun shower curtains, and include an additional seating area which might suit families with young children. Ladies rooms feature pink soft furnishings, salon-style leather massage chairs, and Shiseido skincare products. The modern ensuite bathrooms have white tiled flooring and black feature walls, Japanese-style toilets, small circular sinks, and showers above bath tubs. Above the sink there’s a large circular mirror. Full-size toiletries, vanity mirrors, hairdryers, and hair straighteners are provided.

The Mitsui Garden has an average range of facilities. The 56-seat restaurant serves Italian-style buffet breakfast (for a fee) and al la carte lunch and dinner, but the hotel’s central location means there’s a variety of Japanese and international restaurants and cafes nearby. The restaurant is vibrantly decorated with traditional Italian colors and checked tablecloths. Smoking is permitted during dinner service, which might discourage some guests from eating here. The hotel had a communal self-service laundry room and vending machines. Guests also have access to a microwave. Free newspapers are available in the lobby area, and in-room massage and beauty treatments are available (for a fee). Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. While there's no parking on-site, the hotel offers special rates at a nearby garage.