The Royal Park Hotel Tokyo Haneda

The Royal
Park Hotel The Haneda’s contemporary decor befits its airport setting. The
modern, bright, and airy lobby has high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and
tiled floors. There’s punchy seating in lime green, and the modern reception
desk is styled like a bank of flight check-in counters. There are other subtle
hints to this travel theme built into both rooms and public spaces, like world
clocks turned into wall art. Hallways have
moody brown walls and patterned carpets, and the rotating exhibition of artwork
livens things up, but it’s all still a bit dark. The on-site restaurant
is spacious, and the black marble countertop at the bar adds to its elegance, though it does
look a touch dated; medallion chairs lift the dining room atmosphere up above a public cafeteria. The vast majority of guests here are on a (sometimes unexpected) layover, and range from business travelers to families. 

Conveniently
located inside Haneda Airport’s international terminal, the hotel
has a mix of rooms before and after immigration and security. It’s well
signposted within the airport, and good train connections mean it’s possible to
use it as a base to explore the city, too. Guests can reach the Shibuya Crossing
in 32 minutes by car or 44 minutes by train, while the city’s main railway
terminal is a 35-minute train ride away. Transferring to Narita International
Airport takes just over an hour by taxi and just over 90 minutes
by limousine bus. There’s also a free shuttle bus connecting the international
and domestic terminals.

Rooms come
in a myriad of options and range from positively tiny to much more spacious. All are cleverly designed to maximize space and pack in plenty of amenities. Though
generally modern, they do feel a bit dated in parts -- like the
yellow-and-brown sofas and armchairs, and the off-white floral wallpaper. The
cheapest rooms on the Standard Floor only have showers; pricier Standard Rooms and Premium Floor Rooms have at least a shower over a bathtub. Higher rooms
also have views of the runway and Mount Fuji.Minuscule
Premium Comfort Single Rooms have large single beds, small tables, and seats fashioned from treasure chests, but no desks or sofas. The simple
all-in-one bathrooms have showerhead attachments in the bathtubs. By contrast, Spacious
Family Rooms have four single beds, sofas, armchairs, desks, and
small coffee tables, plus bathrooms with wet-room showers and full soaking tubs. In general, rooms sport a neutral backdrop with dark gray carpeting, espresso-colored wood furniture, and white walls spiked with bold colors like lime green and the occasional lively print. Prism
Suites have a bolder design with parquet floors, upholstery in clashing stripes and zigzagging rainbows, and miniature globes painted in funky patterns. Bathrooms have handsome touches such as hardwood flooring, marble wall tiling, and chic marble-topped double-sink
vanities. Their wet rooms have built-in bathtubs and separate power showers.All rooms automatically come with individual air-conditioning and heating, and large flat-screen TVs (two in
suites) with cable and video on-demand. There are safes, coffee- and
tea-making facilities, and well-disguised mini-fridges (though no minibars). Pricier
rooms, including the Premium Comfort Single Room and the Prism Suite, have
coffeemakers. Other amenities include free pajama tops and slippers, branded
Mikinoto toiletries in refillable dispensers, and hairdryers. There’s an extensive
selection of individual vanity items, too -- helpful if your luggage is checked or lost.
Free cribs are available to borrow, there’s keycard-restricted elevator access, and
the hotel has smoking rooms.

The hotel
offers ample features making for a comfortable stopover, though it lacks some of the
higher-end amenities found elsewhere at this price point. There’s no gym, pool, or spa, but
massages can be arranged for a fee. The hotel's reasonably priced restaurant is open
from early morning until late; both continental and cooked breakfasts here are
excellent but not included in all rates. There are also beverage vending machines
available in the hotel itself, as well as numerous restaurants around the
airport. Laundry service is available, and there’s a foreign exchange machine
in the lobby. Refresh Rooms -- with walk-in showers, armchairs, phones, and
flat-screen TVs -- can be rented by the hour. The chic business center has
private booths with personal computers and printers. Loaner mobile chargers and iPod
docks are available for free, and there’s free, fast Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.