Rihga Royal Hotel Tokyo

You come here for Tokyo first, but the hotel gives you enough reason to come back before the day is over. RIHGA Royal Hotel Tokyo is a 12-storey, 131-room hotel in the Rihga Royal Hotels group, with a garden, restaurants, an indoor swimming pool and places to sit down properly rather than merely collapse beside the nearest vending machine.

English-speaking staff make the practical side easier, particularly when you are dealing with travel arrangements, meals or a late return to the hotel. The mood is more full-service city hotel than small guesthouse: useful if you want Tokyo on your doorstep and a bath, meal or sauna waiting upstairs.

The address is in Tokyo, Japan, around 4 km from the city centre. Waseda, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and the Tokyo Imperial Palace are among the nearby places to explore, giving you rather more choice than simply walking the same few streets twice.

This is a city base, not a beach hotel. You are positioned for urban sightseeing, gardens and historic Tokyo, with the hotel’s own garden offering a small change of pace when the pavements have done enough for one day.

For two people, the double rooms keep things straightforward: a double bed, private bathroom, air conditioning, heating, blackout blinds, a fridge, minibar, safe and tea or coffee facilities. That combination matters in Tokyo, where a cool room, dark windows and cold water can be more valuable than another decorative cushion.

If you sleep better with separate beds, the twin rooms are the sensible choice. For a little more room to spread out and stay in, the junior suites offer a step up from the standard double-room arrangement. The executive-floor versions suit you if the room category itself matters, while the standard and superior options cover the more practical end of the choice.

Baths are available in several categories, while the deluxe double also includes a shower. Bathrobes, slippers, toiletries, towels, a hairdryer and television are part of the room setup, with equipment varying by category. Blackout blinds help when the city starts moving before you do; the desk is there if you need to deal with messages or travel plans before heading out again.

Breakfast is served as a buffet, and breakfast can also be taken in your room. The dining line-up gives you more range than a single hotel restaurant: Royal Ryuho works in Chinese cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, while Tankuma Kitamise focuses on Kyoto cuisine and Miyabi on teppanyaki. Dining Ferio and Garden Lounge complete the named restaurant and lounge choices.

There is one bar, Cellar Bar, with a classical English-style interior. It brings together spirits from around the world and original cocktails, which is a more convincing way to end a long day than pretending a can of something from the minibar counts as nightlife.

Cellar Bar opens from 18:00 to 23:00, with food orders until 21:00 and drinks orders until 22:00. Meal arrangements depend on the room booking, so check what is included when you reserve rather than assuming the buffet has quietly joined the package.

The indoor swimming pool is the obvious place to unwind without leaving the building. A sauna, massage treatments and beauty treatments give you slower options, while the fitness equipment is there if sitting still all afternoon feels less restful than it sounds.

There is also a garden, useful for a breather between Tokyo outings. Karaoke provides a more energetic evening option, particularly if you are travelling with friends and have reached the point where subtle conversation has run its course.

The hotel also has shops, a 24-hour reception and accessible facilities including wheelchair access and lifts. These are not headline attractions, but they make a city stay easier when your day has involved a great deal of walking, stairs and decisions.

Check-in runs from 16:00 to midnight, with check-out at 10:00. The reception is open around the clock, so late arrivals have somewhere to go when the city has stopped being helpful. Wi-Fi is available, and airport transfer services can be arranged through the hotel.

Drivers have parking on site, with parking also available nearby; the on-site parking is paid. A credit card is required for incidental charges. Currency exchange, concierge assistance, luggage storage, laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available, alongside a 24-hour reception and lift access.

The hotel accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and cash. Air conditioning and heating are available in the hotel, while the rooms include private bathrooms and practical basics such as a fridge, safe, hairdryer and tea or coffee facilities.