Mystery Critic

Shinagawa Prince Hotel

Hotel URL

Last Stayed On: Jan 2009

Published Internet Rate: $199 / Hotels.com Rate $135

Orbitz Rating: 3 Stars / MC Rating: 1/2

Cleanness and Comfort
Location and Parking
Noise and Privacy
Service Efficiency and Attitude
Amenities and Facilities

GENERAL

A solid hotel for visitors and business people alike.  Great location for train travellers (which EVERYONE ought to be if you visit Japan) and has plenty of amenities in and around it for the lazy bones.

PRO

Nice room for the price - In the land of $5 coffee and $10 bowl of noodles, the price I paid for a decent-size room that is very neat, clean, relatively spacious and even has a view is strikingly low.  Of course this is recession time in Japan and we happen to be there when there are no business travellers (ie first week of Jan).

Great amenities - The hotel is surrounded and on top of shops, restaurants, amusement facilities including aquarium and bowling alleys, even a health club with swimming pool.  You can spend lots of time within the building if you want.

Unbeatable location - .... if you can figure out how to ride the Keikyu train line or you stick to JR lines.  It doesn't hurt to be located across from the one of the TOP transportation hubs in metro Tokyo anyways - the train station complex has TWO department stores and a millions shops and restaurants too.

CON

Service Quality and Attitude - It's weird that I would complain about service in the land of excellence in everything including service.  For some reason the staff seemed sleepy and depressed, and they are definitely not friendly to small kids.  I called housekeeping to get an extra pillow and they somehow forgot to come - had to call twice to get someone.

Nowhere near a Tokyo Metro station - Well this is a deal killer for those who want to buy and really put a Tokyo Metro day pass to good use.  I'm fairly comfortable riding trains and subways in Tokyo but I honest HATE the Keikyu train system, the only non-JR station in Shinagawa, with all my heart for its complexity.

OVERALL

Prince is a trustworthy brand name, and its hotels typically occupy prime locaitons.  At Shinagawa Prince you get a nice room at a very convenient location.  At the rate that I paid, this hotel is really a superb choice for visitors.  If you really want to be next to a Metro station and maybe near some attractions like Ginza or Shinjuku, prepare to pay a premium for possibly a lesser quality hotel.

Family-Friendliness Rating:  (out of 5)