Narita Airport Rest House

For an overnight stop, this worked really well. The rooms have enough space for a small table and two chairs, plus a kettle and charging points. The decor is very 80s, but it’s a quick bus ride and they speak English. It’s not luxurious, just great value. I’d definitely stay again while in transit.

The main catch is getting there. The hotel sits outside the terminal, so you have to go out into the elements. From the north wing of Terminal 1, it’s mostly uphill and takes about five minutes on foot without luggage. There’s a pedestrian walkway and a ramp to get wheeled bags past the stairs. A shuttle runs every half hour in a loop from the hotel to T2, then T1, then back. For a two-star place aimed at people with early flights or late arrivals, it does the job. The building and equipment feel like the 1990s: metal room doors, old plastic elevator buttons, a single-knob A/C control on a metal plate, and an FM/AM radio with five stations. The toilet, bath, and shower are modern, and the room Wi-Fi works fine. Staff speak adequate English and gave me the typically excellent Japanese service.

Right next to the airport, but surprisingly quiet. I’d stay here again. It’s an eight-minute walk from Terminal 1, and there’s an airport shuttle too, though walking was just as easy. The beds were firm and clean, and after a long flight I enjoyed a good soak in the deep bathtub. We ate dinner at the indoor restaurant. The food was good, if a little expensive, which I expected. Breakfast is a ¥1300 buffet, but we left too early to try it. There was also a clean, bright kids’ room in the basement with a playpen and lots of books.

The bus picks you up right in front of the entrance. Just check the schedule at reception. It’s a nice, comfortable-sized room and a good place to rest before a flight, especially an early one. Remember to ask for a morning call. There are vending machines on the first floor with food, drinks, and snacks, and alcohol on the sixth floor.