Hotel Star Plaza Ikebukuro

The Ikebukuro location was great, and the room was a good size and clean. This is an older hotel, but a good, less expensive option. A small breakfast was included, with coffee, juice, bread, and a cup of yogurt.

I liked this hotel 🧡 The staff were friendly, and it's close to Ikebukura Eki, with the Yamanote and Seibu Lines and others nearby. Big malls like Parco, Tobu, and Seibu are close too.

Ikebukuro was a great base for exploring Tokyo, with convenience stores, bars, restaurants, and a metro station all close by. There are a lot of "Girls bars" around, and although I could hear people partying, laughing, or walking home drunk some nights, I never felt unsafe coming back. The area felt lively, and the noise didn't really bother us. Getting there from Haneda Airport was easy by airport bus. The hotel is older but has plenty of charm, and it's a short walk from Ikebukuro Station. Staff were helpful and let us check in early for a reasonable fee. Our room was small, but since we travel light, we had plenty of space. It was clean, the bed was comfortable, and there were more amenities than we expected. Daily cleaning is available if you want it. We had a small sofa and table for meals, plus a fridge and kettle. The bathroom had a small tub, shower, and japanese washlet. Free shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrushes, combs, and razors were provided, and the USB outlet on the bed frame was handy for charging a phone. Coffee is available 24 hours in the "breakfast room," and they serve a small free breakfast buffet of bread, yogurt, and salad each day. We were really satisfied for the price and would love to stay here again when we're back in Tokyo.

The staff were incredibly attentive and quick to respond to what guests need. That's why, even with the limitations, I'd choose this hotel first when I return to Japan next year. The train station is about five minutes away too. The rooms cost very little and are very basic. There's a bed, desk, TV, fridge, kettle, and hairdryer, but nowhere to put clothes if you want to unpack, and the only outlets are behind the TV. I forgot to mention that continental breakfast is included, and the coffee is excellent!