Onsen Ryokan Yuen Shinjuku

The food and service made Yuen Shinjuku especially memorable for us. The restaurant served a lovely western-style breakfast bar as well as a traditional Japanese breakfast, and dinner was as good as, or better than, any cuisine we had during the trip. Everyone was exceptional, including our lovely waiter ‘Yu’, who was extremely polite and helpful. Coming back to the hotel felt almost like walking into a day spa. It’s such a peaceful place, set in a nice quiet spot within easy walking distance of the Shinjuku area and train station. From here, traveling around Tokyo was very easy. The rooms capture Japanese minimalism, with enough space and everything close at hand. Our bed was comfortable and had amazing city views. We also loved the rooftop onsen, with incredible views and complimentary ice creams. It was the perfect way to end each day. We couldn’t rate Yuen Shinjuku highly enough and will definitely return.

The traditional breakfast was beautifully presented and tasted quite good. I also loved the onsen and the view from the roof. The one disappointment was that XL yukata weren’t available anywhere, including the laundry rooms. The room was a little small, but comfortable and thoughtfully laid out. I enjoyed my time here, especially the excellent location, within walking distance of public transportation and both central and a bit away from the center.

The atmosphere here is hard to beat, and I’d definitely come back if I can afford it. Yuen Shinjuku is a short, easy walk from central Shinjuku, so it feels like a neighborhood while still being convenient for the places tourists need to go. The onsen is on the top floor, with a lovely lounge where you can rest after a soak and have light refreshments and icy poles. They also give you a large Kinto bottle to fill on certain floors in the building. You can’t take it home, but it means you don’t have to boil water or buy plastic bottles. I really appreciated that environmental consideration.

The hotel has a traditional feel and sits on a quiet street beside busy Shinjuku. We loved staying here, especially the Japanese breakfast, the onsen on the top floor, and the view from our room on the 12th floor. The staff were super friendly, and it was nice to have a traditional-feeling space close to so many amenities. The onsen was a bit small compared with others I’ve seen, but still comfortable and really nice. It didn’t get crowded while I was there. People mention the rooms are small, but our semi-double had room for one suitcase and two travel backpacks as long as we stayed organized. The shampoo and conditioner were really nice too. I wish I knew the brand.