Sunshine City Prince Hotel

The city view from our large, clean room was spectacular. We skipped the hotel restaurants and used the 24-hour FamilyMart instead. Staff were friendly and helpful, and English was no problem. The price was decent, and although Ikebukuro station is a bit of a walk, Higashi-Ikebukuro station is closer and still walkable. We stayed here 37 years ago and still like it.

The hotel's location is its strongest point. It's in a decent mall, with nearly everything within walking distance, and there's a FamilyMart accessible from the lobby if you need something quickly. The Wi-Fi showed full bars but there was no internet. When I called the front desk, the staff member tried to get me to contact their ISP or rent a Wi-Fi device myself. It seemed odd for an established hotel to leave the problem-solving to its guests. It worked again the next day, but only briefly, then kept cutting in and out unpredictably. The room was a little small, there was no coffee, and the bathroom ceiling felt low. If you're 180cm or taller, you might hit your head. The TV seemed archaic, had a Japanese remote and no Chromecast, and could at least have been connected to a TV box. Breakfast was okay, with enough vegetarian food, but the coffee selection was abysmal.

The staff were kind and accommodating throughout my roughly 10-day stay, and I felt very safe. Your card only gives access to your own floor, the laundry floor, reception and the restaurant floor, so I never worried about people who shouldn't be in the hallways. The hotel is in the heart of Ikebukuro and connected to Sunshine City Alta, a mall with everything you could want. Both local train stations are an easy, safe seven-minute walk away. Breakfast was delicious, and there’s a shop inside for late-night snacks. I'll definitely stay here on my next trip.

The bed was the highlight of our stay at the Sunshine City Prince Hotel. We slept incredibly well and woke up rested each morning. Our room was much bigger than we expected for Tokyo and very clean. Getting around and finding things to do was easy, with the hotel inside the Sunshine City complex and shopping, the aquarium and plenty of food right there. The station is a short, easy walk away. Check-in was smooth, thanks to the helpful, professional staff.