The Royal Park Canvas - Ginza 8

The shower was wonderful, and the staff were nice. The hotel is well placed for Ginza, about a seven-minute walk from two major stations, and there's even a Limo Bus to HND airport. Breakfast comes in Japanese or Western style. I'd have it for the first couple of days, then look around nearby for more choice. I stayed first in a regular room, which was very small, with no closet and the sink just three feet from the bed. I moved to a larger room, which was better but still not amazing.

The staff were polite and kind, but that couldn't make up for the cleanliness, noise, and poor value. For nearly $400 a night over three nights, I left disappointed and wouldn't recommend this hotel. The room was extremely small for two people with two suitcases. Dust was everywhere, including my room and the elevator, and the windows, headboard, nightstand, and carpet clearly hadn't been cleaned properly in a long time. When I opened the curtains, I saw dust and even small flies by the carpet. I reported it to reception, and the room was only properly cleaned on the second and third nights. Weekend noise made it hard to sleep. Drunk people were laughing and talking outside until around 2 AM, and the sound insulation was very poor. Breakfast was another letdown for the price: just three food options, one salad, yogurt, coffee, tea, and boxed juice rather than fresh juice. The one strong point is the location in the heart of Ginza 8-chome, with easy access to shopping and central Tokyo. Still, the tiny room, poor cleanliness, limited breakfast, and late-night noise made this a two-star stay for me.

The rooms had a nice amount of space and looked stylish, and that cassette player was a fun bonus. We did wish there were hooks on the walls, since there was nowhere to hang towels or anything else. Service was good and staff were engaged, though some reception staff knew little English. The central location was great, with two subway stations within a five-minute walk. The Western breakfast was disappointing, especially for the high price.

The gym is a joke, basically a couple of treadmills in a hallway, and I missed having an iron and ironing board in the room. Even so, this is a great hotel with excellent service and an unbeatable spot right in the middle of Ginza. Reviews about small standard rooms led me to book the largest room, Luxury A. When a flight cancellation added a night to my trip, I tried a standard room too, and honestly thought it was pretty good. It is cramped, but still larger than the Tokyo average, and both rooms had great bathrooms and felt cozy. I don't think the larger room's premium is worth paying, especially since the only extra I got was, I guess, a welcome drink.