The Royal Park Hotel Tokyo Haneda

For a late-night arrival at Haneda, staying inside the airport made more sense to us than paying for an expensive taxi into Tokyo when public transport might not be running. Nearby hotels require a shuttle or taxi, so this location has a clear advantage. We arrived early in the morning, rested comfortably, and continued our trip the next day. The stay was satisfying despite a few drawbacks. The room was thoughtfully set up. The pillow has a firm side and a soft side, and you can adjust its height too. I prefer firm pillows and have often been disappointed by overly soft hotel ones, so I hope this design becomes standard around the world. The lighting can all be controlled from the bedroom, which is convenient compared with older hotels where switches are scattered around. Bottled water is free without limit, the amenities are well arranged, and there's a smoking room in the hotel so you don't need to go out to the airport. The window looks onto the wide-open Haneda Airport parking area, which feels refreshing. Breakfast is buffet style with lots of options, but it isn't excellent for the price. The coffee tastes like muddy water, and the tea bags are so poor I wouldn't use them even for free. Checkout is at 11 a.m., which feels inconsiderate when many guests arrive late at night, especially compared with the noon checkout common at many hotels. Frequent hotel guests should pay attention to what I'd call “switchiology.” With this hotel, all the room lights can be controlled from the bedroom, so you don't have to hunt around for another switch after turning everything off.

I needed a five-to-six-hour nap after my connecting flight was delayed by another nine hours on top of the original eight. This transit hotel was easy to find, comfortable, and had a good sleeping room. Check-in was quick and simple, and I found the room easily, took a quick shower, then got a good nap. It took several hours for a room to become available, which tells you something about room availability. I pass through HND every year and would use it again when needed. $130 for six hours is a steal for temporary or hourly hotel rates.

I had a wonderful layover stay. The 8th-floor premium room was compact, with a window facing the Terminal 3 plane area and quite a view. It came with a beverage coupon, and the black tea was delicious. The best convenience was taking the airport luggage cart all the way to my floor and leaving it by the elevator. The hallways were long, so that helped a lot. I was traveling solo with lots of luggage, but it was manageable because I could use the cart until just before the shuttle bus. The shuttles between the three terminals came frequently, maybe every five minutes, so Terminal 2 passengers could stay here too, especially if they don't have much luggage. Terminal 3 had plenty to do. I shopped and had dinner there, with boutiques, pharmacies, electronics shops, and lots of restaurants. Hotel breakfast was great, mostly Japanese options like curry, miso, grilled fish, rice, soba, and yogurt, with lots of choices. The room included a toothbrush, bath salts, a bath pillow, Q-tips, and other toiletries. Check-in and checkout at the kiosk were straightforward, and staff were there to help.

We'd been traveling all day and arrived very late in Tokyo while connecting to Manila. Our travel agent had mistakenly booked us at the hotel outside the airport, but the young woman at the front desk was gracious, kind, and helpful in finding us a room at this one inside the airport. For an early morning departure, staying inside the terminal made sense. The room was nice, with a coffee pot, coffee and tea, plenty of hangers, and clothes freshening spray that I enjoyed using on my plane outfit. The bathroom was well designed and had nice products. There was coffee and tea for guests in the lobby, which had a lovely view of Mt Fuji.