Tokyo East Side Hotel Kaie

Shiomi suited us really well. It's a quiet neighborhood with plenty of restaurants, a well-stocked supermarket, and the train just a two-minute walk away. The ride into central Tokyo takes about 30 minutes, which we actually liked. The hotel also has a small FamilyMart inside, with plenty of good items for sale. We stayed 12 days, and the place was spotless and quiet every night. The reception staff were kind and always ready to help, and the rooms are generously sized compared with most Tokyo hotels. We paid for breakfast and enjoyed the taste and variety each day. It was good value and set us up for our itinerary each morning. For the price, we had no complaints. If you want a quiet, good-value hotel, I'd happily recommend it.

Breakfast was a real highlight, with dozens of Japanese dishes and condiments changing daily, all labeled in English. The chef counter also had three made-to-order items each day, prepared with care. Staff were welcoming and polite, and their English was excellent. The hotel sits right across from Shiomi station in a safe neighborhood, with a convenience store next door. Our room was well equipped and very quiet, with lots of lighting choices, though three of us could have used more outlets. The bidet toilet was in its own room, separate from the sink and deep hot bath. There were pleasant-smelling toiletries, including a self-serve selection in the lobby. The lobby is spacious and has four elevators. We really enjoyed staying here and found the location handy.

Shiomi Station is right across the street, which is a great location. The service, though, was very disappointing. Staff barely spoke English, there was no concierge, and asking for information made me feel as if I were bothering them. I was also charged twice for breakfast, even though I paid by credit card on the spot. For a hotel at this level, the service should be much better.

The neighborhood is residential, so there aren't many shops or places to eat. At times you can hear trains pulling into the station, which is about the only downside. Still, it's right across from Shiomi JR station, three stops from Tokyo Station and 10-15 minutes from Maihama Station at Disney Resort, so the location worked well between Disney Tokyo resort and central Tokyo. The rooms are very clean, and the beds are especially comfortable if you like a firm mattress. It's not luxurious, but the amenities are good. Housekeeping has to be requested with magnetic tags put on the door by 1pm. Breakfast has plenty of choices, including an egg and waffle station. They left bottled water each day, and the lobby has shelves of amenities, a money exchange machine, and a small Family Mart that opens at 7am. For families, the laundry room on the second floor is a godsend: each wash and dry load costs ¥700, the front desk gives out ¥100 coins, and the machine adds detergent automatically.