After a lot of back and forth, my travel companion and I have decided on staying in Shinjuku (pending borders opening, of course) while in Tokyo this December.
Currently, we are looking at either a Premier Grand Twin room at Keio Plaza or a Panoramic Twin room at Century Southern Tower. This is the last hotel we need to book (refundable) and we will be there for 5 nights.
The pros I can see are:
Keio Plaza:
– Better bathroom
– Breakfast included
– Slightly larger room
Century Southern Tower:
– Better location
– Better views
– Slightly Cheaper
I’m leaning towards the Keio Plaza but am I torn because of the great reviews I’ve seen about the CST.
What would you recommend between the two hotels?
Update:
Thank you to everyone who messaged back about the hotels! We have decided to go with the Century Southern Tower! The reservation is booked and the rate is refundable. Fingers crossed that the border situation will be more favorable soon!
17 comments
Both look good. I’d go for Hotel Century Tower mainly for location since it’s right there at Shinjuku station. I think in the end, you should go with whatever would provide you the best experience. To me, things like a better bathroom or slightly larger room wouldn’t matter much when I look back on the trip in the future.
On my first trip to Japan I stayed at the hotel century southern tower. I liked how convenient it was to shinjuku station. The hotel was very grand and roomy. The view was good from the east side. You can make out Mount Fuji on clear mornings. The hotel has a walkway that connects to Takashimaya and Tokyu Hands. Since then I have been to Japan 9 times. What I have learned is that although the hotel century southern tower was nice, by far the most important things for me and my family were access to the train station and coin operated laundry service. Hotel century southern tower offers laundry service but you have to fill out forms and turn in your laundry to the staff and it is very expensive. Although it is a nice hotel there are many other cheaper options that offer the same convenience. The only downside would be the size of the rooms.
CST location is so much better. So much so that you could stop by and drop off shopping bags or take a nap mid day before going out again. Or freshen up before dinner. Also the little combini at the bottom of the elevators is great.
How much time do you expect to spend in your room?
i’ve stayed at both multiple times over the years. the location factor was absolutely huge for me, so i seriously lean Century. It’s proximity to Shinjuku Station shouldn’t be underestimated.
The views from the Century are also huge for me. Keep in mind that the hotel doesnt even start until 20th floor. The view is gorgeous.
Hotel Century Southern Tower is also decently priced. About USD 150 a night for 2 people. Quite a steal considering Shinjuku Station is literally beside it.
Both are closer than the other to certain train lines in Shinjuku station.
I like Keio, esp the club floor rooms. The restaurants in Keio are great too. Breakfast is a big plus.
Can’t say anything about Century Southern, but I like that it’s right across from Takashimaya for shopping.
Century Southern is a better hotel in a better location- go for it!
Century Southern Tower is a great location and I had a great experience there so an easy recommend.
Century is leaps better for proximity and views alone.
I stayed at the Hotel Century Southern Tower on my first trip to Japan, and it was perfect – the subway access was amazing, the hotel itself was great – the room was a good size, the staff were so helpful, and the buffet breakfast was amazing (although expensive!). Also for easy first-night food, at least in 2017 there was a Shake Shack right outside the entrance, which was a very welcome sight after a 14 hour journey!
I have stayed at the Keio Plaza Hotel and I’ll basically just copy-paste what I said about it the last time somebody asked:
It is in the heart of the government and big business district on the west side (AKA, the boring side) of Shinjuku. Given the choice and given the price I would not choose to stay at the Keio Plaza Hotel again. There’s nothing particularly wrong with it, but I would describe it as boring and stuffy. It’s the kind of place where weddings or professional conventions are held, and the dress tends to be very up, so it can be hard to feel relaxed. It’s also not the newest hotel in the world (it was somewhat famously the first high-rise hotel in Japan), but it’s not really old enough to have any particular charm (it was built in the 70s). It has some restaurants and shopping nearby, but it has fairly few choices in the immediate vicinity compared to the east side of Shinjuku–and it can actually be quite a trek to get from one side of the station to the other.
So between the two, I would definitely choose the Century Southern Tower (though admittedly I haven’t really looked into much more than reading what you’ve posted and looking at its location and exterior on GoogleMaps).
Having said that, I’m not sure I would necessarily pick either of them as I tend to prefer the more laid-back (and budget friendly) atmosphere of cheaper accommodations (I especially like private rooms at hostels). If I were to spend Keio Plaza level money on an accommodation, I’d probably prefer it be a vacation rental or ryokan.
Another vote for Century Southern. Incredibly convenient from so many train lines. Excellent views. One of my favourite ramen shops is just down the street.
you could consider Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku
– not too far a walk from Shinjuku
– has coin operated laundry service and vending machines for drinks at several floors
– there is a bus shuttle service from the airport direct to the hotel
– usually cheaper than the 2 hotels you have listed
– in the short walk from the hotel to shinjuku (about less than 5 minutes including time to cross the road) there are food options like McDonalds and Yoshinoya (beef rice)
– not too far from the hotel there is a convenience store available
I have stayed at both hotels and I would chose the Century Southern Tower any time due to the magnificent view over Tokyo. It’s a pretty cool hotel, I always enjoyed staying there. I never felt the rooms would be too small.
The one downside is that the Century Southern Tower gave up some time ago the Japanese breakfast and started offering only “western” breakfast which is a shame – I have seen other hotels e.g. in Kyoto doing the same. So I went for breakfast to places in the vicinity of Shinjuku JR station. Actually not sure if Keio Plaza still offers authentic japanese breakfast.
View and location are pretty big deals.
Breakfast included, who cares. Go out and eat a breakfast not at a western style hotel.
Century Tower, hands down. The views really *are* that great, and the location is perfect – right next to the station, and just across from Tokyu Hands and Takashimaya for souvenirs.
Century also has some of the best beds i tried in Japan.