Cheap Tokyo Hotel - Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro

On my next trip to the capital city of Japan, I decided to try out this cheap Tokyo hotel situated in Ikebukuro known as Sakura Hotel. Now this is part of a line of franchise hotels in Japan. They have a number of different locations all over the capital, including Shinjuku, Jimbocho and Asakusa, and is a mix of a budget hotel cum hostel accommodation. However, I went for Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro as I liked the neighborhood when I was previously in the country. It also helped a lot that it would not cost more than the other cheap Tokyo hotel Toyoko Inn Nihon-bashi Hamacho I had stayed in during my last trip there.

As the name might suggest, Sakura Hotel in Ikebukuro has a comfortable and laid back air about it. The building that houses the accommodation awaits you with a clean and bright facade, with a lobby that is brightly lit and looking a million dollars, which already gives you an impression that the low hotel booking price that you've paid might just be more than worth it. Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro is also considered the largest of the chain, although it is very popular (due to it being so cheap) and the 92 rooms are quite often fully booked well in advance. It is a clear sign that tourists love to opt for any available Ikebukuro accommodation due to its ideal location in terms of visiting the most popular sights in the capital. Fortunately, I got mine due to a local connection and boy, did I feel lucky after my stay there.

Why would I consider this one of the best value for money hotel in Tokyo? For one, convenience is a big thing for me. And Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro is situated a very close 6 minute walk from Ikebukuro station. Anyone who has been to Tokyo would know that a 6 minute walk is actually a very short one. And this station is close and provides quick and easy access to many other major stations and locations in Tokyo, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ginza, Ueno and Akihabara.

The hotel is also conveniently located close to many amenities such as the requisite AM:PM store, Denny's for a quick meal if you're too lazy to explore the many izakayas and great food places in Ikebukuro, a McDonalds a couple of blocks away, and many many more. The best thing about this Sakura Hotel is that it is right smack in the middle of Ikebukuro and entertainment, shopping, food, and just about everything a tourist needs and wants to experience is just round the corner. And the money you save on the cost of accommodation in this Tokyo hotel can be used on enjoying the other sights and sounds (and food!) in this amazing city. If you were to compare it to my previous stay at Toyoko Inn Nihon-bashi Hamacho which has an izakaya street a few blocks away from it, finding similar amenities near Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro in Tokyo is so much easier - they're just outside the hotel!

Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro is a great cheap alternative to Toyoko Inn, which is another chain of affordable budget hotels in Tokyo. This is one of the low cost hotels available in the city and in a location that can help you save even more. There are single rooms, Twin rooms with bunk beds, Economy double rooms, standard Double rooms, a more traditional Japanese room with tatami floor and futon, as well as a family room that can accomodate up to four people at one time. The family room option is great with Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro because it is relatively cheap and might be safer, cleaner and more comfortable than other hostel in Tokyo that you could find. The prices are really cheap and quite amazing for accommodation in a prime Tokyo district, and you will be pleasantly surprised when you check the rates and find them incredibly low. I took a further look around and you could also go for the budget rooms which are like hostels. You will share beds with other guests and there's a shared kitchen as well for those who prefer to save some more on food. These rooms are less than half the price of a normal single room and considering how well kept they are, it's quite a steal at that price, which is close to 3,000 yen.

Now for the service at Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro, you would think that at such cheap rates, the service would probably be comparable to what you pay for. Afterall the saying is that you get monkeys if you pay peanuts. But that could not be more wrong at this lodgings in Tokyo. The service is top notch, and comparable to most top level Japanese hotels. The rooms are kept clean and tidy each day and the reception has English speaking staff, which is a lifesaver in a country like Japan. The only drawback is that if you wish to have breakfast at the cafeteria, it does not come free. However, at about 300 yen with an all you can eat breakfast buffet, it's one of the cheapest meals you can ever have in Tokyo. In terms of having everything in one package, despite it coming slightly close, it is much better than staying at another Ikebukuro hostel which might charge really similar prices but lacks the kind of service and amenities that this one provides in abundance. Other services and facilities within the hotel that a hostel in Ikebukuro or anywhere else in Japan might not have, include free Internet in every room as long as you bring your own laptop, free WIFI in the hotel lobby, an Internet cafe for those who do not carry laptops around on their holidays, fully airconditioned rooms, extremely clean and well stocked bathrooms in every room, laundry rooms, the requisite TV sets and many many more.

Most hotels in Tokyo are extremely expensive and overpriced. You cannot expect to get the low rates in other countries for example in South Korea where there are countless cheap Seoul hotels. The Japanese yen is also pretty high at the moment, so finding budget Tokyo accomodations becomes even more challenging. However, it does not mean that extremely cheap hotels and other types of lodgings in Tokyo are not available, you just need to look harder. Bargains will always be around the corner just waiting to be snapped up. With the Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro, most of your problems in this area should be solved, and will allow you to enjoy your holiday or business trip in Japan very easily and without burning a hole in your pocket. I would even recommend it for any backpackers who need accommodation in Ikebukuro, it might be slightly more expensive than most other backpack lodgings found elsewhere around the world but one should consider that what is cheap in Japan would normally be considered expensive elsewhere.