TOYOKO INN Ikebukuro Kitaguchi 2 — Hotel in Tokyo

My wife & I joined a group of 4 photographers during Sakura season visiting 4 cities over 15 days. One of my classmates, an experienced Japan traveler & guide described the trip as a low budget jaunt in search of the cherry blossom, i.e. mid-priced hotels, no taxis, bus, subway, train, intra island air, shinkasen & lots of walking. We stayed at Toyoko Inn (TI) #2 in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan, our 5th TY property for this trip. This hotel is near the top of my list of the 5 TI's we stayed at. Why: 1) just an 8 minute walk to Ikebukuro Station, 2) their complimentary breakfast offered the best selection, 3) this property had both hot & cold tea, 4) seating for just over 50 for breakfast, 5) had three elevators, 6) I used the coupon (by joining TI's loyalty club, earn 1 night free for every 10 paid nigHt's stay) for a "free" night. fyi- there's a TY (#1) across the street also. In summary, TI is a great value hotel chain; functional lower-middle priced hotel; rooms & bathrooms are slightly smaller than USA hotel rooms; some properties are located a bit farther from "main street", hence the price point; every TI offered a complimentary breakfast, each property's breakfast was little bit different but always offered a starch: rice & pastry, a meat: sausage or meat balls, a vegetable, fresh green salad, macaroni or potato salad, coffee & tea. TI certainly deserves the reputation for great value & great service. I give them a 4.9 on a scale of 5 because, for my wife, the western- style beds are a bit on the hard side. Nonetheless, after visiting Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima & back to Tokyo, we would readily stay at the Toyoko Inn chain on our next...

6 night stay at Toyoko Inn Ikebukuro Kitaguchi no. 2. This is a budget hotel in the Ikebukuro area. Rooms for solo travelers are smallish, not enough room to open your suitcase on the floor. If you are a Toyoko Inn member they use your membership card as your room key. You also get discounted room rates as a Toyoko Inn member using the Toyoko Inn web site.||The room contained the basics, large bed, small fridge, tv and a desk for writing and putting your things. They have the standard bathroom cubicle complete with tub, sink and toilet with bidet. Free breakfast is provided, usually an egg entree, a veggie entree and meat entree along with breads, rice, soup and juices. There are washer/dryers available on the first floor. They also have a cold water/hot water cooler and microwave in the dining/meeting area on the first floor.||The hotel is very convenient, only a few minutes away from Ikebukuro train station and within walking distance from the limousine bus to Haneda and Narita airports. ||Note: many of the front desk clerks do not speak english very well (just enough to service you) but they also have non japanese front desk clerks who...

This is a business hotel chain in Japan. As usual, the hotel room that I was allocated has the same design with the other outlets that I had previously stayed, thus everything is the same in the room. ||||However, sizing of this outlet is really small for this outlet for Single room. Unable to open the luggage on the floor. And there's really not much space to walk. But the bed is very comfortable as usual! Sizing for the bed for 1 pax is a small double size bed. For ladies, this outlet gives out skincare set when you checked in.||||They provide free breakfast. Variety is much better than the other outlets that I had stayed within this trip. The breakfast are very tasty. Left the hotel before 7am on 1 of the day and the bread selection is already ready.||||Location of this hotel is easily reachable by JR Ikebukuro.||||Staff for this outlet speaks pretty...