Page 300 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

298  TR A VELERS ’ NEEDS

WHERE TO STAY

The tradition of hosting travelers is so is diverse in every sense – style, price, the
deep-rooted in Japan that every town is well size and quality of rooms, and facilities
endowed with welcoming places to stay. There provided. There is also a certain amount of
are two basic classifications of accommodations: cultural crossover. Only the quality of service
Western-style and traditional. No visit to Japan is a non-variable: friendly and eager to please.
is complete without staying at least one night Indeed, staff who lack communication skills
in a Japanese inn, called a ryokan (see pp300– in foreign languages, willing to provide
301). These tend to be multi-generational nothing but the best, have been known to
enterprises, offering a glimpse into a more turn foreigners away rather than compromise
traditional way of life. The range of hospitality their renowned quality of service.

Helpful Organizations
The Japan National Tourism
Organization (JNTO) website
contains useful information
about the various types of
accommodation available in
Japan. There is also a hotels
and ryokan search function
that scans an extensive list
of all types of accommodation
provided by the two main
English-language booking
sites in Japan: Rakuten Travel
and Japanican.
You can also find ryokan
geared to foreign visitors via
the Japanese Inn Group, while
the Japan Hotel Association Lofty views from the east lobby of the Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo (see p302)
has online infor mation about
member hotels and advance need to be confirmed by letter, staid conservatism; over-the-top
bookings. The Japan Economy fax, or e-mail. Rates quoted are opulence; discreet exclusivity;
Hotel (JEH) group offers clean often per person, not per room. chic minimalism; quaint
rooms at rea sonable rates in In more remote and rural areas eccentricity. Increasingly
good locations. of Japan staff may speak little common are “intelligent” hotels,
or no English. which monitor temperature,
Most hotels accept the have electronic cards in place
Booking and Paying best-known international credit of room keys, computerized
Booking accommodation cards. The bill is usually pay able toilets, a voice-mail message
in advance is strongly advised, on departure, but busi ness system, and broadband
especially at times of major hotels and some others request telecommunication networks.
public holidays (see p51). advance payment. A 10–20
Reservations made directly percent service charge (on top Business Hotels
of the 8 percent con sumption
tax) is often added, depending As the name suggests, business
on the style and quality of hotels (bijinesu hoteru) cater
the hotel. A small hotel tax is to budget-conscious business
also added in Tokyo hotels for travelers. Anyone can stay, and
rooms priced above 10,000 yen being generally located in city
per person. centers around train stations,
they are very convenient.
Do not expect English to
Deluxe Hotels
be spoken.
Top American chains such as Rooms are Western-style,
the Hilton, Sheraton, Hyatt, small, and clean. Slippers and
Westin, and Four Seasons are a cotton robe are generally
well established in Japan. supplied. There is no room
The homely Nishi-Itoya Mountain lodge set Among Japanese-owned service, but vending machines
in the beautiful alps, Kamikochi (see p303) hotels, there is a vast range: offer the ubiquitous “health

298-299_EW_Japan.indd 298 08/08/16 3:09 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.8)
Date 15th May 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm