| accommodation is a major expenditure. So one wants | | | | 200 destinations. Initially, the series was aimed at |
| to find a Tokyo cheap hotel - also comfortable with | | | | low-budget backpackers, but they are now marketed |
| competent staff able to consult in city trips and distant | | | | to travellers on all budgets. The initial focus on travel |
| sights. | | | | has broadened to a coverage of reference subjects, |
| Choose a hotel near the city part you want to inspect | | | | including music and a varied general reference list on |
| or from where you can fast get off by subway or | | | | topics such as film, literature, popular science, ethical |
| bus. In frequent travels out of town look for a hotel | | | | living, etc. |
| near a railroad or bus station. It'll save you road time | | | | 4. Hotel booking at a tourist office. |
| greatly. If the places you want to visit are outside | | | | Things to notice: |
| Tokyo, use the Japan Rail Pass to save on transport. | | | | Pets |
| There're 4 basic methods: | | | | Very few Japanese hotels admit pets. To bring a pet |
| 1. Web booking services. Here're some: | | | | into the country, you need its health certificate, 12-hour |
| * provides on-line confirmed bookings for hostels, | | | | airport quarantine and a 2-week home quarantine. |
| budget accommodation centres and package tours. | | | | Hotel safe |
| * is the independent hostel booking site that has no | | | | Keep your valuables in the room or hotel deposit. |
| booking fees. With youth hostels and cheap | | | | Although Japan is rather quiet, being on the safe side is |
| accommodation in over 2,500 destinations worldwide, | | | | always good. |
| our aim is to be the number one site for student travel, | | | | Kids |
| backpackers and for the general traveller. | | | | Hostels don't admit kids under 4. Check their |
| * is a search engine that you can use it to find hotel | | | | admittance to hotels. |
| availability and rates, and to compare prices and offers | | | | Meals |
| from multiple merchants. | | | | Breakfast and dinner aren't usually covered by the |
| 2. Hotel online catalogs. Reservation is at the given | | | | room price, unlike ryokan (small private hotels) where |
| phone N. Here're some: | | | | they're often served to rooms. |
| * * J-Hotel.or.jp | | | | Check in/check out |
| 3. Guidebooks for hotel search. | | | | Their time usually differ by 1-3 hours. Besides, at night |
| * Lonely Planet (LP) is one of the largest travel | | | | some hotels close. |
| guidebook publishers in the world. It was the first | | | | Hotel choice |
| popular series of travel books aimed at backpackers | | | | Read recent user comments thoroughly about service |
| and other low-cost travelers. As of 2008, it published | | | | quality, latest hotel problems and so on to make a final |
| about 500 titles in 8 languages, with annual sales of | | | | decision afterwards. |
| more than six million guidebooks. | | | | Hotel reach |
| * National Geographic brings over a century of | | | | Carry the following info: |
| incomparable travel expertise to today's sophisticated | | | | * voucher |
| globe-trotters. Each National Geographic Traveler | | | | * hotel address and detailed route from a subway or |
| features: detailed background and site descriptions, | | | | bus station |
| mapped walking and driving tours, fascinating vignettes | | | | * Tokyo subway bilingual map. |
| on history, culture, contemporary life, a 60-page | | | | Note that few Japanese know English. So always |
| directory of visitor information, including notable hotels | | | | keep the hotel address and map in Japanese. When |
| and restaurants, entertainment, and shopping. | | | | hard to find the hotel, take a taxi. |
| * Rough Guides is a guidebook which cover more than | | | | Have a nice stay in Tokyo! |