Hotel
Aman Tokyo
A serene luxury hotel on the top floors of Otemachi Tower, pairing minimalist Japanese design with a spa, 30-metre pool and city views.
Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
A large mid-range hotel in the Shinjuku Toho Building, famous for the life-size Godzilla head looming over its terrace in the heart of Kabukicho.
At a glance
- Type
- Mid-range hotel
- Area
- Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- gracery.com
Good to know
- 970 rooms
- Late check-in until 02:00
Why we recommend it
Hotel Gracery Shinjuku occupies the Shinjuku Toho Building, built on the site of the former Koma Theater in Kabukicho, and it is best known for the life-size Godzilla head that peers over the building and has become a Shinjuku landmark. The hotel opened in 2015, and behind the novelty is a practical, mid-range hotel with 970 compact rooms, which makes it one of the easier places in Shinjuku to find availability even at busy times.
The front desk and lobby are on the eighth floor, reached by lifts from street level, and the Gracery Lounge looks out over the Godzilla head, making it a favourite place for photographs. Rooms are modern and efficient, with the small footprint typical of Tokyo city hotels, and suit travellers who will spend most of their time out exploring. Film fans can book the Godzilla-themed concept room, and the top-floor Godzilla Floor is offered as a special plan. Breakfast is available in the hotel, and the building also contains a large cinema complex.
Check-in runs from 14:00 until 02:00 the next morning and check-out is at 11:00, which suits late arrivals and travellers on night flights. Rooms can be booked through the official website or by phone on the direct reservations line. Prices vary with demand and rise sharply at weekends and during holiday periods, so book early.
The location is the main selling point. Kabukicho's restaurants and bars, Golden Gai and the Omoide Yokocho alleys are all within walking distance, and the streets outside stay lively late into the night, which suits night owls and first-time visitors who want to be in the thick of things. Light sleepers should request a higher floor, and families should be aware that Kabukicho is a nightlife district, although the area immediately around the hotel is busy and well lit.
The hotel is about five minutes' walk from the east exit of JR Shinjuku Station and three minutes from Seibu-Shinjuku Station. Shinjuku-sanchome is also close, and the Shinjuku Gyoen garden can be reached on foot in around fifteen minutes. From Shinjuku Station, direct trains run to most parts of the city and to Narita and Haneda airports.
Hotel Gracery Shinjuku FAQs
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-in is from 14:00 to 02:00 and check-out is at 11:00.
Where is the Godzilla head?
On the Shinjuku Toho Building, which houses the hotel, overlooking Kabukicho.
How many rooms are there?
970.
Where is reception?
On the eighth floor.
Is there a Godzilla room?
Yes, a Godzilla-themed concept room can be booked.
How far is Shinjuku Station?
About five minutes' walk from the JR east exit.
Is it noisy?
Kabukicho is a nightlife area, so light sleepers should ask for a higher floor.
What is nearby?
Golden Gai, Omoide Yokocho and the restaurants and bars of Kabukicho.