Toyoko Inn Kenkyu-gakuen Ekimae

Small but functional for a brief visit. The staff couldn't have been more helpful even though English is not their strong point but they always found an answer. Full credit to them. Rooms small but kept beautifully clean with standard Japanese bathroom with lush towels. Pyjamas, combs etc stocked in the lobby, along with a vending machine for drinks. Laundry and drying facilities also which is great. Beds are extra firm and pillows hard as are most Japanese ones. Green tea only in the rooms, no coffee sadly. This is newish hotel and has a great variety of restaurants on its door step and a large shopping mall a couple of minutes walk away, plus a nearby supermarket stocking everything. Closeby to the railway station also. Breakfast basic but dishes changed daily and were tasty. Tea and hot coffee always available. Lift a little slow. Car parking with skylift was an extra 500 yen per day. The only reason this hotel didnt rate higher was that I thought it was little too expensive. This is a typical Japanese Businessman's hotel so it is lacking ambience but perfectly ok for short stay.

Fairly basic hotel, very clean and functional, which suited our needs. Nice rooms, but small of course, and comfortable beds. We found the staff were extremely helpful and spoke enough English for us to communicate. Basic breakfast included in room rate, and was self-service in foyer. Don’t expect a lavish buffet, but again it was fine for our needs. In addition, there is free tea and coffee on tap 24 hours, and paid vending machines for other drinks: all very useful. Worth stressing that this hotel is not in the centre of Tsukuba, but one train stop away in a residential and business area. There is a large and very nice supermarket about 200 metres away from the hotel, and it is fine to buy food there to eat on the tables in the hotel foyer (there is even a microwave). Also a couple of small bars/restaurants within a couple of minutes’ walk at most, but otherwise this really is a residential/commuter area. If you are based here and wish to travel to Tokyo, then the hotel is just 2 or 3 minutes’ walk from Kenkyu-gakuen train station on the TX Express train line that runs direct to Akihabara in central Tokyo; the journey takes 45 to 55 minutes and costs 1100 Yen. Try to sit on the right hand side of the train as you then get a view of Mount Fuji far in the distance.