The Shinagawa Prince Hotel is a 4-star hotel and entertainment complex. Conveniently located within easy walking distance of Shinagawa Station, this hotel is great for business travelers and couples alike.
What’s the hotel like?
Shinagawa Prince Hotel sets your expectations high with its fancy lobbies and attentive staff. The hotel is actually made up of several different “towers” — the Main Tower, the Annex Tower, and the N Tower.
The East Tower is currently closed because it’s under construction. Each tower has its own entrance (and check-in desk), but they are connnected by walkways. The lobby in each tower is different, the Main Tower and N Tower lean towards fancier aesthetic with high ceilings and marble floors, while the Annex Tower is more modern.
Unfortunately, all this makes the rooms feel a little dated in comparison. You can opt for more modern rooms — but you’ll be paying more.
What facilities does the hotel have?
The Shinagawa Prince Hotel boasts an impressive range of facilities including co-working spaces, upscale restaurants/bars, and fitness rooms. You can also rent meeting rooms and banquet halls.
On the lower floors of the Annex Tower there are shops, a bowling center, a cinema, and a theater. There’s also an aquarium that’s considered part of the complex. Some of these facilities cost extra to use, but you do get a discount as a hotel guest.
As you would expect, there are also classic fancy hotel services like massage services and dry cleaning, as well as convenient things like parking and currency exchange.
Note: At the time of our stay, we found that the swimming pools in the Main Tower have been closed — indefinitely.
Is there anywhere to hang out in the hotel?
While technically not for hanging out, the lobbies in the Shinagawa Prince Hotel do have places where you can sit. There are also co-working spaces, business lounges, and meeting rooms for, well, co-working and business matters.
For more casual hangouts, guests can visit the entertainment areas in the complex like the bowling center and the cinema. These places aren’t exclusively for hotel guests, but as mentioned, there are discounts.
What are the rooms like?
We’re not going to lie. Compared to the lobbies, the rooms feel a little dated. The decor isn’t anything to write home about, and is actually a little bland. However, we did book the most basic room type. If you upgrade, the rooms start to take on a more modern aesthetic.
The rooms all have basic amenities like WiFi, a kettle, fridge, and safe. There are also free toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, as well as disaposable toothbrushes and hairbrushes. We especially liked the multi-adapter charger — no need to worry if you’ve forgotten your phone charger; you can just use this instead. Some of the fancier room types have coffee machines.
How big are the rooms?
Even the basic room types are fairly spacious compared to most Japanese hotels. There is enough floorspace to fully open your suitcase and still walk around the room. Higher-tier rooms offer only a little more space. The bathrooms are a good size though.
Are the rooms comfortable?
The rooms are fairly comfortable. There are two different pillows, so you can choose the one that is most comfortable for you. The mattress isn’t too hard or soft, although some might find the bed too short. The air conditioner works well and isn’t noisy, and the curtains block light well.
What’s the view like?
Because of the design of the towers, all of the rooms get some kind of view. The windows are quite large too, so you’ll be able to sit and enjoy it. In most cases, you’ll have a decent city view — although in our case we also had a view of the car park. Rooms higher up in the towers tend to have bigger windows and more impressive views.
What’s the location like?
The Shinagawa Prince Hotel is in an excellent location. Not only is it super-close to Shinagawa Station (and therefore good transport links), but it’s also surrounded by dining and entertainment options.
Each tower has restaurants and around the base of the Annex Tower there are various shops. You’ve also got a cinema, bowlng center, theater, and aquarium within the hotel tower complex.
Right in front of the hotel is Wing Takanawa, a small shopping and dining complex. And for even more dining and entertainment options, head to the other side of Shinagawa Station where you’ll find various izakaya (Japanese-style bars) and karaoke halls.
However, keep in mind that Shinagawa is a business district more than an nightlife district. You won’t find many clubs in the area, and many of the people at the bars will be office workers and business people drowning their sorrows.
How do I get there from the airports?
Shinagawa Prince Hotel has great access to both airports. The Keikyu Line stops at Shinagawa Station, which is just a few minutes walk from the hotel. This line can get you directly to both Haneda Airport (22 min.) and Narita Airport (75 min.).
You could also catch the JR Narita Express (70 min.) direct to Narita Airport, but it would cost nearly twice as much as the Keikyu Line option.
How is the access to trains and subway?
Shinagawa Prince Hotel is just a few minutes by foot from Shinagawa Station. From there you can take various JR Lines and Keikyu Lines. You can also catch the Tōkaidō-San’yō Shinkansen.
What’s the surrounding neighborhood like?
The area around the Shinagawa Prince Hotel is a business and transport hub. In the mornings and evenings it can get incredibly busy, especially in Shinagawa Station itself.
It doesn’t have much in the way of old-school charm or glitzy-city lights, but we can’t deny how convenient the location is. You’ll spend most of your time taking advantage of the excellent transport connections to explore Tokyo, not wandering around Shinagawa.
Are there many good places to eat nearby?
Yes, there are lots and lots of options. There are 10 restaurants in the hotel complex (including several high-end options), plus more in the Wing Takanawa complex in front of the hotel. Plus, you can head over to the other side of Shinagawa Station for even more options.
What points of interest are within walking distance of the hotel?
There aren’t any notable attractions within walking distance of Shinagawa Prince Hotel. But, in 20 minutes or less by train you can each places like Tokyo Tower and Shibuya Scramble Crossing.
Should I order the breakfast?
There are three restaurants in the hotel that have breakfast, including one breakfast buffet. Breakfast is included in some, but not all bookings. If it’s not included in your booking, it can be expensive to buy. Because of the size of the hotel, the restaurants can get very busy at breakfast time.
In terms of taste, we have nothing to complain about, but weighing up the price and the less-than-relaxing atmosphere, we would only get breakfast if it’s included in your room booking.
Who should stay here?
Business travelers will find the Shinagawa location undeniably convenient. Couples will also appreciate the slightly larger than usual rooms.