Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel Tokyo

Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel Tokyo is an upper-middle-range hotel that opened in 2014. It's housed in a tall, with interiors that are dark and contemporary. Expect details like dark wood finishes, black trim, and a huge LED mural stretching across a lobby wall behind a long illuminated front desk. Other common areas include the on-site restaurant, Ginza Sai, which features gorgeous matte-glass screen-style walls with black framework that gives them an Art Deco feel. Despite the slick and swish decor, the atmosphere is relaxed and family-friendly, yet there's also a buzzy vibe that adults find appealing. Leisure travelers — generally couples and families — are the primary guests, looking for stylish and comfortable lodgings in the center of the Tokyo action. 

The hotel is well situated in Ginza, in an area full of shops and restaurants. It'a just a three-minute walk to Nissan Crossing and to the Higashi-Ginza Metro station, while Ginza Station is a five-minute walk away. Luxury shopping at Ginza Six is just a four-minute walk away; for a different kind of shopping, the sprawling Tsukiji Fish Market is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Getting to Tokyo Tower takes about 20 minutes by public transportation, while both the Senso-ji temple and Ueno Park (home to many of the city's top museums and a fantastic place to check out cherry blossoms in the spring) take around 25 minutes to reach on public transportation. Narita Airport takes over an hour to reach by public transit or about an hour by taxi (depending on traffic), while Haneda Airport is a half-hour away by train, or 20 to 35 minutes by taxi. 

These tastefully-decorated guest rooms feature contemporary decor and appealing plum-colored accents that pop against the soft neutral hues and light-wood finish furnishings. Subtle floral designs accent pillows and long pieces of abstract leafy art add vibrancy to the spaces. The rooms have large windows that let in plenty of natural light -- a feat in this crowded city -- and all have desks as well as seating areas.

Rooms here are larger than average for Tokyo, ranging in size from 20 to 38 square meters (215 to 405 square feet). Triple rooms are available for families and groups. All units have flat-screen TVs tucked away behind hidden panels, plus mini-fridges, electric kettles with tea and coffee (some rooms also add Nespresso machines), air purifiers, ironing facilities, and free Wi-Fi. Beds have backlit panels on top of modular headboards. Vanities with square sinks and illuminated mirrors are located in the main part of the room, and bathrooms have deep tubs next to wet-room style rainfall showers with removable showerheads. All come equipped with separate bidet toilets as well as slippers, pajamas, hairdryers, and toiletries, including toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and razors.

There's a lot to like about this stylish hotel, but it runs short on facilities. The full-service restaurant, Ginza Sai, is a highlight, serving a generous and high-quality buffet breakfast for an extra charge, which includes Western and Japanese hot and cold items and even sweets like mini-cakes, chocolates, and macaroons. Lunch and dinner are also available. Other amenities include a 24-hour front desk, laundry service, and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. A stand-up computer workstation can be found off the lobby and it's free for guests to use, but it's sandwiched a bit awkwardly into a corner near the elevator bank.