After wrapping up my time on the slopes in Niseko, I took a quick flight back to Tokyo Haneda and made my way over to Tokyo Narita by way of a bus. I had a flight to catch to Bangkok the next day on Thai Airways, and since there weren’t any good options for direct flights from Sapporo to Tokyo Narita on a same-day connection, I opted to camp out at the airport for a night instead.
There were plenty of options available by the airport; however, I opted for the Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport to earn Hilton Honors points. I wasn’t expecting too much from my stay, but I wound up being pleasantly surprised.
Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport – Booking
As I’d just begun my journey with earning Hilton Honors points, I didn’t have any at my disposal for redemptions. I opted to pay the regular cash rate for my stay, which came out to ¥14,879 ($149 CAD).
Prepaid rates for the hotel are consistent at ¥9,405 ($94 CAD) if you book in advance, while regular flexible rates are typically around ¥12,000 ($120 CAD). Prices skew as high as ¥20,000 ($200 CAD) per night during holidays and last-minute bookings; however, you can expect to pay around ¥12,000 ($120 CAD) on average.
Award redemptions are also fairly consistent at around 22,000 Hilton Honors points per night. On some dates, the cost can spike to upwards of 50,000 points per night, but for the most part, expect to pay 22,000–25,000 points for a one-night stay.
We value Hilton Honors points at 0.7 cents per point (CAD). You likely won’t get a spectacular redemption value at this property, so it may be best to save your points for a higher-end hotel instead. It’s a similar story with a Free Night Reward, which can be substantially more valuable if redeemed at other properties.
If you’re booking a Hilton hotel, consider making your booking through the Prince of Travel affiliate link, which helps to support the website.
Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport – Location
As the name suggests, the Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport is located within a close proximity to one of Tokyo’s two co-terminal airports.
To access the hotel from the airport, you can take advantage of the free shuttle service, which runs every 20 minutes or so. It takes around 10 minutes for the journey, which you could also do by taxi if you don’t want to wait.
There isn’t a lot going on around the hotel. If you’d like to get some fresh air, head to Sakuranoyama Park, which is around a half-hour walk or a 10-minute drive away.
The city of Narita is around 30 minutes away by transit or 15 minutes by car. You’ll have to walk for around 15 minutes to get to the bus stop, though, so keep that in mind if you plan on heading into town.
Downtown Tokyo is around two hours away by transit or about an hour by car.
If you’re heading in from Tokyo Haneda, you can take a bus to Tokyo Narita and catch the shuttle from there, or alternatively, it’s about an hour by taxi.
Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport – Check-in
I arrived at the hotel in the early evening after a day of transit from Niseko Village to Sapporo Chitose Airport, a flight to Tokyo Haneda, and a bus to Tokyo Narita. After four days of skiing in deep powder, my body was sore and tired, and I was looking forward to a quiet evening spent at the hotel.
The exterior of the hotel is crescent-shaped, with the entrance below a covered area.Â
Entering into the hotel, I found a spacious lobby lounge with pods of seating available around a glass atrium.
The check-in desks are on the left flank of the lobby. It wasn’t too busy when I arrived, and I was promptly welcomed by one of the associates.
The details of my reservation were confirmed, and I was welcomed as a Hilton Gold member. The associate went over the hotel’s restaurants and facilities, and confirmed my departure details for the next day.Â
Shortly thereafter, I was given my room keys, and headed up to my room on the ninth floor of the hotel.
Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport – Queen Guest Room
As I made my way to the room, I noted how quiet the hotel was overall. After a busy day of transit, I was grateful to have such a peaceful atmosphere for my visit.Â
Upon entering, the room’s bathroom is off immediately to the right, and then a small hallway leads past a closet to the bedroom. Inside the closet are two bathrobes and some coat hangers.
The bedroom had a very simple arrangement. The queen-sized bed was set up against a wooden headboard and side tables on either flank. On the wall next to the bed was a simple decoration with Japanese writing.
Next to the side table and close to the room’s windows, there’s an armchair complete with an ottoman. Close by is a small circular coffee table.
On the wall opposite from the bed is a dresser, which has a flat-screen TV and a tea kettle on top. Inside the drawers were Japanese yukata robes.Â
To the right of the TV is a desk with an ergonomic chair. The shelves in between the desk and the dresser housed a selection of teas and instant coffee packets.
The bathroom also has a fairly standard arrangement, which consists of a single vanity with a number of products single-use products. The Japanese-style toilet is tucked away in the corner of the room.
The shower has both a wall-mounted shower head and a hand wand.
Overall, the room wasn’t fancy by any means, but it fit the bill for a simple place to stay at the airport. I appreciated how quiet the room was in general, and I had a very comfortable sleep on the bed.Â
Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport – Breakfast
Prior to heading to the airport, I headed down to the main floor of the hotel to enjoy the breakfast. Breakfast at the Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport is served at Terrace Restaurant from 6:30–10am on weekdays and 6:30–10:30am on weekends.Â
For the second time on this trip, I was pleasantly surprised by the breakfast buffet at a Hilton hotel. As I took stock of what was available, I was happy to find a number of Japanese, Asian, and Western options at my disposal.
The buffet area is spread out across the restaurant, and you should be able to easily find options no matter what your tastes are.
Hot items available include grilled fish, braised chicken balls, simmered potatoes with meat and vegetables, stir-fried noodles, and steamed dumplings, as well as a stock of Western breakfast items such as hash browns, scrambled eggs, waffles, oatmeal, bacon, and pork sausages.
As for cold options, you can find an udon station with dipping sauce, a salad bar, cold cuts, cheeses, yogurts, fresh fruit, and a selection of baked goods.
For beverages, there are soft-drink and juice dispensers available, as well as a handful of fresh juices and an automatic coffee machine.
I chose to take advantage of the stir-fried noodles, steamed vegetables and dumplings, and some fresh fruit with yogurt alongside a cappuccino and a glass of juice.
It wasn’t a particularly memorable breakfast by any means, but it definitely hit the spot. I knew that I’d be checking out the lounge prior to my flight, and I also wanted to save some room for Thai Airways’s business class meal, so I decided to keep it relatively light this time around.
Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport – Other Facilities
The Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport has some solid facilities for guests to make use of.
Terrace Restaurant is also open for lunch and dinner. Right next to the restaurant are Java Café and Pastry Shop Patisserie, which offer coffee and baked goods.
Immediately upon entering the hotel, you’ll be delighted to find a 7-Eleven nested right in the lobby. If you’re in need of a quick fix or some affordable snacks and drinks, you won’t have to venture far from your room.Â
There’s also a boutique on the main floor of the hotel, should you wish to get some shopping done during your stay.Â
On the ground floor of the hotel, you’ll find a large swimming pool, a fitness centre, and a wellness area that includes a jacuzzi and a sauna.
I found the swimming pool to be quite large, and it would be a great place to get a workout during your stay.
The fitness centre is likewise sizeable, and has plenty of colours and a mock track to jog around. It comes with a decent range of equipment, which appears to be a bit dated, but could easily serve you with a good sweat.
The jacuzzi area is a great place to unwind during your stay. It’s separated for men and women, and I found it to be a popular spot during two visits on my short stay.
Conclusion
The Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport is a good choice for travellers who wish to have a quiet, comfortable spot to rest in advance of a flight the next day. The facilities at the hotel make it conducive to not having to leave the hotel for food, snacks, or drinks, which is convenient as there isn’t a lot going on in the area surrounding the hotel.
The breakfast buffet has a good selection of Western and Asian items, and while you won’t be blown away by the food, it’s much better than what you’ll typically find at Hilton hotels in North America.Â
Be sure to also check out the hotel’s wellness facilities, as a soak in the jacuzzi prior to hitting the hay or starting the day is a great way to relax.Â
Should I ever be in need of an airport hotel at Tokyo Narita again, I’ll likely look to the Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport for a nice balance of price, facilities, and convenience.
This story originally appeared on princeoftravel