I've visit the 82-room Clarion Hotel in Ikebukuro 10 times and stayed over 50 nights, and found the hotel to be convenient and a good value in the famously expensive Tokyo hotel landscape.

INEXPENSIVE
The Clarion usually proves to be one of the inexpensive choices for hotels in Tokyo, and its staff speaks enough English to allow US travelers to communicate effectively.

The hotel is located in Ikebukuro which has easy access to the airport (70-90 minutes $20-25 by train) and is on the Yamanote line that circles the city. Ikebukuro is also on the Maranouchi and Yurakucho subway lines and Tobu train line, but it is less likely that you will use them since they usually aren't the fastest way to get places that tourists/business people travel to from Ikebukuro. One nice feature is that the hotel is about 20 feet from the exit of the station's underground mall (West Exit C5-C6), so you don't need an umbrella to stay dry.

The hotel offers a variety of discounts: 10% off for internet bookings, and 20% off for AAA members (putting the price of a double room tantalizing close to $100 per night). The only negative I have regarding finances is that the hotel asks you to pay in advance for your stay. I like the flexibility of leaving early if my travel plans change, so I have found that they will let me pay in advance one night at a time.

Your room should be small and clean. Sometimes the rooms are a little too small (a few rooms lack even a closet and only have a coat rack and hangers for you to hang your clothes on). Soap, shampoo, razor, and toothbrush are provided along with a hairdryer. The rooms offer wired high speed internet access (you request an adapter from the front desk) -- I think I remember this as complimentary.
The hotel also provides a daily english language Tokyo newspaper free for guests. Television is the typical Tokyo lineup with bilingual capability for the few bilingual shows on each day -- there's no CNN, CNBC, or ESPN.

Some rooms look out on an alley where a hostess club and an all-night coffee shop are located, so rooms on this side can be a little noisy (also close your blinds unless you want to entertain the coffee shop patrons).

The hotel is on the west side of Ikebukuro station, a busy area, so I've never eaten in the hotel's two restaurants or used room service. There are a number of terrific ramen restaurants nearby, and a local fast food chain called Matsuya that serve up inexpensive delicious food 24 hours a day. There is also an Excelsior Cafe (Starbucks knock-off) a block away (ask the staff for directions and/or a map). Across the street and one block down is a pair of convenience stores for snacks and sundries. FYI, the hotel bar is open extremely late (I think it's 4AM most nights) and you get a free drink coupon with your room.

Business services are also easily covered. There's a Kinko's across the street that provides copying/internet access, though there is cheaper internet access if you leave the hotel and walk away from the train station -- it's about 100 yards up in a basement location on the same side of the street.

And yes, there's shopping -- lots of it. Marui (0101) is a multi-level boutique department store right across the street from the hotel, and Ikebukuro Station is home of the gigantic Seibu and Tobu department stores.

GETTING TO THE HOTEL
It's located in Ikebukuro, a major commercial center in Tokyo on the main Yamanote (circle) line. Access to/from the airport is available via the Narita Express (some trains non-stop to Ikebukuro -- others require a change to the Yamanote line at Tokyo station) or the Keisei Skyliner (change at Nipporo to the Yamanote line). The Keisei and Narita Express trains are right next to each other, so check the departure board and check first to see if a Narita Express is soon headed for Ikebukuro (or Omiya -- Ikebukuro is on the way). If it is, you can go non-stop to Ikebukuro for $25, though it will usually take you about 90 minutes to get there. If you are forced to wait too long for a non-stop Narita Express, you can save $5 and get to Ikebukuro in 70 minutes on the Keisei Skyliner which leaves every 30-40 minutes.

Keisei Skyliner
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/time/vtime/838u1-1.htm (it's in Japanese, but the top line of times shows the departure times from Airport Terminal 1, and the next line is for departures from Terminal 2.

Narita Express
(http://www.world.eki-net.com/e_TrainSearch/e_TimeTable/e_sobu_narita_d/e_sobu_narita2_d/index.html)

When you get to Ikebukuro station, head for the West Exit. Keep walking along the underground mall until you reach Exits C5-C6 (about 3-5 minutes). Go up the stairs and head up the second flight of stairs to the left. The Clarion Hotel is about 30 feet directly in front of you (the entrance is around the side).



Recommended: Yes