A Garden-Variety Hotel in Narita
Written: Jan 11 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Pleasant, quiet hotel with access to sights in Narita.
Cons: Limited dining facilities in the immediate vicinity.
The Bottom Line: A reasonable choice if you want to stay near the Narita international airport or tour Narita itself.
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| philipchu's Full Review: Garden Hotel Narita |
The most notable part of my stay at the Garden Hotel Narita was the earthquake. Although Narita was far from the epicenter, this was the longest tremor I have ever felt (and I live in California) - must have lasted at least twenty seconds, long enough for me to wake up, realize it was a quake and consider putting on my pants if I had to run out of my twelfth-floor room.
Aside from that experience, my stay at the Garden Hotel Narita was pleasant, but unremarkable. On the outside, the hotel building is large but drab, and the tennis courts and basketball area outside didn't seem to be in great shape. But the surrounding area is pleasantly rustic, and the interior is spacious and well-kept, with the second floor devoted largely to business facilities, and the hotel appears to be a regular stayover for flight attendants from the nearby international airport (there are some airline crew lounges on the first floor).
My room was also clean and reasonably-sized (compared to my later hotel rooms closer to Tokyo). It featured a double bed and the typical high-tech toilet and deep tub, and one thing I haven't seen in other hotels - the electricity in the room was only active when the room card key was placed in a slot by the door. The room overlooked the picturesque hotel Japanese garden (hence the name) in the rear, which includes a walking/jogging track. The loop is pretty short, so you'd probably have to run a few dozen laps to work up a sweat. (Better to use the freely available hotel fitness room, which offers a decent set of workout machines and sauna).
The dining options at the hotel limited. Besides the hotel "Italian" restaurant and the adjoining pricey-looking Japanese restaurant, there is nothing nearby, short of walking a half mile plus down the road to a busy thoroughfare that runs along a scenic waterway. Along that street there are several restaurants that seem to be the Japanese equivalent of Denny's, and I did see a Coco's. The small hotel convenience shop has snacks and cup-of-noodle fare, but the vending machines on each floor only carry liquid refreshments (but quite a variety, including beer).
You'll have more dining options by taking the free hourly-running hotel shuttle bus to downtown Narita. On the other side of the train station from the bus stop is the downtown area, including the JR Narita train station (and tourist info), and the shop-filled Omotesando street that winds its way down to Narita's main attraction, the Naritasan Shinshoji temple. The temple is marvelously vast and tranquil, despite the many visitors, and the grounds include some museums. If you visit the temple (I highly recommend it if you have the time), then you can get dine at one of the many restaurants nearby. I received a very good medium-priced Japanese lunch, plus some instruction and explanation about what I was eating, at Chrysanthemum House, across from the tourist pavilion.
Overall, I had a pleasant and convenient stay at the Garden Hotel Narita. The staff spoke English well (not the bus drivers, though) and was helpful in explaining the slightly complicated transportation route to my next hotel (take the free airport hotel shuttle back to the airport, then choose from one of the many bus/train options). The coin laundry room in the basement was a convenience which I missed several days later in my trip.
I had chosen the Garden Hotel Narita over the many hotels closer to the airport for its promiximity to downtown, but the bus still takes about ten minutes, so I probably saved only 10-15 minutes of bus ride each way. You may find hotels either closer to the airport or closer to downtown Narita more convenient for your purposes, but for the combination of price, amenities and convenience, the Garden Hotel Narita is a reasonable choice if you elect to stay near the airport or spend some time touring Narita.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
philipchu
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Member: Phil Chu
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Reviews written: 60
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
writer of software and prose
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