Tokyo: Where to stay

From luxury hotels in colossal tower blocks to traditional "ryokan" and functional capsule hotels, there's plenty of variety in Tokyo's hotel scene.

If you can afford it -- and you probably can't -- you owe it to yourself to stay at the Peninsula Hotel (1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku). As well as overlooking the Imperial Palace, what makes this hotel so special is the incredible array of high-tech mod cons in the rooms. There are wall panels that show the outdoor weather conditions, in-room nail dryers and espresso machines and, best of all, the toilets have a heated, self-lifting seat and built-in power deodorizer -- ingenious.

Another top-end option is the Park Hyatt (3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku), immediately recognizable as the setting for the movie "Lost in Translation." The hotel occupies floors 41 to 52 of the Shinjuku Park Tower, and with breathtaking views over the city and towards Mount Fuji, its popularity with visiting celebrities is understandable.

A more economical option is the Park Hotel Tokyo (Shiodome Media Tower, 1-7-1, Higashi Shimbashi), which also has great views, along with modern, unfussy rooms. The hotel even employs "Pillow Fitter" staff to make sure you get a good night's sleep. Marunouchi Hotel (1-6-30 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku) has comfortable rooms and is surprisingly luxurious for a business hotel.

A "ryokan" is a traditional Japanese-style inn, often featuring communal baths and rooms with futons and "tatami" (straw mat) flooring. They also tend to be cheaper than regular hotels.