It ain't called the Asakusa View for nothing, and if you're keen on staying in the area it's by far the ritziest place in the neighbourhood. While the rooms aren't particularly striking, they're spacious and, as the name would suggest, have floor-to-ceiling windows.

Handsome rooms and sleek architecture make this an excellent choice. The ambience is grand but not stuffy, and this spot seems amenable to hosting families. If you're a jazz fan, one of Tokyo's best clubs, JZ Brat, is downstairs on the 2nd floor.

Impressive, in a word. One of the gigantic, glittery gems comprising the new Shiodome complex adjacent to the Hama-Rikyu Garden, the Conrad is definitely a contender for the attentions of upscale travellers looking for a central, super-sophisticated base in Tokyo.

Ridiculously opulent, the Four Seasons Chinzan-so manages to present a cohesive European-Japanese sense of design. With a location only slightly removed from the city centre, it feels like a luxurious suburban refuge.

Pretty and bright, and a step up from neighbouring business hotels, this Nikko is on the upscale end of mid-range. Frankly, prices seem a bit steep for what you get, but it's spotless, the staff are professional and friendly, and to be fair, real estate in Ginza is...

Architecturally open and bright despite its somewhat labyrinthine layout, the Grand Hyatt has about it a warm, relaxed airiness. Smooth mahogany and lots of natural fabrics give a vibrant, organic flavour, while its Roppongi Hills location imparts it with buzz and energy.

The churchy elements of the building's exterior add some quirk factor to this otherwise blandly sedate business establishment, which is immaculate and perfectly presentable. Though its neighbourhood is unremarkable, it's conveniently located on the Yamanote loop.

Choose a view from these plain but upscale rooms - winter views of Mt Fuji are possible from some rooms, while Shinjuku-gyoen is visible on the opposite side. Great location at a fair price for these spectacular Shinjuku views.

Ideally placed for those who want to be close to Roppongi nightlife, the Ibis is a comfortable spot to settle in after a debauched night. Just this side of noir, the interior suggests some dark drama lurking underneath.

This shiny box of a hotel just next door to Shibuya station is great for solo travellers looking for a convenient, central spot to sleep in a hopping neighbourhood. You'll want to bring earplugs, though, to escape the cartoonish feeling that you're sleeping astride the railway...

The enormous 1552-room New Otani is renowned for the marvellous 400-year-old Japanese garden it surrounds. Loaded with upscale restaurants, boutiques and gift shops, this august establishment also has its own art museum in addition to the impressive ten acres of green space.

Oozing dignity and old-fashioned grace, the Okura is popular with disgraced foreign presidents, celebrities and business travellers. Its charm comes from a lack of pretension as well as the retention of its '70s-era style.

Tokyo boasts some of the most cosmopolitan, showy hotels one would expect in such a dynamic city. But then there are hidden retreats like the Seiyo Ginza, which, if you aren't looking for it, you'll pass right by in the middle of Ginza. Just the way its guests like it.

Spanning two buildings, an old and a new, the Sunlite is run by friendly, English-speaking staff. This is a clean, cosy business hotel located in a central area near Shinguku-gyoen. If you're going to stay in Shinjuku, the Sunlite will do the trick without breaking the budget.

The Akasaka house of the Sunroute hotel chain is a bright, friendly business hotel with thoughtfully designed rooms all equipped with high-speed Internet access. It's conveniently located near the Akasaka-mitsuke and Nagatacho subway stations, with access to five subway lines....

Within walking distance of the sights of Ginza and Hibiya-koen, this is one of Tokyo's grand old hotels. The present building replaces Frank Lloyd Wright's 1923 masterpiece, and an occasional small tribute to Wright in the form of a chair or a modernist motif can be seen...

It's on the fringes of central Tokyo, but the prices are low and the atmosphere is that of a friendly hostel. There's free Internet, coin-operated laundry facilities and clean baths. Rooms are lined with tatami and come with TVs, towels and yukata (cotton robes).

Bright, with clean lines and warm, attractive interiors, the latest iteration of the Marunouchi Hotel combines its sleek modern looks with traditional Japanese style. The hotel is just across the road from Tokyo station, and provides cool comfort in the city centre.

Yes, it's just as it looks in Lost in Translation, which was filmed on location here. Views are stunning, day or night, and you almost feel like you are in another world from the serene heights of the Park Hyatt. Both public and private spaces of the hotel are notable for...

A sunny spot in both the literal and figurative senses, the Sakura Hotel is a reliable cheapie with a convivial atmosphere. Staff are bilingual and helpful, and the rooms, though pretty basic, are comfortable and clean.

One of those rare hotels that offers both Western and Japanese-style rooms for the same prices, Sakura Ryokan is also situated away from city-centre craziness. Reasonably priced and family run, it's a modest place to rest your head.

Maybe it's the context of cool Shibuya that informs the look here - replacing the usual pastel decor that characterises most business hotels is wood trim, a rich colour palette and triangular bay windows that peek out over the street. Central without being in the thick of it.

This quality business hotel is a stylish choice, with clean lines and pleasingly primary colours. It's close to Shibuya station without being on top of it, and its central location puts you just a few minutes' walk away from nonstop Shibuya crossing.

You may be staying in a dorm, but these dorm rooms have spectacular five-star views over Shinjuku-ku. Though the interior of the building's two floors feels like an anonymous office (there's even a conference room), it's a model hostel.

Though it's a bit of a walk (12-15 minutes) from Ueno Park, this is the best budget-range business hotel in Ueno. The sweetest part of the deal is that the traditional Japanese rooms are, unusually, the same price as the plain Western-style rooms.

Clean, minimalist and modern, Andon Ryokan's tiny tatami rooms are a better deal for two people than for one, though solo travellers will enjoy more room to stretch out. This hip and urbane spot - if slightly out of the way - is fabulously unique in design and feel.

Combining the best of both worlds, the newer Annex of the well-established Katsutaro Ryokan pairs tatami rooms with Western bathrooms. In the ryokan (inn) tradition, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. The building is modern and new, and unlike typical ryokan, each room...

Steps away from Roppongi crossing, the Arca Torre places you in the centre of hopping Roppongi nightlife. The hotel is modern, comfortable, adorned with fake balcony railings and best of all, it's the most affordable spot in the neighbourhood.

This little hotel is a corner of European pomp and elegance just minutes away from the super-trendy promenade of Shibuya crossing. Small-scale and cushy, the Arimax is inviting in a way its vaguely incongruous name might not suggest.

Even though the Asia Center is a lot bigger than many of the smaller inns and ryokan (inn) in town, it's often fully booked. Rooms are pleasingly simple, and the hotel has an airy, relaxed attitude to it. Book ahead.