Granbell Hotel in Shibuya

Big wood entrance door to Shibuya's Granbell says "Have a nice day" on it. In the heart of Shibuya, the massive station minutes away, yet miraculously quiet.

The snug bar/lounge located next to the lobby serves standard drinks and wine by the bottle.

View to the left from my window at night. Overpasses leading to the station and the busier flow of Shibuya just down the street, but my room was well-insulated and peaceful. Location was phenomenal.

My fab Annex Single room, which, according to the site, is "More pop. More artistic. And, fresh sense is added." I wanted to take the tropical print window panel home. The tinted green glass wall encloses the bathroom, a clever design ploy to make the room seem more spacious. The tiniest fridge you've ever seen is located beneath the TV - just big enough for drinks and snacks.

Magnetic sign for maid service attaches to the door.


I can't rave enough about this ideally located, hip little boutique hotel. It's a five-minute walk from Shibuya station, but tucked away on a side street in a small area called Sakuragaoka-cho, which is just far enough away from the crowds to be peaceful, but not isolated and still has a great vibe to it.

The English-speaking staff at the front desk are welcoming and helpful. The room comes with a good breakfast served in the second floor restaurant (choice of western style or traditional Japanese), and there is a cozy bar/lounge at lobby level to hang out at night. There are plenty of other eateries including inexpensive yakitori, an Okinawan restaurant (I never got to try it) and a couple of konbini (convenience stores) just steps from the hotel. All this for 11,900 yen (roughly $129) per night for what they call an "Annex Single" room. A regular single costs a bit less, but my impression was that it feels more claustrophobic (I peeked into one when it was being cleaned). For the location this is a good deal.

The room is small but stylish, clean, uplifting and pleasantly lit (super important). There is free internet access but no WiFi in the room - lobby only. The shower is excellent (no bath) and great amenities such as slippers and night shirt are provided. The bed is really comfortable and surprisingly spacious, almost equivalent to a queen size. The wood paneling surrounding the bed, built-in shelving and lighting give it all a retro ship's cabin feel, and I enjoyed pretending I was on a Life Aquatic adventure.

I felt absolutely at home in my room and it was the perfect place to unwind for a single traveler. I have one gripe: there was no closet, just a ledge to place your gear with one ridiculously tiny drawer underneath. You get a couple of pegs on the wall with some hangers, so be prepared to live out of your suitcase. If you travel with massive luggage you may find a single room uncomfortable. I found it somewhat awkward, but there was so much I liked about my room, the hotel and its location that I'd still go back in a heartbeat.

Book your room directly through the Granbell website and you might get a discount like I did (my room's regular rate is 14,000 yen per night - there is a wide range of rooms with most expensive suite at 50,000 yen). Another plus: when you check in, you receive a frequent user's card, a stamp for each night. Ten nights get you a free one.

Access from Narita Airport by train to Shibuya station, or by limousine bus, which takes you to the Cerulean Hotel around the corner. More info here.

Shibuya Granbell Hotel
15-17 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0031
Tel +81-(0)3-5457-2681
Fax +81-(0)3-5457-2682
info@granbellhotel.jp

There is another Granbell located in Akasaka, where I also stayed - review coming soon.