Centurion Hotel & Spa Ueno Station
by the TopOfHotel team
A business hotel with its own Artificial Radium Hot Spring in the basement, opened 2018 — score 8.4.
A business hotel with its own Artificial Radium Hot Spring in the basement, opened 2018 — score 8.4.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The 93 rooms run 14–18 sqm, the standard size for a Japanese business hotel, and every one is non-smoking. You get a flat-screen TV, a work desk, free Wi-Fi, a Toto washlet and a secure keycard — and, a nice touch, the hotel leaves an onsen towel in your room (its own pattern) ready for the trip down to the baths. It looks like an ordinary business hotel from the street — a warm brown 12-storey building — but the lobby tips its hand the moment you walk in.
Food and amenities
The thing that sets this branch apart is the Artificial Radium Hot Spring in the basement — gender-separated baths with a sauna, open 15:00–02:00 and 05:00–10:00 the next morning, free for guests. The water has Radium added in a safe amount so it feels close to certain natural springs; Misasa Onsen in Tottori prefecture is a genuine Radium onsen. After a full day across Ueno and Asakusa, a soak around 22:00 and you sleep straight through to morning. For food there is an izakaya and a Japanese restaurant downstairs serving breakfast and dinner, though the breakfast draws fair rather than glowing reviews.
Location and getting there
You are right in the middle of Ueno: 6 minutes on foot to JR Ueno, 4 minutes to Keisei Ueno — the Skyliner from there reaches Narita Airport in 40 minutes — and 8 minutes to Ueno Park and the Ameyoko market. Trip.com guests score it 8.4/10, with the location rated highest of all at 9.0.
Things to know before booking
The rooms are small at 14–18 sqm, so this is a place to sleep and bathe rather than spread out. The onsen is closed 10:00–15:00 for cleaning and 02:00–05:00 overnight, which means timing your soak. And the breakfast is middle-of-the-road — pleasant enough, but not the polished spread you would get from a bigger chain.
Our take
Centurion Hotel & Spa Ueno Station is best for travellers who love a soak and want a hint of ryokan bathing on a business-hotel budget. Rooms start around $75 with a free onsen built in — clear value if you would normally pay $3–7 for a public sento bath.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A business 3-star that opened in 2018 with an Artificial Radium Hot Spring and a sauna in the basement — a feature you almost never get at this price.
- The baths are gender-separated and open 15:00–02:00 and 05:00–10:00, free for anyone staying.
- Central location: 4 minutes to Keisei Ueno, so the Skyliner gets you to Narita in 40 minutes, and 6 minutes to JR Ueno.
- There is an izakaya and a Japanese restaurant downstairs, so you can eat and drink without leaving the building.
- A strong fit for anyone who loves a soak — a taste of ryokan bathing on a business-hotel budget rather than a real ryokan.
- Rooms are compact at 14–18 sqm, the usual size for a Japanese business hotel.
- The onsen closes mid-afternoon and overnight for cleaning, so you have to plan your soak around the 15:00–02:00 and 05:00–10:00 windows.
- Breakfast gets fair-but-not-glowing marks — it is not as polished as you would find at the bigger chains.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Soak around 21:00–22:00 — that is when the baths are quietest.
- Take the onsen towel from your room down to the baths; the hotel sets one out for exactly that.
- After the onsen, drop into the izakaya under the building for a cold beer to round off the day.