Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo
by the TopOfHotel team
Keio Plaza is the rare Shinjuku hotel where you can book a room decorated entirely in Hello Kitty, then take the kids up to a 45th-floor bar that frames Mt. Fuji on a clear evening.
Keio Plaza is the rare Shinjuku hotel where you can book a room decorated entirely in Hello Kitty, then take the kids up to a 45th-floor bar that frames Mt. Fuji on a clear evening.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo is a 4.5-star tower run by the Keio railway group, and at roughly 1,400 rooms across two towers it's the largest hotel in Shinjuku. The standard triples and family rooms run 24-34 sqm, with suites stretching to 40-80 — all finished to a proper four-and-a-half-star standard, with a fridge, tea-and-coffee kit, large TV, and a real bathtub. The reason it closes our family list, though, is the themed rooms: a Hello Kitty Room done out wall to wall in pink with plush toys and freebies, a pastel Princess Kitty Room, and a luxe tatami Japanese Suite. For a kid, this is the trip they remember for life.
Food and amenities
This is the most loaded hotel on the list. More than 10 restaurants and bars sit inside the building — Japanese, Chinese, French, Italian, and buffet — so a worn-out family can eat well without going back outside. The piece we love most is the 45th-floor Sky Bar, which frames Tokyo Tower, the Shinjuku skyline, and Mt. Fuji on a clear evening. There's a 7th-floor outdoor pool in the warm months (April-September, peaking mid-July to mid-September) — a real rarity in central Shinjuku — plus a spa, fitness centre, and a 24-hour front desk where the staff handle English and other languages fluently.
Location and getting there
The hotel sits at Nishi-Shinjuku 2-2-1, a 5-minute walk from Shinjuku's West Exit and just 3 minutes from Tocho — the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, whose 45th-floor observation deck gives you a free panorama over the whole city. From Shinjuku, the Yamanote Line loops you to Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Tokyo Station, and Ueno in under half an hour. For the airport, the Airport Limousine Bus leaves from the door to both Narita (~3,200 yen, about 90 minutes) and Haneda (~1,500 yen, about 50 minutes).
Things to know before booking
Two things to plan around. First, peak rates bite — cherry-blossom season and Golden Week can double or triple the price, with some nights at ~$514-$714 (roughly $515-715), so lock in dates early or shift them. Second, the hotel's size cuts both ways: at 1,400 rooms the lifts queue at check-in and check-out, so leave extra time on a departure morning. And if your kids have their heart set on the Hello Kitty or Princess rooms, book 90-plus days ahead — there are only a few and they go first.
Our take
Keio Plaza is the pick for the family who wants this trip to feel like an event — a birthday, an anniversary, a first big Japan holiday, or a kid who'd be thrilled to wake up in a Hello Kitty room. If your budget stretches to about ~$200-$286 a night for a standard room (or ~$343+ for the themed ones), this is the most confident note we can end the Tokyo family list on. You'll get full-service polish, a pool, that 45th-floor view, and a memory the kids will carry for years.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- At 4.5 stars, it's the most upscale hotel on this Tokyo family list — full-service, multilingual staff, and a polish the budget Ueno picks can't match.
- The themed rooms are the headline: a Hello Kitty Room kitted out top to bottom with plush toys and freebies, a pastel-pink Princess Kitty Room, and a luxe tatami Japanese Suite. Girls travelling with the family tend to lose their minds over them.
- A 7th-floor outdoor pool runs through the warm months (roughly April-September, busiest mid-July to mid-September) — genuinely rare for a central Shinjuku hotel where rooftop space is scarce.
- More than 10 restaurants and bars sit inside the building, covering Japanese, Chinese, French, Italian, and buffet, so a tired family never has to leave the lobby to eat well.
- The 45th-floor Sky Bar looks straight out at Tokyo Tower, the Shinjuku skyline, and Mt. Fuji on a clear day — the best free-with-a-drink view in the district, and an easy treat after a long day on your feet.
- Peak-season pricing is steep. Cherry-blossom weeks and Golden Week can double or triple the rate, with some nights landing at ~$514-$714 (roughly $515-715) — budget for it or shift your dates.
- It's a genuinely big hotel at around 1,400 rooms, so the lifts back up at check-in and check-out. Build in extra time on your departure morning if you have a train or flight to catch.
- The Hello Kitty and Princess rooms are hard to land — there are only a handful, they sell out first, and you'll want to reserve 90-plus days ahead to have a real shot.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Book a Hello Kitty Room at least 90 days out — it's the first room type to sell out every season.
- Ride up to the 45th-floor Sky Bar at sunset; it's the prettiest hour for the Mt. Fuji and Shinjuku skyline view.
- If you're travelling in summer, use the 7th-floor outdoor pool — almost no central Tokyo hotel has one.