A while back, I won a 3 night, 4 day stay at the apartment hotel, Mimaru Tokyo Ginza East (thank you Tokyo Weekender)!
The Mimaru hotel group probably would not have appeared on my radar otherwise, so this was a good opportunity to check them out.
Note: There were no requirements for the win, and I have no connection to Mimaru or Tokyo Weekender. However, as I was impressed, I’d like to share some information – especially for those of you traveling in a group and/or looking for a good extended stay accommodations.
Mimaru – the ‘mi’ stands for minna (everyone) and the ‘maru’ stands for tomaru (to stay), and their website states that their hotels are a place for families and groups of friends. Their largest room, actually a suite, can hold 10 people! My room was a ‘theater apartment’ with 4 single beds. It was really spacious and had a very comfortable dining area, a kitchen (complete with everything you’d need for actual cooking), a toilet, and a huge shower and bathtub. And, rather than having a TV, a wide selection of options (regular TV, YouTube…) were projected onto a large white wall.
The staff was multilingual and very friendly. The interior was ‘modern Japanese’, with some fun artwork in the hall of the first floor. Another bonus – the hotel has lots of ‘extras’ that you can borrow… champagne glasses, rice cooker, takoyaki maker, flat iron, card games, and more. They also had washer/dryer facilities on-site.
Within each location there are a wide variety of apartment types – some are studio (everything in one room), others have 2+ bedrooms. Mimaru is an especially great choice for families that will stay in one location for multiple days – especially those with smaller children as they have great bunk beds.
Negatives – I wasn’t that impressed with the pillows, too much ‘air’ and no ‘substance’. I stuffed a puffy jacket and a towel into the pillowcase with one of the pillows. Not optimal, but better than the original.
Note: I have this same problem at most of the places I stay in Japan. Fortunately, some hotels now keep a variety of pillows, including foam ones, on hand for people like me. However, I really can’t say anything else negative, I really had an enjoyable stay!
As for their Tokyo Ginza East location, it sits on the edge of both Ginza and Tsukiji – making it a short walk to the center of both. It is also close to Nihonbashi, Tokyo Station, Ningyocho, and Tsukishima! It does, however, sit next to a partially underground freeway. To be fair, my room (201) was on the opposite side of the hotel from the freeway and I did not hear any traffic noise.
If you prefer a different location, Mimaru currently has almost 30 apartment hotels. They are located in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.