Tokyo hotels bouncing back from March disasters

For many in the hotel business, the words “occupancy rate” are only to be uttered in hushed tones, behind closed office doors, lest
– shhh — paying customers hear what’s going on (or not) in the rooms next
door.

Things are a little different in Japan now, though, after the
March 11 disasters turned the spotlight on the ability of the accommodation
game to recover and start filling those beds once more.

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Corpse hotels offer new final destination

Take a walk
down almost any suburban Tokyo shopping street and you’ll notice two kinds of stores in abundance — hair salons and drugstores.

While the
baffling amount of floor space devoted to the former has long been a fixture on
the retail landscape, the spread of pharmacies in Japan is all about its aging,
drug-hungry population.

To drugstores catering
to a failing citizenry, we can now add the next logical step — private mortuaries.
At least, that’s the logic the market appears to be suggesting in one part of
the country.

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Best boutique hotels in Tokyo

Choosing
a place to stay while traveling can be a daunting task. It becomes even more
difficult in a city like Tokyo, where there is no shortage of luxury five-star
behemoths and business hotels seem to dot every corner.

For those wanting to avoid the big chains in favor of something with a bit more
character, a handful of the best boutique hotels in Tokyo stand out from the
rest.

Whether
your passion is history, culture, art or design, these five hotels should satisfy.

Andon Ryokan

Located
in the north of the city, not far from the sightseeing areas of Asakusa and
Ueno, Andon Ryokan embodies all that is Tokyo, with its perfect blend of Western and Japanese.

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World’s best value hotels named by Expedia

Expedia released the world’s top hotels for value yesterday, with hotels in the United States and Europe dominating the top 10 list. 

Cedarbrook Lodge in Seattle, Washington earned the top spot on this year’s Expedia Insiders’ Select ranking, with Italian contenders iQ Hotel Roma in Rome and Hotel Antiche Figure in Venice coming in second and third.

Hotel Berchielli in Florence and Hotel Monterey Kyoto in Kyoto completed the top five.

Hotel Teatro in Denver, Colorado and Sofitel New York also made the top 10 list, coming in ninth and 10th respectively.

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Japan’s love hotels face legal clamp down

Love hotels in Japan could be set to dwindle in number and be shifted out of major areas in January 2011 due to a change in the law.

Business and media site J-Cast suggests their numbers could drop by half, which would leave couples who live with their parents with few options for intimacy. 

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17 Habbo Hotels around the world

17 Habbo Hotels

Eritrea Travel: ASMARA’s Hotels (Part 2)

Asmara Eritrea’s capital is situated on the eastern edge of Eritrea’s highland plateau. Asmara enjoys a great climate, clean and picturesque streets, attractive palm trees, and a reputation as one of the safest, calm and alluring capital cities in Africa. “The people of Eritrea will always make you feel welcome and the country will always provide a diversity of activities and experiences that will have you wanting to come back for more.” “Asmara is, by any standards, a very safe, picturesque and relaxed capital. ” Eritrea – The Bradt Travel Guide “Constructed almost entirely between 1936 and 1941, Asmara was effectively a blank canvas on which its Italian colonizers were able to design and build their own urban utopia in East Africa…… owing to Asmara’s relative obscurity and distance from Europe, the architects and engineers who came to practice there could escape the constraints imposed on their activities in the more conservative European environment, making it an even more exceptional city” Asmara – Africa’s Secret Modernist City Source: www.asmera.nl Asmara is located in E. Africa Africa Travel Destination

日本の沖縄の海okinawa must be the most beautiful island in japan

Tourism Information for Tokyo

When one thinks of Asia, they tend to think of it as the center of all happenings within the region. There is nothing to indicate anything other than that of a fast-paced people, made of different races and cultural backgrounds, accustomed to this living style. Tokyo, Japan’s capital is the place that this refers to. This booming giant is now found to be one of the largest cities in the world, with an estimated population count of twelve million.

The tourism sector of Tokyo is thriving, in respect of the large number of tourists that flock there on a yearly basis. Not even mentioning that Japan, better known as the “land of the rising sun”, and it’s financial institutions are over run with many who are educated in music, politics, business, technology, advertising, the arts and fashion and are labeled, “overachievers”. Many want or desire to induct themselves into the city life there, simply because they want to a part of and witness history that in the future will be in books.

The tourism of Tokyo has also been found to be booming because of the country’s landmine of innovation. Tokyo is looked at as the leader in this. In the past, the country was struck with criticism that called them mere imitators or copiers and lacked originality. They took this criticism as a reason and challenge to raise themselves above and beyond the ranks. Presently, the city mirrors itself as the leading producer of technology related gadgets that are available today.

However, Tokyo is not all it’s hyped up to be in image because it does have some downfalls. Tokyo and its tourism have had a decrease due to the country’s economy. Today, growth in Tokyo is at less than one percent, a mere shadow of the 1980′s growth rate at six percent. A few factors are linked to this drop in growth like a rise in unemployment levels, the 1995 earthquake and the nuclear energy catastrophe, just to list a few.

Tourism in Tokyo is continuing to remain stabilized, even though the city is facing numerous issues. Presently, the capital of Japan offers a large number of attractions like restaurants that offer affordable French cuisine, shops and boutiques that offer designer wear from the previous year, and hotels which haven’t increased rates as of yet. Tokyo is also in the midst of an industrial explosion that has been due to huge parcels of land that were formerly owned by the country’s railway system. This large land space has been prepped for commercial buildings to be built.

Hotels in Tokyo

Tokyo is a city of the future. It is a city of energy and movement that still takes the time to smell the roses. One moment you can walk in state-of-the-art shopping centers and the next you can stroll in one of its many beautiful gardens. It is a city of almost limitless possibilities.

That Tokyo is a popular destination for tourists is not surprising. Its incredible mix of technology, interesting cuisine, and energetic nightlife draws many people. Tokyo also offers visitors fun and futuristic shopping centers, a world famous transit system, as well as some of the most luxurious hotels on the face of the earth.

Tourists on a budget need not despair. Travelers can find any kind of accommodations they want, ranging from the obscenely expensive to the affordable. Hotels in Tokyo can be found virtually anywhere in the city, so locating one should not be a chore. A good mix of the more economical hotels and the ritzy ones are available in most areas. Many of the hotels in Tokyo have someone on the staff that can speak English, so you don’t have to worry about not knowing the language. Some are the different kinds of hotels in Tokyo include:

Economical Hotels:

These hotels are found primarily in the Taito vicinity, mostly in Asakusa and Ueno. There are also hostels located in these areas. If you don’t mind being a bit outside the city, many inexpensive hotels can be found in adjacent areas like Yokohama.

The cheapest of the cheap are called capsule hotels. However, due to their strict behavioral rules and traditions, they are not very fond of hosting foreigners. These accommodations are for single people only, and most of the time just for men.

Moderately Priced Hotels:

These hotels are usually referred to as “business hotels.” The rooms are usually very small, but they are often located in sought after areas, in the heart of the city. These rooms are a good option for single people who won’t be spending much time in their rooms. Business hotels can be found throughout the city.

Expensive Hotels:

If you have the money to spend on top-of-the-line accommodations, these hotels are for you. Many five star luxury hotels can be found in the heart of Tokyo, especially in Akasaka and western Shinjuku.