Hotel Sails exceeded our expectations. As a family with a 7 and 10 year old, we wanted a little extra space and two rooms. The hotel delivered well on that front, with two bedrooms and a small kitchen and dining space. It was clean, and felt spacious by Tokyo standards. What really made the hotel is the extremely helpful owner on the front desk, with perfect English he was happy to help and answer questions.
It's not a central Tokyo location, but 2 stops up from Ueno and 4 from Akihabara, there's plenty within easy reach. Minowa itself was quiet and peaceful, but we also found some excellent small dining options here which felt very authentic. There's a few 7-Eleven stores to pick up supplies and breakfast as well.
This isn't a 5 star hotel in Shinjuku, but that's not what we were looking for. We wanted something affordable that offered family space. It being a little out of the way wasn't a problem for us, so if you don't mind that, it's worth considering!
