My husband and I have each been treating ourselves to one solo trip per year as a parenting break.
This is how I ended up spending a week in Tokyo for my birthday this year. I’d been to Japan’s capital once before, back in 2019, but I really felt like I hadn’t seen all that the city had to offer. Going back on a solo trip would mean I’d have the opportunity to explore the destination in more depth without my toddler in tow.
For this trip, I wanted to base my stay in Shinjuku, which was an area I hadn’t been to before. It turned out to be the perfect choice for solo travellers like me who want to use Tokyo as a base for exploring the city and the nearby areas of Japan.
If you’re wondering where to stay in Shinjuku, Tokyo as a solo traveller, let me show you where I stayed: La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho. This review is completely my own honest opinion, and I did not receive any payment or subsidy for my stay—it was all paid for on my own dime.
Quick summary:
I spent five nights at La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho and found it to be clean, quiet, and well-located for exploring Tokyo. With compact rooms that include a private ensuite, this hotel is ideal for solo travellers who want affordability without sacrificing comfort or convenience.
Book your stay:
Compare room types, see more photos, and read reviews.
🛏️ La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho on Expedia
🛏️ La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho on booking.com
🛏️ La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho on Klook
Why I chose La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho
When I travel, I usually aim for budget accommodations that have all the essential amenities. For me, that meant no capsule hotels (not ideal for a full week!) and instead choosing an affordable hotel in Shinjuku with a private bathroom.
La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho fit the brief perfectly. It’s a great choice if you’re searching for a budget hotel in Shinjuku Tokyo that still feels private and peaceful.
The rooms are compact—as is standard in many Tokyo hotels—but thoughtfully designed to maximise the use of space available. As I was travelling solo, I went for the Moderate Double room type which is the smallest (and cheapest) option, but the hotel has plenty of larger rooms that would be more spacious for those of you who are travelling to Tokyo as a couple or with friends or family.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I always go for hotels that have positive guest ratings, and La’gent Hotel was one of the top Shinjuku hotels on Expedia with an average 9.0 guest review score.
Location: Near the action but still quiet
If you’re looking for a Shinjuku hotel with private bathroom and a convenient location, this one’s a winner. The hotel is located near to the main strip of Kabukicho, so it’s close to the nightlife but still quiet enough for a restful night’s sleep.
While I was staying there, I could walk about 5–10 minutes to Shin-Ōkubo Station on the JR Yamanote Line, which made it easy to explore places like Shibuya and Harajuku. There are other Tokyo metro lines nearby as well, so it’s convenient for getting around to all the popular Tokyo attractions.
The hotel is also a solid base for Tokyo day trips—I booked two guided tours (one to Mt Fuji and one to Hakone) that both had pickup points at the Robert Indiana “LOVE” Sculpture, just a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
Getting there from Haneda Airport
Getting from Haneda Airport to Shinjuku is relatively simple. I took the monorail to Hamamatsucho Station, then transferred to the Yamanote Line train to Shin-Ōkubo Station.
On arrival in Shinjuku, I went straight to the hotel to drop off my luggage. The hotel does offer luggage minding, though it was out in the open in front of the reception desk, so my bag was not packed away in a private space. I was a little weirded out by this but there were multiple people at the front desk that had the bags within their line of sight, so I figured it would probably be safe enough (and it was).
The check-in experience
My flight arrived in Tokyo in the morning, so I enquired about the La’gent Hotel Shinjuku early check-in fee. They replied to my message promptly and told me that the earliest check in they could do was 1PM, with a cost of 1500 JPY per hour before the 3PM check-in time.
While I would have loved to check in earlier, I did appreciate the flexibility, and the early check in process was easy to arrange at the front desk on arrival at the hotel. If you will be arriving early in the day and want access to your room, you might consider booking the night before.
I also paid the Tokyo Hotel City Tax at the time of check in. The amount of tax you will pay depends on the nightly rate and can be up to 150 JPY per night.
The service from hotel staff was friendly. Most of the staff spoke some English, though not all were completely fluent. I didn’t have any troubles communicating my needs to the people at the service desk.
The room: Clean, compact, and quiet
When I checked in, I found my room at La’gent Hotel Shinjuku to be perfectly adequate. Like most budget hotels in Tokyo, it was nothing fancy (the room was expectedly small) but it was clean, comfortable, and quiet. I didn’t hear a single noise from neighbouring rooms, only the occasional footsteps and people talking in the common hallway.
Room amenities:
- Mini fridge
- Kettle
- TV
- Work desk and chair
- Fast Wi-Fi
- Private ensuite bathroom
My room had a small work desk and chair, which I loved as it gave me a space to sit and relax or work on my laptop. It also had a mini fridge and a kettle.
Because the Moderate Double room type was on the small side, it did not have an open space to store my luggage, however, the beds were purposefully raised off the floor so that guests can use the space underneath as storage.
This didn’t bother me at all–I had no trouble pulling out my suitcase from under the bed when I needed to get to my things–but this might be annoying for some people who travel with large/heavy suitcases or if there are multiple people staying in the room.
🔎 If you think you’ll need extra space, I’d suggest choosing a larger room type when booking your stay at La’gent Hotel, such as the Comfort or Deluxe, as they are more spacious than the Moderate rooms.
The private ensuite was a traditional Japanese hotel bathroom, which is quite different to regular western bathrooms. It had a bidet toilet complete with remote control on the wall. These Japanese toilets absolutely fascinate me and are a real novelty for many foreigners travelling in Japan!
Honestly, my only complaint about the room was that the mattress was a bit firm for my taste. I usually like a softer bed, so I used a towel underneath me for a little extra padding.
Japan has exceptionally speedy internet, and the hotel Wi-Fi was fast and reliable in the room throughout my stay. I uploaded plenty of photos and videos for friends and family back home. The only time I had issues was on checkout day when a video wouldn’t upload, but that seemed like a one-off glitch.
Breakfast and bar
My room rate included breakfast, served in the onsite bar/café (Crospot) next to the hotel lobby. As a vegetarian, I didn’t find heaps of options (a very common issue in Japan!) but I made do with yoghurt, granola, toast, and a semi-decent long black from the coffee machine.
Those of you who don’t have dietary requirements probably would find the breakfast to be pretty decent, and it had some western foods (tater tots, chicken nuggets, etc.) as well as local Japanese options such as steamed dumplings.
🥐 You can choose whether to include breakfast in your room rate when making your hotel booking online. For only $16 USD per day, I think it’s a pretty good deal for a full buffet breakfast.
I found the hotel bar to be a quiet place to relax in the evenings. On a few nights, I’d sit by the window after a day of sightseeing, sipping on a Sapporo beer and munching on curly fries and edamame (the only vegetarian options on the menu!), watching people pass by on the street outside. On my birthday, I celebrated with a sake flight featuring three unique varieties from across Japan.
I did wish that the hotel had a dedicated daytime lounge area, as it would have been nice to sit with a coffee or work outside of the room. Although it’s not very lounge-y, the bar/café does open from 3PM, so guests can use that space in the afternoons if they are looking for a communal area.
Final thoughts
If you’re looking for the best hotel in Tokyo for solo travellers, especially in the vibrant and accessible area of Shinjuku, La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho is a good pick.
I also saw plenty of couples staying here, so if you’re travelling with a partner and want an affordable hotel in Shinjuku, this one might be a good choice.
La’gent Hotel Shinjuku is perfect for:
- Solo travellers looking for affordable Tokyo accommodation
- Those who want a private ensuite (not shared facilities!)
- Anyone using Shinjuku as a base for exploring Tokyo and beyond
- Travellers who value a quiet spot but still want to be near the action
Book your stay at La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho
👉 Check prices and availability on Expedia
👉 Check prices and availability on booking.com
👉 Check prices and availability on Klook
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