Tokyo · Shinjuku | Where to Stay

APA Hotel Shinjuku-Kabukicho Tower

The APA tower hotel in the heart of Kabukicho, covering Shinjuku east-exit access, 11 sqm standard rooms versus twin rooms, the 28th-floor bathhouse, and the common cafe breakfast.

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Tall building exterior and sign; the hotel is in Kabukicho 1-chome.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

I Would First Check Whether It Fits Your Itinerary

About 7 minutes from the east exit of Shinjuku Station, about 2 minutes from Seibu-Shinjuku Station — the two stations are not the same station.
Basic single and double rooms are both 11 sqm; if two of you carry large cases, I would first compare the 17 sqm twin.
The 28th floor has a bathhouse and open-air bath for guests, so you can come back and relax after an evening of shopping.

If you like Shinjuku’s buzz and want to watch a movie, eat late-night food, or wander until late in the evening, the location of APA Hotel Shinjuku-Kabukicho Tower comes in very handy. The Kabukicho entertainment and dining district is right nearby, and there is still a bathhouse to use after returning to the hotel.

I would see this as a city hotel with a very clear character of ‘location and bathing.’ Playing outside by day and coming back at night to bathe and sleep makes sense; but if you want to spread out two large cases in the room, sit and eat late-night food, then sort things slowly, you need to think the standard room through first.

It differs from other APA branches in the Shinjuku area, so for booking and navigation use the full name ‘Shinjuku-Kabukicho Tower’ and Kabukicho 1-20-2. Do not assume another branch’s room types or facilities apply just because the brand and area are the same.

Transport and Location: Enter Kabukicho from the East Exit, with Street Crowds on the Final Stretch

Official access is about a 7-minute walk from the east exit of Shinjuku Station, about 2 minutes from Seibu-Shinjuku Station. JR Shinjuku Station is large inside, and there is still distance from the platform to the east exit; Seibu-Shinjuku Station is a different station, so when choosing a route I would first check which line you actually need.

With luggage, do not chase only the shortest line on the map. A general exit route is not the same as a lift route: first follow the in-station step-free signs to street level, then navigate from the street to the hotel; in the evening the streets are crowded, so allow extra time when dragging a large case.

Kabukicho has many restaurants, entertainment venues, and crowds, which people who like nighttime activity will find convenient; those traveling with children, wanting an early night, or preferring a quiet streetscape should weigh that atmosphere too. I would learn the hotel entrance on arrival day, and walk back along familiar main roads.

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APA Hotel Shinjuku-Kabukicho Tower at night — Tall building exterior and sign; the hotel is in Kabukicho 1-chome.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Hotel entrance and the tall building at night — Hotel exterior seen looking up from the entrance — spot the APA sign on arrival.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Choosing a Room for Two: An 11 sqm Double Room — Wider Bed, but No More Area

Room type	Area and beds	How I would see it
Single room	11 sqm; 122 cm bed	Solo short stay, light packing
Double room	11 sqm; 142 cm bed	Two can stay, but cases need opening in turns
Twin room	17 sqm; two 113 cm beds	Friends traveling together, or two who each want their own bed
Deluxe twin, 3rd floor	25 sqm; two 113 cm beds	Prioritize the larger in-room space
Deluxe twin, 27th floor	22 sqm; two 122 cm beds	Want both bed width and a higher floor

Double and single rooms are both 11 sqm; the difference is mainly bed width. Two people sharing a 142 cm bed, plus two cases, feels different from one person in the same area. I would count luggage size, shopping volume, and nights together, and not feel reassured just because the room type says Double.

Twin room on display — A twin room has a bed each, but in-room activity space still depends on the area.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Guest photo of a single room, with a compact bedside walkway and desk layout.
Photo source:Trip.com guest photos

Guest photo of the room desk and bed — Guest photo, useful for observing the foot-of-bed and work-desk scale together.
Photo source:Trip.com guest photos

Guest photo of the bed and in-room circulation — Guest photos help assess how an 11 sqm room can be used.
Photo source:Trip.com guest photos

If you only come back to sleep each night and carry little luggage, a standard room’s layout can be very efficient; if you want to rest in the room or stay longer, twin and deluxe twin rooms are more worth comparing. Deluxe twins come in different floors, areas, and bed widths, so check the matching version before booking.

The room has its own unit bathroom, with bathtub and washbasin in a compact space. Keeping toiletries streamlined makes two people taking turns washing up smoother; people unaccustomed to public baths need not force themselves to change habits for the bathhouse.

Guest-room unit bathroom — The room still has its own bathroom, so you can wash up without using the bathhouse.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Guest-room amenities on display; actual items follow the hotel’s on-site arrangements.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Guest photo of the bed and desk — A guest photo showing the foot-of-bed desk and luggage space.
Photo source:Trip.com guest photos

common cafe Breakfast: If You Want to Eat Well Before Shopping, Stay in the Hotel

Breakfast is at the second-floor common cafe, featuring a Japanese-Western buffet, roast beef, and coffee. The official listing gives 7:00–10:00, last entry 9:30; the adult reference price is 2,000 yen prepaid and 2,300 yen on the day. Whether it is included in your booking must be checked before departure.

common cafe buffet counter — Restaurant buffet counter on display; breakfast dishes follow the day’s availability.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Panoramic view of the buffet serving area — check the serving format before choosing breakfast.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Restaurant plates on display — Plate pairings from the restaurant gallery, shown as an example; actual breakfast content follows the day’s availability.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

I would save the in-hotel breakfast for a morning without a train to catch, eating well before heading out in Shinjuku. If you want to take a long-distance train early, a 7:00 start may not fit your plan, and buying a simple breakfast at a convenience store or station is more flexible. For a longer stay you need not eat at the same restaurant every day — nearby coffee or set meals offer variety.

Restaurant photos help you understand the space, but not every gallery dish is necessarily a fixed breakfast item. If you particularly want a certain dish, checking the day’s availability directly before departure is more accurate than expecting the whole menu from the photos.

Seats in the hotel restaurant — Dining seats in the hotel restaurant.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Restaurant pizza dish on display — Hotel restaurant dishes on display — not a guarantee of fixed breakfast items.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

The Bathhouse Is the Highlight; for Longer Stays, Also Watch Lift and Laundry Times

The 28th floor has a bathhouse and open-air bath, officially free for guests, open 15:00–1:00 and 6:00–10:00 in the morning. This is a quasi-natural koumeiseki artificial hot-spring facility, and I would not describe it as a natural hot-spring inn; being able to bathe after a full day walking the city is already a very practical plus.

In-hotel bathhouse indoor bath pool — In-hotel bathhouse on display, for guests to use under the rules.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Open-air bath on display — The top-floor open-air bath is a very tangible plus for this city hotel.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Indoor bath pool from another angle — Indoor bath pool on display; bring your room towel and key card when using it.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Indoor bath pool and natural light — Another angle of the bath’s natural light, showing the scale of the shared bath.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

Close view of the open-air bath — not a natural hot-spring resort inn.
Photo source:Trip.com hotel gallery

When using it, bring your key card, room towel, and needed toiletries, and follow the bathhouse rules. If you have tattoos or other usage needs, confirm directly with the hotel first whether you may enter and what the rules are; do not discover at the door, already changed, that you do not meet the rules.

The hotel has coin laundry facilities, so a longer stay can mean packing fewer clothes, but washing, drying, and waiting for lifts all take time. Guests have mentioned lifts being busy at peak times, so I would avoid the concentrated morning check-out period and the time when everyone returns to the hotel, leaving a buffer before going out.

The official listing gives ECO cleaning for longer stays; I would ask at check-in, all at once, how full cleaning, towel, and rubbish handling work. With a small room, after several nights of a longer stay, clutter more easily takes over the walkway, and spending a few minutes tidying before bed is easier than constantly stepping over cases.

Recent guests often praise the transport, nearby dining, and bathhouse, while some have also felt the Kabukicho evening crowds. A lively outside does not mean every room is equally noisy; if you are sensitive to sound, you can ask in advance for a quieter room, while understanding the trade-off of a busy-district location.

Nearby Itineraries: Keep Shopping, Movies, and Late-Night Food Around the East Exit

Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, cinemas, and the Godzilla landmark are all in the surrounding district, so entertainment lovers need not travel far back every night. Shinjuku east-exit department stores and shopping are also easy to arrange — after buying things, you can drop them at the hotel first, then go out to eat.

I would plan two nights as: arrival day, east-exit shopping and dinner nearby; day two, out around central Tokyo, leaving time back at the hotel for the bathhouse. A visit to Shinjuku Gyoen gets its own daytime slot, rather than cramming the nighttime entertainment district and a park into the same short window.

With children, or if you dislike nighttime crowds, the itinerary can end earlier — eat well in the evening, then return to the hotel to rest. If what you actually want is a quiet residential-street atmosphere, I would also compare other Shinjuku areas, not just station distances on the map.

Pros and Cons: Location and Bathhouse Add Points, but Standard Rooms Are Very Compact

Aspect	Advantage	Trade-off to accept
Location	Close to Kabukicho dining and entertainment; Seibu-Shinjuku and JR both available	Evening crowds are heavy; allow time with luggage
Room	Basic functions complete, with twin and larger room types	Standard double 11 sqm; case-opening and activity space limited
Bathhouse	28th-floor shared baths and open-air bath	Shared spaces have rules and usage hours
Breakfast	Second-floor buffet, convenient for eating well before going out	Starts at 7:00; may not suit early-departure itineraries
Longer stay	Coin laundry and ECO service available	Peak-time lifts, cleaning, and luggage sorting need planning

My Conclusion: It Suits You Best If You Want Lively Shinjuku and Will Actually Use the Bathhouse

I would recommend it to solo travelers, light packers on short stays, or people who like being out in Shinjuku at night. For two staying together, think the 11 sqm space through first; with two large cases, I would prioritize comparing twin or larger room types, not just the standard room’s total price.

If a public bathhouse is the way you want to relax every day, this hotel’s character is clear; if you want a spacious room, long hours in the hotel, or a quiet streetscape, compare a few more hotels and choose a location that matches your travel rhythm.

Fact-check date: 2026-10-25