Introduction

I just arrived in Tokyo Narita on an Iberia flight from Madrid. My onward connection is not until this evening, which gives me about nine hours on the ground. Rather than vegetating in a jetlag induced semi comatose state at the airport, I’ve booked a day room at the Narita Hilton.

The day rooms cannot be booked online or through the app. You need to write to the hotel directly for that. They respond fairly quickly. The rate is about EUR80 for the room, whether it’s single or double occupancy.

Location

Ever since it opened, Narita airport has suffered from its remote location. Even by Narita Express fast train it’s still ninety minutes from Shinjuku to the airport.

On the positive side, the airport and its hotels are surrounded by lush greenery. More importantly, the Narita Hilton is right next to the approach for the longer, western one of the two parallel runways.

A shuttle bus connects the airport to the hotel. Shuttles leave from bay 26 at Terminal 2. The journey to the hotel takes about fifteen minutes.

Check-In

The Narita Hilton has always been a favourite with the airlines as a layover hotel for their crews. While the young lady checks me in, I first watch the SWISS crew and shortly afterwards the Turkish Airlines crew file past.

The young lady informs me that I’ve been upgraded because of my Hilton Honors status. Basically, the upgrade just means the same room category, but on a higher floor.

Staff & Service

My stay here is only a brief one. The young lady at check-in is the only person from the hotel that I interact with. She’s friendly enough and efficient in a way that only the Japanese know how to be. What is a bit freaky, though, is that she’s wearing coloured contact lenses that are not properly aligned with her real irises. Frankly, she just looks plain weird.

Deluxe Twin Guest Room

Big corporate hotels in Japan tend to have their own, particular aesthetic which is quite stiff and more than just a bit dated. The Hilton Narita falls into that category. But still, I’m here to sleep, that’s all.

The stuffy, dated vibe with thick old carpets and a slightly odd smell of wet socks continues in the room. However, by Japanese standards this room is positively enormous! There are twin bed, a desk and even a full size wardrobe. The room is devoid of any kind of decoration, save for a calligraphy on one of the walls.

I will say, though, that the bed is an absolute treat and has just the right firmness to ensure I have a restful sleep. It’s also noticeable just how quiet the room is. I don’t hear any noises from the rooms next to mine or from the outside.

The bathroom looks as though most of it was molded out of one big piece of plastic, but it has all the basics. The fittings and faucets look a bit old fashioned, but they’re in perfect working order. It may not be fancy, but it’s certainly functional – the shower passes the Knight of Malta’s test effortlessly: good pressure, no spillage or flooding. Minus points for the mold on the shower curtain, though.

But let us discuss the really important features of this hotel. Well, it’s just the one feature, really. I awake from sleep some time after two in the afternoon. My vision is still blurry from sleep and my eyes are still adjusting to the bright light pooring in, when I see something big and white zoom past my window from left to right. I quickly scramble out of bed and draw the curtains, just as an Air Canada B 777 flies past. The nice thing about Narita is that most of the traffic is widebodies, with only the occasional B 737 or A 320 thrown in for good measure. I like it!

Amenities

As far as amenities go, the room has a water kettle and a selection of green teas. Two complimentary was bottles of still water are also provided. Other than that, there are flimsy slippers and bathrobes in the wardrobe and there are also two yukatas in the drawer for guests to lounge in while they’re in the room.

Conclusion

Just after 16h00, I exit the room and head downstairs to check out. I have a shuttle back to the airport at 16h20. The Hilton Narita airport is not a particularly nice hotel and it’s pretty much stuck out in the middle of nowhere. I don’t envy the crews that have to layover here, frankly. Then again, most airport hotels are not really great. They’re places people stay at for convenience and for their proximity to the airport. That’s all.