Bayside Hotel Azur Takeshiba, Tokyo

Each year I try to take advantage of the fact that hotel prices plummet a few days after New Year, and treat myself to an inexpensive stay somewhere that would usually be out of my range. This time I found a crazy low rate at this stylish bayside hotel, and booked myself in for three nights of relaxation.

I was checked in quickly and smoothly by a very capable English speaker, in a spacious lobby that features a piano and a cafe overlooking the bay. The guest floors are equally stylish, with a clean, modern design, comfortably low lighting, couches at the corners and windows looking back down towards the lobby.

My room was pretty compact, but still plenty big enough for a solo traveler going very light, and with everything I needed; big comfortable bed, fridge, desk, good Wi-Fi, a couple of bottles of water each day, and a more than usually large TV on the wall facing the bed. In the morning I could enjoy looking out over the bay, at night there were the illuminations on the rainbow bridge and on Odaiba.

Up on the 18th floor, the public bathroom is where I'd go to relax after a day out seeing the sights. I'd steam in the sauna, with occasional dips in the iciest of cold baths for an authentic hardy Finnish-style experience, then either lie back in the bath or sit and fizz it up in the jacuzzi. There's also a small adjacent room with comfortable reclining seats, which you can lounge on as you admire the view.

The hotel is more or less immediately next to Hamarikyu Gardens, a beautiful traditional garden, and is also not far from a nice smaller garden, Kyu Shiba-Rikyu. There are some nice restaurants in a couple of nearby office buildings, a wider range of places to eat and drink around Hamamatsucho and Daimon stations, and a supermarket and numerous convenience stores within easy walking distance.