When I travel around Japan I often like to stay somewhere away from the city centre, for a handful of reasons. I can get a sense of the everyday life of an area, it's usually quieter, and often cheaper. A few minutes walk south of Kameido station to the east of Akihabara, Hotel MyStays Kameido ticks the boxes nicely, but is also well connected by train and subway, within easy reach of central Tokyo.
One instantly interesting point is that it's clearly a converted company dormitory, the kind in which Japanese firms encourage their staff to live, or where they house employees who they've transferred away from their homes. I say this because the two buildings are much more like condos than a hotel; I stayed in the main one, designed in a square, the rooms with heavy doors opening to the outside.
My "semi-double" room was cosy and compact, adequate for a solo traveler with little luggage, possibly a bit cramped for two. All the business hotel essentials such as little TV and little fridge were there, and there was also a microwave; other items such as irons, trouser presses, DVD players and cooking utensils are available to rent or borrow from reception. The bathroom was very small - I could just about turn round in the bathtub - but the heater on the AC was good and strong, so keeping warm on a cold winter night was no problem.
As well as the items to borrow or rent, there are more supplies for your room near reception, there are English maps of the area available, and English information around the hotel. There's no PC for guests to use, but there's free Wi-Fi throughout, wired internet in the rooms, and laptops available for ¥1000 a night. Also in the hotel there's a big laundry room, some vending machines for drinks and snacks, and a small second-floor courtyard, where you can relax outside so long as not all of the guests are there at the same time.
Kameido is mostly a residential area, so there's not much sightseeing nearby: Kameido Tenjin shrine north of the station, pleasant Sarue Onshi Park a few minutes west of nearby Nishi-Ojima subway station and, if you're feeling energetic, it looks like you can walk to the Museum of Contemporary Art in 30-40 minutes, though I didn't check. What you do have within easy reach is three supermarkets, Sun Street shopping mall just up the road, lots of cafes, restaurants and stores, and the map provided at the hotel even includes a pawn shop, liquor store, sauna and "billiard" pool hall.
Rooms available are single, semi-double, double and twin, variously economy, standard and superior grade: most are either smoking or non-smoking, but the Deluxe or Superior Twin with Skytree View are smoking only. The cost varies with the room, grade, date and a whole host of other factors; a quick try on the website suggests it's around a basic ¥7000 for a single without breakfast, very good value for the location and convenience
