The Centurion Classic Akasaka Tokyo Review 2025

We’ve just returned from an incredible 16 day holiday, travelling around Japan with our 3 kids (2 teens and a 7 year old), and I have so many photos and things to share that I’m almost bursting! With so much info and exciting Japan stuff going round my head, I thought that I would start from pretty much the beginning of our trip, where we landed at Tokyo Haneda Airport, before heading to our first hotel, which was The Centurion Classic Akasaka. 

I had spent months prior to our trip hunting for the ‘right’ family hotel in Tokyo for us online, as word on the street had said that rooms were on the smaller side, and that it might be a struggle or a tight squeeze for a family of 5 (we ideally wanted to be in one space together, for ease of searching for things in various suitcases!). We also knew we wanted to be somewhere pretty central and close to a metro station, without staying somewhere too touristy of crazy (think, Shibuya), but still with a fair bit going on in terms of restaurants and other quick food options.

Not to much to ask, huh?! 

I’d seen The Centurion Classic Akasaka mentioned as a potential contender on a couple of helpful Japan travel Facebook groups (I highly advise joining these if you’re on FB, they were SO useful), and Akasaka seemed like a great area to be in. If you’re looking for a centrally-located, budget-friendly Tokyo hotel with both style and comfort, then this hotel might be for you and your family. Here’s my honest 2025 review of The Centurion Classic Akasaka Tokyo…

Why Akasaka? Location of the Hotel

The Centurion Classic Akasaka hotel is within easy walking distance of both Akasaka Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, and Akasaka-Mitsuke Station on Tokyo Metro Ginza and Marunouchi Lines. Having access to these well-connected transport hubs means that you can reach Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza and Tokyo Station within 10–20 minutes by Metro, something that was important to us. We has considered the Ueno area as I had read that many people choose to stay there because of close proximity to the park, and because it’s also a family-friendly area of Tokyo. However, this would mean that we would be much further from West-Tokyo where we had plans for things to do, and we wanted the option to pop back to our hotel for a break, before heading out again, something we would have less opportunity to do at a further away location. Akasaka ticked the boxes when it came to making life easier travel-wise on a day out.

Akasaka itself is also an underrated gem. The neighbourhood remains peaceful compared to other major city centres, while it still had a lively buzz to it, with restaurants and shops like 7-11 along it’s cute, traditional streets. Nighttime safety was another must-have, and the area is active, well-lit, and felt super-safe. 

First Impressions

On arrival in the morning after a 13 hour flight from the UK and no sleep, it was wonderful to be welcomed so warmly by a member of staff, who incidentally spoke great English, meaning my jet lagged brain didn’t have to muster up some basic Japanese when all it needed was sleep! 

First impressions? The hotel looks small from the outside but is actually like a tardis, and the entrance is discreet but elegant. Check-in was smooth with my helpful staff member, where I settled the bill and we were given key cards to our room. In terms of looks, the hotel lobby has a modern-meets-traditional vibe, with faux cherry blossoms hanging from the ceiling, a whole array of helpful leaflets and brochures, plus a rack of great personal products to take, such as slippers toothpaste, toothbrushes etc – always a nice touch. 

Tip – We booked an extra night for the night before our flight landed the following morning, meaning when we arrived at our hotel at 9am, we could go to our room and have a couple of hours sleep. This might make your stay a bit more expensive, but 100% worth it if your flight lands very early morning. 

Room Types & Comfort

We booked an ‘Akasaka Suite – Non Smoking -No Daily Cleaning (2 King Bed) Extra Bed for 5th Adults and More’ (that was the official description). I booked this on Hotels.com, and the photo of the room looked pretty spacious, although I’m always a little nervous whether or not a room will live up to expectations. Turns out, I need not have worried as the room was a really decent size for the 5 of us!

The room was clean, on a quiet quiet, and well-equipped. It included:

• Comfortable beds and pillows

• A mini fridge and coffee machine (we could pick up new coffee pods daily, which was great, as my husband and I both love our coffee, so it meant we could have a couple of decent coffees a day!)

• Yukata (Japanese robes), slippers, and toiletries

• Air purifier and humidifier

• A good Wi-Fi connection (crucial with teens!)

• USB charging ports and bedside lighting

• Not 1, but 2, HUGE flat screen TVs!
• Sofa area and coffee table for chilling
• Balcony

The layout was clever and made the most of the space, with the sleeping area at one end, and the sofa area/ kitchenette at the other. We found it suitable for five people which I was impressed with, with the two double beds being super-king, and a single bed for our teenage son. The bathroom was off the entrance hall (yes, there was even this!) and was a great size, and even had a washer/ drier in (although we didn’t end up using this).

Facilities & Services

While the hotel doesn’t have an on-site restaurant or breakfast buffet, there’s a 24-hour FamilyMart right across the road, which was a god-send for breakfasts (we were obsessed with the maple pancakes!) and evening snacks and drinks, plus dozens of cafes and restaurants on our hotel’s street or within a five-minute walk.

Other amenities:

• Self-service laundry – a handy option on a long trip, although as this was the start of our trip, we didn’t use our washing machine.

• Housekeeping – Our room rate didn’t include daily cleaning, but fresh towels were left outside our room without fail every morning, and we could leave our bins outside the room to be emptied each day too. This was fine for the length of our stay tbh (6 nights).

• Helpful front desk staff who happily stored our luggage before check-in and after check-out.

• Secure keycard access to guest floors. 

Okay, so it’s a no-frills approach, but everything worked well, and the attention to cleanliness and detail was excellent.

Price & Value for Money

We paid JP¥607,003 (£3,152.00) for 6 nights, which works at at approx ¥101,000 per night (£525 GBP) for this large family room. For a hotel in central Tokyo with this location and facilities, it seemed like a fair price in comparison to the research that I did on other similar hotels with decent sized family rooms (that 3rd child really ramps up the price of holidays, folks!)

Compared to other Tokyo hotels, especially chain hotels or those in Shibuya or Shinjuku, this was much more affordable without compromising on convenience. I’d say it’s ideal for:

• Couples or solo travellers

• Small AND larger families

• Anyone looking for a balance between modern comforts and traditional Japanese atmosphere

• Travellers who want a great, central location that’s safe yet with lots going on on the doorstep

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Excellent location near two major Metro lines

• Clean, comfortable, decent-sized rooms with Japanese touches

• Friendly, English-speaking staff

• Great value for money

• Self-service laundry available

Cons:

• No on-site breakfast or restaurant

• Rooms may feel tight for families with older kids

• Limited social/common areas

Final Verdict – Would I Stay Again at The Centurion Classic Akasaka in 2025?

100%! We loved this well-located Tokyo hotel with just enough personality to feel like we were getting an authentic Japanese experience, but that was Western-traveller friendly. The Centurion Classic Akasaka Tokyo hit the sweet spot! It’s stylish without being flashy, quiet yet close to the action, and reliable and basic without being devoid of the little touches that are important to us (coffee!). 

It was a perfect family basecamp in which to explore Tokyo.

How to Get To The Centurion Classic Akasaka

From Haneda Airport:

• Take the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa, then the Yamanote Line to Shimbashi, and transfer to the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line to Akasaka-Mitsuke. Total: 50 mins.

From Narita Airport:

• Take the Narita Express to Tokyo Station, then Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line to Akasaka-Mitsuke. Total: 90 mins.

We pre-booked a minivan with Tokyo Airporter, for about £70, and were really happy with the service. This took more like 35 minutes from airport to hotel. 

This YouTube video has a great tour of the hotel:

Have you stayed at The Centurion Classic Akasaka or another Tokyo hotel recently? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your recommendations!

See more of my travel posts here!

Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.