In Japan, there are some differences in hotel room size and setup that I talk my clients through before recommending hotels:
Room Size
For my American clients, the biggest difference between hotel rooms they’re used to and hotel rooms in Japan is the size of the room. All city hotels that I recommend are centrally located, clean, and safe. The big difference between a 3* hotel and a 5* hotel is going to be the size of the room and correspondingly, the size of the beds.
A common size for an entry-level twin room in Japan is 17sqm (183sqft). If this is hard to picture, just imagine 2 beds crammed into a large closet. Or, imagine that you can either sit on the bed or open your suitcase. If you’ll be out most of the day exploring the city, this may not matter to you. But if it is an important part of an enjoyable and stress-free trip, you’ll need to be prepared to spend more for a larger room.
Beds
In Japan, twin bed rooms are much more common than a queen or king room. This is partially due to cultural reasons - many Japanese couples do not sleep in the same bed - but it is also due to space concerns. Small properties can offer twin rooms to many different types of travelers.
At very traditional properties, futon mattresses will be laid out on the tatami floor, but for the most part, western-style beds are becoming the norm in Japan.
Connecting Rooms
Connecting rooms are not very common in Japan. The majority of connecting rooms that are available are in 5* Western chains, such as Hyatt and Marriott properties. When looking at rooms for larger families and groups, do keep room sizes in mind - rollaway beds are not common due to smaller rooms, and the door between connecting rooms is usually the only place where a rollaway bed could be placed.
Family Rooms
Again due to space constraints, family rooms are not common in Japan. There are a few great apart-hotel style properties that offer larger family rooms and suites, but most of these properties do not offer breakfast and full hotel amenities. For a larger accommodation, staying in a machiya, or refurbished townhouse, is a great option! Again, these stays do not include meals or hotel amenities.
Hotel Amenities
In Japan, having a pool at the hotel is not very common; much more common is having a sento, or public bath, in the hotel. This is similar to an onsen - gender separated bathing facilities with typically a few different baths and maybe a sauna or steam room. Having a fitness center is also not very common at Japanese hotels, and many higher-end hotels that do have a fitness center charge a separate fee to use it, even for hotel guests.