Can you really say you have visited Japan without experiencing Tokyo?
To me, it feels a little like saying you have been to France without ever seeing Paris. Tokyo may be a major destination for business travelers, but it is also a city that deserves to be experienced properly as a leisure destination at least once.
Of course, central neighborhoods such as Shinjuku and Ginza are essential parts of any Tokyo itinerary. But for many travelers, a trip to Tokyo would not feel complete without Disneyland.
And this is not simply because of Tokyo Disneyland. The resort is also home to Tokyo DisneySea, a theme park with a more immersive atmosphere that can be particularly appealing to adults. Even if you are not especially interested in riding attractions, simply walking through the park can feel like stepping into a film set.
Where to Stay for Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort is located well outside central Tokyo, so traveling back and forth from the city center is not especially convenient. If you plan to enter the park in the morning, stay until the evening entertainment, and perhaps even return after taking a break during the day, choosing a nearby hotel becomes extremely important.
Many travelers stay either in Odaiba or within the Tokyo Bay resort area. Having stayed in both, I found that if your plan is to visit the parks twice in one day – returning to the hotel in between for a proper rest – staying inside the resort area is almost essential.
Among the many international chains and well-known hotels nearby, I chose Sheraton Grand Tokyo Bay Hotel. Nightly rates are usually around $200–$300, which I found relatively reasonable for the location. It is also an enormous property, with more than 1,000 rooms.
The scale becomes obvious very quickly. There were so many guests that I even saw people checking in at around 6 AM.
The main drawback is the building itself. The hotel originally opened many years ago, and although the property functions efficiently, the overall layout can feel somewhat enclosed and complicated.
If it had been designed with the kind of wide-open atriums and high ceilings you often see in large Macau resorts, the sense of congestion might be less noticeable. Instead, some parts of the hotel feel surprisingly maze-like.
👉 Sheraton Grand Tokyo Bay Hotel – Check rates on Agoda
👉 Sheraton Grand Tokyo Bay Hotel- Check rates on Expedia
Elite Check-In – Organized, but Still Busy
There is a dedicated check-in counter for Marriott Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador members. Even this area can have a wait, which says quite a lot about how many elite members stay here. Fortunately, there is seating available while you wait.
What impressed me was the process. Names were written down as guests arrived, and check-in was handled strictly in order. It was one of those small moments that made me think, “Yes, this is Japan.”
Rooms – Renovated Well Enough to Hide the Hotel’s Age
The guest rooms have been renovated cleanly and comfortably, and I experienced no inconvenience at all. Despite the age of the hotel, the extensive refurbishment has done a great deal to soften any sense that you are staying in an older property. The hotel originally opened on April 14, 1988, making it a 38-year-old property at the time of my stay.
The family-friendly details were especially noticeable.
There was even a small step stool in the bathroom for children, while the wallpaper and interior accents had a playful feel that made the room feel appropriately connected to the Disney resort atmosphere.
As a Marriott Titanium Elite member, I received a room upgrade and stayed in an ocean-view room. The view was excellent, with a broad, open outlook over the sea.
For me, the renovated rooms were one of the strongest aspects of Sheraton Grand Tokyo Bay Hotel. The building may be old, but the room itself never felt inconveniently dated.
Swimming Pool – Additional Fee Required
The hotel has an outdoor pool. The fee was ¥1,000 in July and ¥3,000 in August.
Personally, I did not feel the pool was compelling enough to justify paying an additional fee, particularly because it was smaller than I had expected.
Five Breakfast Venues for a Hotel of This Scale
The number of guests is so large that the hotel operates as many as five breakfast venues.
Among the breakfast locations I noted were:
- Grand Café – the main breakfast buffet
- Galleria Café – a mix of Western and Japanese dishes
- Café Toastina – a lighter, more casual Western-style breakfast
- Maihama Teppanyaki+ – a Japanese-style breakfast option
Breakfast generally costs around ¥3,500–¥4,000 per person. Considering the overall quality, I did not find the price particularly excessive. In fact, the food quality was very good.
Marriott Platinum members can use four breakfast options, including the Club Lounge, Galleria Café, Café Toastina, and the teppanyaki restaurant. Because I stayed for two nights and three days, I tried both Galleria Café and the teppanyaki breakfast.
My conclusion was very clear: the teppanyaki breakfast won by a wide margin.
The Japanese selection was much more varied than I expected. You could grill mackerel to add a smoky finish, the udon was excellent, and there were also onigiri, Japanese-style salads, and other local breakfast dishes. Interestingly, most local guests seemed to choose the Western-style restaurant.
I went in the opposite direction and chose the Japanese breakfast, which turned out to be one of the most enjoyable meals of my stay.
Club Lounge – Excellent Food, but a Strict 60-Minute Limit
I am not sure what kind of Marriott promotion Japan may have run, but the number of Platinum members here seemed extraordinary. More than 80% of the guests I saw appeared to be Japanese, and the lounge was consistently full. Happy hour is therefore operated in two separate seating periods.
The evening service runs from 4 PM to 8 PM, but each guest is limited to exactly 60 minutes. I suspect the relatively early 4 PM starting time may be designed with Disney guests in mind, allowing people who visit the parks during both the daytime and evening to fit in a lounge visit. The entry window is generous, but once you sit down, the one-hour limit makes the experience feel rather rushed.
That said, I remember the food selection and alcohol list being impressively substantial. There were around 5 hot dishes and another 3 to 4 cold dishes, making the spread generous enough to function as dinner. And this may have been the first hotel lounge where I had seen Glenfiddich 12 Year Old available.
The food changed daily. One evening there was Japanese curry, while on another night there was a local-style dish I had never tried before. The major advantage is that the selection is genuinely substantial enough to replace dinner.
The only catch is that you need to eat quickly. Sixty minutes passes surprisingly fast.
Transportation – One of the Hotel’s Strongest Advantages
Most hotels around Tokyo Disney Resort operate some form of shuttle service, and Sheraton Grand Tokyo Bay Hotel is particularly convenient in this regard. Tokyo Disneyland is around 15 minutes away, making the location especially practical for guests planning a full day at the parks.
You can arrive directly by limousine bus from Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, or Maihama Station. The airport limousine buses require an additional fare, while the Maihama shuttle is complimentary.
This convenience matters more than it may initially seem. For many travelers, entering Disneyland in the morning and remaining there all the way through the evening fireworks can be exhausting. Staying nearby means you can return to the hotel for a proper break before going back out again.
There is also a shuttle to Bayside Station, although the station is only around a two- to three-minute walk away. If the shuttle is not waiting, walking is often quicker. Bayside Station is part of the Disney Resort Line, and having it this close makes moving around the resort remarkably easy.
Final Thoughts
Despite the enormous number of guests, the hotel has systems in place that keep everything moving with impressive efficiency. In many ways, it feels like the operational experience of an older, long-established hotel working in its favor.
Between the Disney monorail, the JR Maihama Station shuttle routes, the sheer scale of more than 1,000 rooms, and the constant movement of guests, there is plenty of potential for confusion. And yet, I rarely felt inconvenienced.
The renovated rooms were comfortable enough that the age of the building did not bother me, while the direct limousine bus connections to both Narita and Haneda airports added another layer of convenience. Overall, the property feels far easier to stay in than its size might suggest.
If Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea is the main purpose of your trip, Sheraton Grand Tokyo Bay Hotel is a hotel I would be comfortable recommending.
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