Review: Incredible Value, Delicious Buffet at Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport

Darren Booth | CNBC

Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport

I had a quick trip to Tokyo last month and stayed at the Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport, which offered incredible value for the price. Here's my review for this installment of Road Warrior Tested. (Read more: Casual Service, Missing Amenities in United International First Class to Tokyo)

Date/Duration of Stay: Jan. 22, 2013, one night.

Room Type: I booked a Hilton Queen room listed as 269 square feet, but was upgraded to a Deluxe Plus room (377 square feet) at check-in due to my top-tier Hilton Diamond elite status.

Rate: I was a bit surprised by how low the rate of 8,000 yen (about $85 U.S. dollars at current exchange rates) was when I booked the hotel a month before arrival. The booking allowed for cancellation up until 6 p.m. the day of arrival. Non-refundable advance purchase rates were 7,000 yen at the time I booked.

Location: Located in the town of Narita, the hotel was a short 10 minutes away from Tokyo Narita International Airport. Complimentary shuttle service was offered to the airport and the nearby train station with service to downtown Tokyo (about a 1-hour trip).

Room Details: I was booked into room 1130 and found two bottles of complimentary bottled water along with packaged biscuits on the desk—an arrival amenity for being a Diamond member. What I immediately noticed were the barren walls, lacking any framed art. One wall adjacent to the queen-size bed had a few characters of Japanese script painted on it, but did little to liven up the room.

Darren Booth | CNBC

Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport

A decent sized desk sat near the windows and included a wired Internet connection, which was also complimentary thanks to my elite status. Next to it were a dresser, TV and mini-bar compartment with a selection of soft drinks, wine and beer. Packaged snacks for purchase were also on top of the mini-bar. There was also complimentary coffee and tea.

Inside the closet were a set of cotton bath robes and slippers, a safe large enough to fit most laptops and two authentic Yukatas—light Japanese gowns.

Bathroom: The bathroom was small, but sufficient, and offered plenty of counter space. Peter Thomas Roth amenities were available, including bath and facial soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion. And a deluxe toothbrush kit and razor were on hand.

Hotel Amenities: Unlike many Hilton properties, this location didn't have an Executive Lounge. To make up for that, however, I was provided with a complimentary voucher for the next morning's breakfast buffet. And it was fantastic, offering a huge selection of both Western dishes and traditional Japanese fare, including Miso soup, steamed rice, seafood and various other side dishes.

Additionally, the hotel offered three on-site restaurants along with a Terrace Bar. The lobby also had a convenience store with packaged snacks, sandwiches, beverages and just about anything you'd normally find in a 7-Eleven.

I was provided with a pass for the 24-hour fitness center, though I didn't check it out. An indoor pool was also located in the hotel.

Service: I was pleasantly greeted both on arrival and at departure by front desk agents, who spoke excellent English. The service at the buffet was equally enjoyable with my plates cleared promptly.

Summary: The Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport provided excellent value for the price I paid. While its location is a great distance from downtown Tokyo, it was ideal for a one-night stay prior to an early flight out the next day. Airport hotels tend to be hit or miss in terms of service, but the Hilton Tokyo Narita provided 5-star service at a budget price.