APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Chuo Review: Value vs Location

For travellers weighing the trade-off between budget-friendly rates and location in one of Tokyo’s most electric districts, the APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Chuo offers a clear proposition: you pay less for a compact room in exchange for being steps from Kabukicho’s neon-lit streets and a seven-minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station. This review compares that trade-off against nearby APA properties, using verified data from the official APA website, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor to help you decide whether this 166-room budget hotel fits your trip.

Last checked: 2026-08-20

Property name: APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Chuo · Nearest major station: JR Shinjuku Station (6 min walk) · Seibu-Shinjuku Station: 2-minute walk · Star rating: 3-star (per TripAdvisor classification) · Free Wi-Fi: Yes · Public bath: Not on-site; available at sister property APA Shinjuku Kabukicho Tower

Why are APA hotels so cheap?

The APA chain typically keeps rates low through a formula of compact room sizes, standardized construction, and limited common-area amenities. At the APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Chuo, the 166 rooms occupy a relatively small footprint — typical of APA properties — which reduces both land and building costs per unit.

Standardized design across APA properties also cuts design and procurement expenses: the same room layouts, furniture, and fixtures are reused nationwide. Guests get a no-frills experience — no large lobby, limited dining, and minimal staffed services — which APA passes along as lower room rates. The property’s breakfast, for instance, is a Japanese and Western-style buffet priced at JPY 1,600 when booked in advance (APA brochure).

Which APA hotel is best in Shinjuku?

Three APA properties cluster within walking distance of Shinjuku Station: the Chuo, the Kabukicho Tower, and the Shinjuku Gyoemmae. Each targets a slightly different traveller profile.

Comparing APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Chuo vs. Tower vs. Gyoemmae

The Kabukicho Tower offers the most on-site amenities: a free 28th-floor hot tub with open-air bath (open 6:00–10:00 and 15:00–24:00), two restaurants including BEEF KITCHEN STAND and common cafe, and paid in-room massages available 19:00–04:00 (APA Tower brochure). ShinjukuStation.com also highlights the 28th-floor communal bath and outdoor bath (ShinjukuStation.com). The Tower’s breakfast at common cafe costs JPY 2,000 in advance, which is JPY 400 more than the Chuo’s buffet (APA Tower official site).

The Gyoemmae property sits near the peaceful Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, making it better suited for travellers who want park access and a quieter street. However, it lacks the public bath that the Tower offers and is a longer walk from the station’s east exit.

Pros and cons of APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Chuo

What to be careful of in Shinjuku?

Kabukicho is Tokyo’s primary red-light and entertainment district, and its character shifts noticeably after dark. The area is a mixed commercial and entertainment zone, which means visitors should be aware of their surroundings late at night.

Kabukicho safety after dark

The main streets of Kabukicho — including the thoroughfare leading to the hotel — are generally described as well-lit and heavily patrolled. However, smaller side alleys can feel darker and less regulated, particularly after midnight. Recurring comments on TripAdvisor and Reddit threads (r/JapanTravel, r/Tokyo) suggest that the area feels safe up to around 22:00, with greater caution warranted after midnight.

Avoiding touts and scams

Kabukicho is known for touts who approach pedestrians, particularly solo men, with offers for bars or clubs that often carry hidden charges. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police has increased patrols, but the practice persists. Staying on main streets and ignoring unsolicited invitations is the standard advice for visitors.

Is APA a good hotel in Tokyo?

For travellers prioritizing location and cost over space and luxury, APA properties consistently deliver a clean, reliable product. The APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Chuo earns a 3-star rating on TripAdvisor and an 8/10 guest score on Trip.com (Trip.com listing).

What guests often praise across booking platforms is the efficiency and cleanliness of the rooms. Complaints often centre on room size — standard APA single and double rooms are among the most compact in Tokyo’s hotel market — and the firmness of the mattresses, which some travellers find too hard. The free VOD service, offering movies and other content on the room TV, comes up as a positive point in TripAdvisor reviews.

A key policy difference from some competitors: the Chuo property enforces a minimum check-in age of 18 years and offers contactless check-in and check-out, according to listings on Hotels.com and Klook. Luggage storage is available only on check-in and check-out dates (Klook listing).

How far is APA Hotel from Tokyo Station?

The distance from the APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Chuo to Tokyo Station is best measured in transit time rather than walking distance. From Shinjuku Station, the JR Chuo Line rapid service typically makes the trip in about 10–15 minutes. The walk from the hotel to Shinjuku Station’s east exit takes 7 minutes. So the full door-to-door journey runs roughly 17–22 minutes under normal conditions.

By comparison, the Shinjuku Kabukicho Tower is about a minute closer to the station (6-minute walk), and the Gyoemmae property is slightly farther. For travellers connecting to the Shinkansen (bullet train) at Tokyo Station, the Chuo offers straightforward access via the Chuo Line, which runs directly between Shinjuku and Tokyo stations without transfers.