Where we stayed

Tokyo - Japan

In Tokyo we stayed at an apartment in the Shibuya area of the city. We booked via AirBnB.com - full details can be found at https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/1238985

Panorama of the apartment

We found the apartment to be perfect for us. Having stayed in Tokyo before we knew we didn't want a hotel room. They are just too small. And being vegetarian we needed somewhere we could cook and call home. This apartment ticked all the boxes. There was a large supermarket 6 minutes away, various corner shops 2 minutes away (all open 24/7). Shibuya station is around a 12 minute walk but there is a hill. 

Living area

The apartment was easy to find and was divided up into mud room, studio style living room, kitchen and dining room. A study with printer, separate bedroom, toilet room (complete with automated loo), washroom and walk in shower room. 

Dining area and kitchen

There was superfast internet access complete with Airport Express. We brought our own Apple TV with us and connected it up give us access to our cloud DVR and live UK and Irish channels. It was home from home :)

Study Area

Also thrown in was a mobile wifi dongle, providing invaluable internet access whilst out and about. The battery on that does last for 4 hours or so, but I did carry several external USB batteries for our gadgets, which we hooked up to the dongle to keep it powered all day.

A studio feel, but compartmented into rooms for privacy

Outside the apartment, a quiet street moments away from the neon lights of Shibuya

This wifi dongle gave us unlimited free mobile wifi, also included was fixed broadband of at least 30Mbps down and 10Mbps up. 

We both highly recommend this apartment - it was real home from home - very relaxing and central to everything we needed. 

Dubai - UAE

http://www.crowneplaza.com/hotels/gb/en/dubai/dubtc/hoteldetail 

This is our 4th time visiting Dubai and our 3rd time to stay at this same hotel, the Crowne Plaza on the Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan Road. It's a 5 star business hotel, but don't let the business aspect put you off. The winner here is the facilities and location. We've managed to get a room on the residents side of the building, meaning we get a private entrance, avoiding the reception.

The twin room - essential in Dubai

Dining area

Small little kitchen - just fine for us.

The metro station is a two minute walk from the front of the hotel. It's just two stops to Downtown Dubai.

We also get an apartment style room complete with kitchen. There is a beautiful pool and the breakfast buffet is always a highlight (try the Bircher Muesli - it's our fav, along with the pancakes and cream). 

The swimming pool

Zinc nightclub - on the ground floor - packed!

Pancakes for breakfast - so nice.

Around the hotel you have a Costa, McDonalds, a supermarket and a Tim Hortons - but if you don't want to venture outside you have a Wagamamas, Trader Vics and several other restaurants and free entry nightlcubs on site. It really has everything - including it's location to the metro - Emirates Towers Station is only a 2 minute walk, which connects you to all the malls within minutes. Being close to the airport means you can go door to door within less than 15 minutes. 

The view from our 22nd floor room. 

We love this hotel so much.