Female Solo Traveler, where to stay

I stayed at Tokyu Stay Shinjuku for 2 nights couple weeks ago with my family. We liked the hotel , and location. Easy access to Subway and food/conviniance stores. We then moved to JR Kyushu for 2 nights and that was better but a little more expensive. Pradip

I use to be a F solo traveler, now I am a F traveling with young daughter so...

I've not stayed in Ikebukuro in years though honestly it felt less gritty when I was there shopping in 2016 and 2017. I honestly can't remember all the places I've stayed in Ikebukuro through the years and for some reason I can't find when I search my emails for the hotel names (I will keep looking.) I am 100% sure I've stayed 2x at the Prince, maybe 3x? (I got an amazing deal there once or twice.) I stayed at the Hotel Grand City for 2 nights, as did a friend. I think I've stayed at the B and the New Star as well and possibly the Dai-Ichi. On the same side at the Tokyu, I've stayed at the Kimi (shared bathrooms and the place all the foreigners use to stay on a budget back in the day.) You had to walk past a bunch of pachinko parlors to get there, but it never felt dangerous, just more tacky? The side with the Prince is the fan-girl/shopping side imho. I never stayed out that late because as a F alone I wasn't interested in drinking or clubbing. I do have friends in Japan, but we mostly just hang out and eat. Other than the Prince/Kimi, I think I don't remember the exact hotels because they felt like... business class hotels. The rooms were small a little dingy, but fine for someone on their own. None of them were bad enough to stick out in my mind like the two really awful places I tried.

I think I'm the only person who doesn't like Shinjuku. It always feels a little rundown and skeazy in places. I've never stayed there and I don't intend to. Even if I had the budget for the Park Hyatt, I would pick to spend it elsewhere.

I'm not sure why I never looked at Shibuya, I think I felt the hotels were expensive for what you get?

I admit, I eventually started staying over near Tokyo Station to make it easy to get to and from the station. I've stayed all over the place between Hamamatsucho and Kanda/Nihombashi. I've also stayed a bunch of time on Odaiba. Before my daughter, I use to try to keep hotels to under $100 per person or preferably less.

I am a solo female traveler also although quite a bit older than you. ;-)
I have stayed twice for extended periods - about two weeks - at the My Stays Higashi Ikebukuro. I found it very convenient - two Yamanote stations, two different subway lines are within about a ten minute walk. Every room has a kitchenette so you can cook or get take-away to save some money if you want. And a coin laundry.
I don't stay out late often but when I do have never felt unsafe.

This past April was my solo trip to Japan. I stayed 16 nights: Shinjuku 2 - Kyoto 6 - Takayama 1 - Kanazawa 2 - Shinjuku 5.

Stayed at 2 different hotels in Shinjuku. My first 2 nights were at Hotel Gracery (US$308) in Kabukicho area. I splurged a little staying at HG plus my friend and her family were staying there. If my friend wasn't there my first 2 nights, I would've booked at a cheaper/business hotel. I felt safe in Kabukicho area. I walked around until midnight but I did walk around main areas. I didn't go to Golden Gai or any dark alleys or any area that had few people around. No one bothered me beyond the occasional flyer handouts or those who want you to go to their restaurant. I just smiled and shook my head or continue walking and ignore them. The only difficulty I had was the massive Shinjuku Station. On my first full day I decided to go to Tsukiji Market (Outer). I left around 6:30a Saturday morning. There were drunk Japanese business men AND women all over. LOL. I expected men but the ladies cracked me up. But after my Tsukiji outing, I decided to go back to hotel to drop off my bag and extra food I couldn't finish and walk to Shinjuku Gyoen. Well, I wasted about an hour walking around inside and outside of the Station. It took me a while to figure out the right exits to get out. It was a nightmare that day.

My last 5 nights I stayed at Shinjuku Washington Hotel (\54,135) in the financial district area. Less than 5 min walk to Tokyo Metropolitan Govt Bldg Observatory. And 10 min walk to the food area towards Shinjuku Sta. I again felt safe in the area. Had no problems. And I made sure to really study the station map before going back to Shinjuku. LOL.

I'm not a big city person. I would never live in one. I stayed in NYC for 6 nights (Manhattan literally around the corner from Times Square) but I felt Shinjuku was more mind boggling and overwhelming. But it was an experience. And I have no regrets in staying in 2 different parts of Shinjuku. My cousin spent 8 nights in Shibuya. She booked her room last minute about a month before arriving (during the height of Cherry Blossoms). She wanted to stay in Shinjuku but was priced out...only high-end hotels available or no rooms available during her stay. She said she didn't care for Shibuya and wished she heed my warning on booking a room early.

Oh, both hotels had Ladies Only Floor (14th, I think) which I booked. Elevators in an enclosed area and need Room Key to unlock doors to get into the hallway of rooms. Also, I just hand washed my tops and underwear while I was showering at night. I figured I could survive with handwashed clothing for a while. LOL.

I am not sure which country you are from, but you need to realize that Japan is one of the safest countries on earth. I am a female living alone in Tokyo and have never in any place or time felt uncomfortable. But this is YOUR feeling. So you might feel quite overwhelmed by a place like Shinjuku or you might as well just perfectly enjoy this very different experience. That's something hard to judge for anyone except yourself.
But from a female-solo-travel perspective there is nothing to worry about.

Just enjoy your trip.

Thanks again everyone! I think I'm just nervous because this is my first time on my own and it makes it harder since it's a different country. I've heard that once you actually arrive in Tokyo you realize that your fears and worries were much worse than how you feel when you are there.

Does anyone have a preference for The B Ikebukuro Hotel vs The Mets Hotel at Mejiro Station? I posted a separate question about it, but thought I'd ask you guys also. I know that the N'EX doesn't stop directly at Mejiro but have heard the area is quieter. Does it really matter which one?

I assume if you stay near Ikebukuro station there will be a lot you can walk to very close, like Sunshine city vs staying in Mejiro you'd have to hop on a very quick train ride to see anything/shop anywhere.

Does anyone have a preference for The B Ikebukuro Hotel vs The Mets Hotel at Mejiro Station? I posted a separate question about it, but thought I'd ask you guys also.

I always check user reviews in Rakuten Travel which is the one of the largest booking site in Japan. The average rating for Mets Mejiro is 4.4 while The B Ikebukuro receives 3.95. This difference is substantial so I would choose The Mets Mejiro if it is within the budget. The Mets is subsidiary of JR East so it is always located very close to JR East train station. Single room is 16 square meter in Mets Mejiro while it is 12 in The B Ikebukuro.

This hotel might be one selection for your situation.

http://www.forest-hongo.com/en/index.html

It is calm and quiet as it is near Tokyo Univ.
though It is not econmical hotel and also incovenient thinking about the distance from subway station.

I recommend this hotel to my daughter when she visits Tokyo.

I can understand the nervousness, Tokyo is a rather big and busy foreign city. I must admit that out of all of my own trip I felt less confident there. Kyoto feels smaller and kinder somehow and off the beaten path places where no-one could speak English were even perfectly alright because everyone was so kind. Osaka and Tokyo felt a bit scarier because they are bigger and crowded, though more in a eIfm going to get hopelessly lostf sort of way. I wouldnft worry too much, but since youfre travelling alone Ifd still keep my guard up a little.

I havenft stayed at either hotel you mentioned, but I have stayed at several MyStays hotels and found them to be perfectly fine. Ifve also stayed near Ikebukuro in Tokyo (I think it was called Oak Hotel – which was the cheapest nearby option for a three person room with own bathroom) and in that part of Tokyo I did feel comfortable and safe enough to go walking around alone at night (ok, more like evening), even as a rather easily-frightened mid-20s female. I also liked the close proximity to the station and to Sunshine city and Otome road and it was a good station for a trip to Nikko as well.
I read your initial problem and see youfve already decided on just Tokyo – while it is a pity to loose Kyoto I can totally understand the resolution because itfs better to see one place in full and plan a visit to Kyoto another time than having trouble seeing/doing everything within a short time. It also saves you the expensive transport. I do want to remark though, about the costs of staying in expensive places such as Tokyo and Kyoto: donft forget the possibility of Nara. Rooms can be pretty cheap there in comparison (and I love Nara – itfs lovelyc and the deer).

U can try staying at Sakura Ikebukuro. Been there once and its nice place and they have a small diner downstairs.
There are many hostels like K's hostels and Khaosan in Taito area too but its out of the way to those Shinjuku/Shibuya areas.