Ever consider a family staycation? Truthfully, I never have, and always thought it silly to stay overnight in your own city. That is, until I jumped at the opportunity to have a Tokyo family staycation at Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel.
My summer 2019 was a mess.
It was intense and humid, highlighted by a frantic rush to pull off another successful summer festival at school. The battle between mom guilt, teacher burnout, and the desire to call the shots in my own life was really getting to me.
I needed a break.
It was time to embrace my “wagamama mama.”
So, I packed more than enough belongings for a 2 day, 1 night stay: clothes, of course; swimwear; a Minnie Mouse dress and princess shoes for the little miss; an entire makeup and skincare kit for me; and a floral LBD that I picked up on my recent visit to the US and sky high heels.
And, off we headed to Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel, official hotel of Tokyo Disney Resort, in the home of the Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture side of Tokyo Bay. (Yes, Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel is one of those Tokyo Bay hotels that’s actually quite some distance from Tokyo proper…but that’s another story that can be read here.)
This was not our first time at the property and I don’t expect it to be out last. In fact, a week earlier, little Kaiju and I headed to Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel and play at Namcoland arcade.
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Room Interior
We stayed in a Grande room overlooking the ocean and garden.
The twin beds here have wheels are can be pushed together.
Sunset over Tokyo Bay and daytime view of the garden:
Amusement
“Oasis” is Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel’s amusement center for kid-friendly activities and family fun.
The entrance to Oasis is on the first floor, next to the Grande Cafe:
Oasis Reception
Table Tennis
Baby/Kids’ Room
Namcoland
(Bring cash as the nearest ATM is on the second floor of the hotel lobby!)
Studio Alice Photography
Treasures Island
During the summer months, check out the fabulous garden pool, complete with a lagoon and cave bar.
The garden pool requires a separate ticket of 4,000 yen per adult, which includes access to the hotel onsen.
Onsen
The price of the garden pool is steep, especially considering that you also have to rent umbrellas. But, the hotel’s indoor pool and gym are free for hotel guests.
Indoor Pool & Jacuzzi
Dining
There are several dining options (Japanese cuisine, teppanyaki, casual fare) but we opted for a dinner date at Ikspiari mall in order to catch the 8:30pm fireworks display. Spoiler alert: that night’s show was canceled.
We ate a buffet breakfast at the Grande Cafe, and I can’t recommend it enough.
It serves both western and Japanese dishes, Asian cuisine, a cereal bar with regular, soy and coconut milk, a seasonal fruit bar and an ice cream bar, freshly baked bread and the best (and largest) croissants I’ve ever tasted.
Specialty Shops
One unexpected feature about this hotel that blew me away is that it has a mini drugstore!
Look for TACK on the 2nd floor:
In Japan, only drug stores or shops with pharmacists are allowed to sell medication. I’m not talking about prescription drugs, but basic meds like eye drops, pain relievers, cough syrup, etc. But, TACK has it all!
As a bonus, TACK also stocks diapers, baby food, wet wipes, and even spare underwear in kiddies sizes.
As a parent, I try to be prepared when traveling with my crew. But, it was comforting that the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay had my back if I needed it!
Other specialty shops include the combini-like Shop@Sheraton
and Disney Fantasy, a shop selling Disney character goods and gifts.
Who Should Stay at Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel?
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Disney Fans
If a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort is part of your Tokyo itinerary, the hotel is a wonderful choice. As I mentioned before, Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel is actually an official Disney hotel. You can buy tickets at the desk in the lobby.
The hotel offers limousine bus service between airports and free shuttle bus service to/from Maihama Station. It’s also located on Bayside Station, between Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea on the Disney Resort Line. The hotel is literally across the street so you can’t miss it!
The Disney gift shop sells edible treats, toys, souvenirs, clothing, and character goods. It’s perfect if you want to get some last minute gifts. And, if you want to experience Tokyo Disney like a local by wearing matching clothing, there’s a selection of character T-Shirts as well!
Families With Dogs
The Park Wing that houses the Dog Lovers’ Suites at Tokyo Bay made our Tokyo family staycation at Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel so special.
The Dog Lovers’ Suites has on-site grooming facilities and dog-friendly suites, but unfortunately they were all booked on our dates. But, we made use of the dog lounge and cabin, where our Shiba spent the night.
The Dog Lovers’ Suites also sells Disney themed clothing and accessories along with gourmet food and treats.
Overall
I’m definitely considering Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel for our next family visit to Tokyo Disney Resort. I was thoroughly pleased with the dog facilities. There’s something very comforting about being able to travel with your furry loved one and knowing they’ll be taken care of while you’re away.
For more Chiba hotels, check out entry #15 on my post, 15 Awesome Things To Do On The Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program
