14. Tokyo accommodation to get sorted

I really need to make a decision on where I will stay in Tokyo. The first place I booked was a hostel, but my finances have changed and I can optimistically look at staying in a hotel. Still need to budget though and not splash out as if money grows on trees.Yes well, the first place I looked at was a hostel in Shinjuku and someone said Shinjuku is a good area for transport, it's a transport hub, you can go anywhere from there. And my JR Pass will still be valid, so if I get the JR train from Shinjuku (Yamonote line) I can use that to get on and off and travel around seeing Shibuya, Harajuku (for grannies?) Ueno. It can also be used to do a Yanaka walk by getting off at Ueno, following the walking map and getting back on the Yamonote train line at Nippori.

I also think I would like staying in Asakusa but I cannot use my JR Pass there so would have to be buying metro or subway tickets. I had thought to spend the first day in Tokyo, the second day out of the city on a day trip, and my last full day in Tokyo. Another thing to take into account is the distance from hotel to train station. As I'll have a nearly checkout this needs to be factored in. Staying in Shinjuku, I would have to leave earlier than if I stayed in Asakusa and of all the hotels, only the Dormy Inn EXPRESS Asakusa does breakfast from 6:30am. This of course should not be a reason to choose this hotel, there are other, cheaper hotels.

Shinjuku

East of station
Imano Tokyo Hostel 6 bed female dorm $179 - ( 11/12 mins 900 m)
Tokyu Stay Shinjuku - $562 - (7 mins 550m)
Toyoko Inn Tokyo Shinjuku Kabuki-cho (RED Light district) $398 breakfast (13/14 mins 1.1km)

West of station
Nishitetsu Inn Shinjuku $471 - (11 min 950m)
Kadoya Hotel - $577 - (6 mins 500m) nice colours


Shibuya
Tokyu Stay Shibuya Shin-Minamiguchi includes breakfast, microwave, washing machine - $567 (8 mins 650m)
Shibuya Granbell Hotel - $596


Asakusa
Richmond Hotel Asakusa $493 (9 min 750m)
B:CONTE Asakusa $534 (7 mins 700m)
Red Planet Asakusa Tokyo Single Room with View $544 (8 min 650m) **

Via Inn Asakusa $376 (7 mins 600m)

Asakusa Central Hotel Ladies floor $405 (5 mins 400 m)
Dormy Inn EXPRESS Asakusa breakfast included Double room station side view $561 (2 mins 190m)

I've since done some more editing, cancelled some, kept some and have four left in Shinjuku, one in Shibuya and six in Asakusa. The easiest way to check their locations is from the maps I did. The red X'x show the hotels I selected. I am leaning towards Shinjuku rather than Asakusa.

Shinjuku

Asakusa