A quick trip to Tokyo. Symposium and reception and back to Haneda to stay in the glorious First Cabin hotel.

Late night soba

I have never been a fan of fancy hotels. I suppose if you are staying a week or so then a reasonable room with a desk is worth it but normally I arrive, I sleep, wake up,shower and leave. I then have the anguish of can I get to the airport on time? Will I take the wrong subway? Will I go to the wrong terminal?

I now use the First Cabin at Haneda airport whenever possible. It makes me feel youthful as there are strong undertones of school and camping. Your little cabin is like a super luxury tent where you struggle out of your clothes sitting down and stock your socks and shoes at the entrance of the tent. You have fast wifi and a huge TV, which I never watch. Before and after sleeping you go to communal sinkroom that reminds me of schooldays. This one however is superclean, not freezing cold and the soap does not have grit in it.

At the hotel – guess what it is for.

The best thing is the hotel is right beside the security check in. You get up, wash behind your ears, get dressed, choose from multiple airport restaurants for breakfast and sidle to your departure gate.

Bacon and eggs Tokyo style. The white and red stuff I took to be ketchup and mayo but turned out to be raspberry jam and cream.

No stress. It is also dirt cheap. Normal cabins are 5k yen and this morning I realize that there are first class cabins for 6K yen. These have an extra space beside the bed to stash your rucksack and hiking boots. I might splurge next time.

Here is pretty bad IPhone  video of the cabin experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVfJTzz12h0
They are are wonderful places but I feel they can only work in Japan. There is no lockable door to your cabin, just a slide up blind thing.  Therefore whilst you are in the sinkroom washing the back of your neck, it would be the easiest thing for thieves to break in and steal. Here you could leave the Crown Jewels in the cabin without worry, in Marseille the cabin would have been stolen before you even got there.