---
title: "Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba vs APA Hotel & Resort Ryogoku Ekimae Tower"
description: "The two Tokyo hotels on this site with a pool, at opposite ends of the price ladder and opposite ends of the bay."
url: "https://travelshifu.com/hotels/tokyo/compare/grand-nikko-tokyo-daiba-vs-apa-hotel-resort-ryogoku-ekimae-tower/"
type: "hotel comparison"
reviewed_on: "2026-08-06"
source: "TravelShifu"
---

# Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba vs APA Hotel & Resort Ryogoku Ekimae Tower

The two Tokyo hotels on this site with a pool, at opposite ends of the price ladder and opposite ends of the bay.

## Why this pair

A pool is the single most-requested facility for a family stay in Tokyo and almost nothing central has one. These are the only two properties we cover that do, which makes them a real either/or rather than an arbitrary pairing across price bands.

## Verdict

The APA tower if you want the old east side and the cheaper night; the Grand Nikko if room quality and a bay view are worth a daily train ride and a much higher rate.

The Grand Nikko is a five-star and it shows in the guest scores: cleanliness 9.5 and room quality 9.5, against 8.03 and 7.79 for the three-star APA. Those are the two categories most likely to define how a stay feels, and the gap is large.

The APA wins on position, which is the surprise. Its location scores 8.74 against the Grand Nikko’s 8.5, and the geography explains it: Skytree 1.2 km, the Sumo Hall 0.2 km, Sensō-ji 2.1 km — against a bayside address whose own guest analysis names "location far from attractions".

Both are criticised on food. The Grand Nikko’s breakfast is called overpriced; the APA’s restaurant options are called pricey, and food and beverage is its weakest category at 7.53. Eat out at either.

Two practical differences: the APA checks out at 10:00 AM, the earliest of any hotel we cover, and its lifts are a named complaint in a tower this tall. The Grand Nikko checks out at 11:00 AM and neither publishes a latest check-in time.

**Best for:**
- Families in Tokyo who want a pool and are deciding what to pay for it
- Travellers weighing a bayside resort against an east-side city base

**Not for:**
- Anyone who wants a central Shinjuku or Ginza address — neither is close
- Travellers planning to eat at the hotel; both are criticised on food pricing

## Head to head

| Criterion | Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba | APA Hotel & Resort Ryogoku Ekimae Tower | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Official classification | 5-star | 3-star | Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba |
| Position | Minato-ku Daiba. DiverCity 0.9 km, Rainbow Bridge 1.3 km, Tokyo Tower 4.5 km, Sensō-ji 9.8 km. | Sumida-ku Yokoami. Sumo Hall 0.2 km, Edo-Tokyo Museum 0.3 km, Tokyo Skytree 1.2 km, Sensō-ji 2.1 km. | APA Hotel & Resort Ryogoku Ekimae Tower |
| Location (third-party guest score, /10 — display only) | 8.5, as of 11 January 2026 | 8.74, as of 8 December 2025 | APA Hotel & Resort Ryogoku Ekimae Tower |
| Room quality (third-party guest score, /10 — display only) | 9.5, as of 11 January 2026 | 7.79, as of 8 December 2025 | Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba |
| Cleanliness (third-party guest score, /10 — display only) | 9.5, as of 11 January 2026 | 8.03, as of 8 December 2025 | Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba |
| Pool | Swimming pool listed | Outdoor pool listed | Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba |
| What guests complain about | Breakfast overpriced; location far from attractions | Slow elevators; small room sizes; pricey restaurant options | Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba |
| Check-out | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM | Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba |
| Chain | Independent — our hotel data provider records no chain | APA Hotels&Resorts | tie |

## Which Tokyo hotel is better for families with a pool?

Both have one, and the choice is really about budget and location. The Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba is a five-star with much higher room-quality and cleanliness scores and a bay view; the APA tower in Ryogoku is a three-star with an outdoor pool, a garden and a children’s playground, 1.2 km from Tokyo Skytree.

## Is Ryogoku better located than Odaiba?

For sightseeing, yes. our hotel data provider scores the Ryogoku property’s location 8.74 against 8.5 for Odaiba, and the Odaiba hotel’s own guest analysis names "location far from attractions" as a recurring complaint. Ryogoku puts Skytree at 1.2 km and Sensō-ji at 2.1 km.

---

Canonical HTML: https://travelshifu.com/hotels/tokyo/compare/grand-nikko-tokyo-daiba-vs-apa-hotel-resort-ryogoku-ekimae-tower/