Ndebele From Germany, joined Apr 2001, 2895 posts, RR: 25 Posted (8 years 1 week 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 1687 times:
I'll do a spotting trip to Japan in June, and I booked a room in Haneda's new airport hotel next to Terminal 2, the Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu. Has anybody been to this hotel or does anybody know about spotting from there, or spotting from Terminal 2 in general?
The room I originally booked costs 14,000 Yen (plus fees and taxes). Now I asked for a room with a view towards the airport, and I just got the reply that these rooms would cost 19,500 Yen (plus fees and taxes). Is it worth the additional money?
Any info about the rooms of the Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu and spotting from HND would be more than appreciated! Thanks in advance, Alex.
BA319-131 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 8264 posts, RR: 56 Reply 1, posted (8 years 1 week 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 1673 times:
Hi Alex,
I've made 3 visits to HND, the hotel - assuming you get the right room will offer some decent views IMO. I assume you plan to hit the roof deck of the terminal for some spotting and photos too? - the views are superb!
Have a great trip, Japan is excellent for us spotters, totally love Japan!
Ndebele From Germany, joined Apr 2001, 2895 posts, RR: 25 Reply 2, posted (8 years 1 week 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 1661 times:
Hi Mark,
thanks very much for your reply! If they offer me an "upgrade" to a more expensive room just because of the airport view, I really hope that they give me one of the "right" rooms for spotting... Have you stayed at the HND Excel airport hotel already?
Sure I'll visit the roof deck as well - I agree that Japan is simply great for spotters, last year I enjoyed my HND visit very much, but that was before Terminal 2 and the hotel opened, that's why I'm curious about spotting from there.
If you explain to the hotel nicely that you want to do spotting a couple weeks ahead of time, they would probably make the effort to get you a good room for that.
I've been to Haneda only once, so can't speak to it, but I've been to Narita many times. That also has some nice spotting opportunities.
When will you be here? Maybe we can organize a spotting get-together.
Carpethead From Japan, joined Aug 2004, 2772 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (8 years 1 week 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 1634 times:
For those coming in June to Japan, bring a raincoat and umbrella. June is rainy/monsoon season. Hopefully, there will be a break in the weather while you are here.
There's really no interesting movements at night at HND. The same planes you see at night will be flying during the day. Any new regs will just overnight at HND and you can catch it the following morning.
There's a viewing deck at both T1 & T2. For photopgraphy, T1 is good until mid-morning & T2 is good from there onwards. T1 is JL group; while T2 is NH group. I haven't been to T2 viewing deck but I have to believe both decks open at 0800. Until then you can spot from the top level of anyone of the parking garages.
Ndebele From Germany, joined Apr 2001, 2895 posts, RR: 25 Reply 6, posted (8 years 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1618 times:
Wow, thanks a lot for all this useful information!!
A spotting get-together in Japan sounds great! Up to now, the plans are the following:
14 June 08:00am: Arrival at NRT (on Swiss - sorry Patrick)
spend the rest of the day at NRT
15 June: taking the bus to HND, spend the rest of the day there and stay at the airport hotel
16 June: JAL B777-300 to ITM, back to HND in the evening on ANA B747-400D
17/18 June: Meeting some colleagues and doing some Tokyo city sightseeing.
xx June (depends on further plans and of course seat availability): Flying back to ZRH on Swiss.
So the best days for a meeting would be 14 June at NRT or 15 June at HND. I know these are tuesday and wednesday, if you have to work then saturday 18th afternoon might also be a possibility, though I cannot promiss yet because we haven't made too much plans yet about the non-aviation part of the trip.
@Patrick: I don't know yet at which city hotel I'll stay, it mostly depends on my colleagues where they're going to stay.
Ktachiya From Japan, joined Sep 2004, 1729 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (8 years 1 week 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 1619 times:
Ndebele
In the summer time (at least for me) I have seen 34R primarily used instead of 16L. Which means that you'll get to do a lot of spotting of take-offs if you get the right room. 34R (rwy right next to the hotel) is the runway for take-offs. If you go at the right time, you can see the NH landings, etc.
I read a lot about the deck at T2 and the views that they offer. On a good day, you can also see across Tokyo Bay, and if you get any chance (to see landings on 16R or 22) you will get a spectacular approach view.
If they do use the rwys 16, then you'll see a pretty thrilling approach course. The aircrafts basically make a U-turn (I was in a 744D doing this and it was extremely thrilling)
Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (8 years 1 week 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 1586 times:
Quoting Ndebele (Reply 6): 14 June 08:00am: Arrival at NRT (on Swiss - sorry Patrick)
Yes it's logical that you're flying on LX, now I remember that you get cheaper tix on them. You are there on different dates anyway, we'll be there at the beginning of June.
Quoting Ndebele (Reply 6): JAL B777-300 to ITM, back to HND in the evening on ANA B747-400D
Looks like a 74D flight is a "must do" when you are in Japan, I booked exactly the same flights to get to Osaka (but both on NH).
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