GRAND MONDAY RESORT TOKYO BAY (NEAR DISNEY) WITH KIDS

I’ve been so excited to give you my feedback on what it is like to stay at Grand MONday Resort Tokyo Bay.

Please note that this hotel is out near Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea. I don’t recommend this hotel for general sightseeing in Tokyo – as it wouldn’t be a convenient option for this purpose.

This blog post contains some affiliate links. This means that I will receive a small commission if you book a hotel using my link – at no additional charge to you. 


This is a part of the MONday hotel brand in Japan. I don’t ordinarily recommend this brand for families as they don’t have a manned front desk (so that means no deliveries, luggage forwarding and language assistance for sightseeing, restaurant reservations or help if there is an earthquake or if someone in your family falls ill.)
HOWEVER, the GRAND MONday hotels in Tokyo Bay and Ueno DO have a manned front desk with helpful and kind staff who are there to make sure your stay runs smoothly. I was so impressed with this Grand MONday property.
I definitely recommend the Grand MONday in Tokyo Bay and Ueno for families.

See here for my full list of recommended hotels in the Tokyo Disney area.
See here for things to do in the Disney area that aren’t just going to Disney (fun places to eat at or visit the night before your disney park days.)

This blog post contains some affiliate links. This means that I will receive a small commission if you book a hotel using my link – at no additional charge to you. 

I definitely wanted to book this hotel for its proximity to Tokyo Disney but mainly to try the pool. Especially as this is one of the few hotels in Tokyo that have an outdoor pool that is open every day of the year. See here for more info and things to watch out for when booking hotels with pools in Japan.

Is the Grand MONday out near Tokyo Bay really a resort?
Unfortunately it is definitely not like a resort. Is it more “resort like” than many other hotels in Tokyo? I guess, so? Maybe?
I mean, it has a pool and the restaurant next to the pool has bifold doors so they can open up onto the pool? But that’s kind of where the resort part ends.



Can you see the Tokyo Disneyland fireworks from the Grand MONday Resort Tokyo Bay?
We could! Our room was on the pool side of the property and we could see them outside our window when we looked to the right.

How far is the Grand MONday Resort Tokyo Bay from Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea?
11 mins by car (more like 15 mins when taking the complimentary hotel shuttle.
Here is the Grand MONday Resort Tokyo Bay shuttle timetable. The shuttle only runs 1-2 times an hour so I recommend keeping an eye on the timetable (if you need to take a cab it costs around 2000 yen so that can add up fast.)

Is the pool open 365 days a year?
Yes. It will close for typhoons or stormy weather though, of course.
The pool here is really nice – especially for families with kids 10 and younger.
Is it as nice as it looks on the website ? Not quite but it is nice – especially when it’s super hot in Japan. From an Aussie point of view, it’s like a friend’s pool at their house with a few chairs around it. This would also be perfect if you were holidaying here with another family.

Can hotel guests use the pool free of charge (as a part of their accommodation price, I mean)?
Children 3 and under are free but otherwise pool prices are:

[Monday to Thursday]	Adults: 3,500 yen / Children (elementary school age and younger): 2,500 yen
[Friday to Sunday and public holidays]	Adults: 4,500 yen / Children (elementary school age and younger): 3,000 yen

See here for more information on using the pool at Grand MONday Resort Tokyo Bay.
Please note that, like more pools in Japan, if you have a tattoo you will need to wear a rash vest to cover them completely.
Please be aware that from 6pm the pool becomes a “night pool.” This means it becomes like a bar and is for adults only.

What are the rooms like?
The entire hotel is so shiny and new. Very modern. I think they have been so smart creating this hotel – as it is such a contrast to many of the other Tokyo Disney Hotel area options.

Our room at the Grand MONday Resort Tokyo Bay
This was an Ocean Front Superior Twin. It had two beds and linen provided to also turn the couch by the window into an other extra bed.

The breakfast buffet here is SO nice!
If you like a nice quiet brekkie spot, then I recommend going for breakfast after 8am (remember most of the hotel guests are visiting Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea so will be out the door then). When you go to Tokyo Disney Parks, feel free to use my super nerdy strategy (we hate waiting but love rides.)
My kids especially loved the diy mini-pancake station.

Eating dinner at the restaurant at the Grand MONday Resort Tokyo Bay

CONVENIENCE STORES NEAR GRAND MONDAY RESORT TOKYO BAY
Daily Yamazaki (9 mins walk)

Lawson, Urayasu Miakegawa (8 mins by taxi from the hotel)
Family Mart, Urayasu Wakashio-dori (8 mins by taxi from the hotel)
See all of my tips and all of our favourite snacks from Japanese convenience stores here.

SUPERMARKETS NEAR THE GRAND MONDAY RESORT TOKYO BAY
The easiest way to get supermarket supplies while staying here is to go to Seijo Ishii just near the shuttle bus stop for Grand MONday Resort Tokyo Bay near Tokyo Disneyland.
Seijo Ishii Supermarket (open 10am-10:30pm)
Seijo Ishii has a number of international food items and many gluten free options too.  Seijo Ishii supermarkets also stock gluten free bread. *This supermarket stocks a rice flour bread made by a company called “Happy Bakery.”
We also really like the English muffins sold here.
This Seijo Ishii branch also sells nappies/diapers (even some of the biggest sizes.)

 

 

 

 

 

See here for my guide on making easy throw together meals from supermarket and convenience store items in Japan (including a list of pantry staples.).
See here for my tips on buying different types of milk in Japan.


PLAYGROUNDS NEAR GRAND MONDAY RESORT TOKYO BAY
Urayasu Athletic Park (浦安運動公園). 
This park and playground is 13 mins walk from the hotel or 2 mins by cab.
There is an adventure playground here. See pictures of the slides and climbing equipment etc at Urayasu Athletic Park here. 
It’s actually right next to the Disney Ambassador Hotel.

RESTAURANTS NEAR THE GRAND MONDAY RESORT TOKYO BAY
Super Family Friendly All-You-Can-Eat Sukiyaki (11 mins in a cab from the Grand MONday Resort Tokyo Bay)
Syabu-yo Urayasu Higashino
When you dine here, you choose the amount of time they would like to have unlimited meat brought to their table (usually 60 or 90 mins) and that price also includes access to a salad and vegetable buffet and ice-cream.  The instructions on how to make your meal at the table are here on the Syabu-Yo website but the staff will also help you.   My kids prefer sukiyaki to shabu-shabu as it is so sweet and more-ish.
If everyone has different dietary requirements (for example if one family member is vegetarian etc) you’ll need to ask for separate pots or half /half as , otherwise, all the food is cooked in one pot. They have pots like the one pictured below that has two sections (that’s what I normally do.) This is mostly so you can cook two different flavours but it could also work for a meat side and a veg side too, I guess
Worried about language issues? DON’T ! You order everything on an ipad at the table in English!
To eat here I would budget for around 3000 yen per adult.   The entire restaurant is non-smoking. Syabu-Yo accept most major credit cards. Even if you don’t eat meat – just order an all you can eat meat portion for you so you can take advantage of all of the other parts included (the salad and veggies and desserts). The all you can eat meats come out a tray at a time so you just order more as needed for the table anyway (within your all-you-can-eat time frame.)
*Dining etiquette tip: the giant chopsticks are for putting the meat into the hot pot. The normal chopsticks are for eating. This also means you don’t have kids eating off chopsticks that have touched raw meat.
If you like this restaurant – I’m pretty sure you will! Then you are in luck as you can always google your closest Syabu-Yo branch as they are all over Japan.
They have free wifi.
There is a change table in the bathroom at this restaurant.   They also have the little robots that bring the meat to your table. My kids love this!
They do have high chairs here – they are the wooden type that clips on to the table (and it does have a strap to keep baby secure.)
I’ve never had to make a reservation at this store before. Just walked in. Budget 3000 yen per adult to dine here (you will leave SO full!) There is a big supermarket (it’s called R. Genki – open 10am-8pm) in the same complex so get sweets and treats to take home afterwards. There is also a 7-Eleven right across the road.

SYABU-YO, URAYASU HIGASHINO
浦安市東野3-4-1 アクロスプラザ浦安東野 1F
GROUND FLOOR, ACROSS PLAZA URAYASU HIGASHINO, 3-4-1 HIGASHINO, URAYASU
OPEN 11AM-11PM (OPEN FROM 10:30AM ON WEEKENDS)

This blog post contains some affiliate links. This m

There are also a gazillion shops and restaurants right outside the hotel shuttle stop at the shopping complex Ikspiari near Tokyo Disneyland. I list all of our favourites here.