When I travel to Japan, which is frequently, I don't want to spend a fortune on a hotel room as I'm only there to sleep. That being said, I want something that doesn't reek of cigarette smoke like most of Japan, and preferably a window that opens, since the Japanese love to overheat their buildings in winter.
I speak Japanese and knew basically where the hotel was, but still found it difficult to find, even after asking the police (who sent me off in the wrong direction). The map they had on their website was of little use.
The hotel itself is a fair walk from even the closest main intersection and in an area that appears to be undergoing some re-development. The big building behind has been demolished and there's an abandoned apartment building across the street. This all gives the feeling that you're out in the country somewhere rather than in Shinjuku.
I didn't eat at the restaurant so I can't comment on that. There are 2 Internet stations but seriously, I think sending smoke signals would have been faster. They are shut down between 1-5 am for "maintenance" which has to be a joke. There are signs on the wall advertising wireless being available, but that is directed towards Japanese clients as foreigners are out of luck where wireless is concerned. (This is not only limited to this hotel, as I found that previously available "free wireless" hotspots are just about extinct these days)
The staff were congenial, but I would not say that any I encountered could communicate effectively in English, so I switched to Japanese.
I stayed on the 7th floor, which is non-smoking and didn't smell of smoke. The doors in the hallway are about 6' 1" tall which looks like you're staying in an Elf sized establishment. Watch your head! My room had a window that opened a little bit, which I was grateful for since, as I've mentioned, the room was hot, and even though there's an "airconditioning" switch, the unit only pumps out heat in winter.
The room itself was basic with a bed, a couch to sit on (not comfortable, but it was there) but unfortunately, the couch coverings and the carpet were stained. They could really use a cleaning. Also included were a flat screen television (didn't use), a desk and chair, hotpot to make tea and a fridge. The room was larger than some that I've had. Slightly better than basic, but again, the carpet was filthy. This is a hotel that markets itself to Japanese business travellers (or perhaps as an out of the way love hotel). Don't expect any luxury here.
The bathrooms was a "unit bath", common in many parts of Japan and had an older version of a washlet. I had a bathroom like this in my old apartment in Tokyo so I'm used to them. I wish my house here in Canada had the water pressure that bathroom shower did. You could pressure wash the deck with it.
The bed was firm and did not help induce badly needed sleep, nor did the fact that there was only one very liberally starched sheet on the bed. I guess they expected you to use the bedspread as extra coverage (yuck). Whatever they put in the wash with the bedding made green sparks at night when your body rubbed against the top sheet.
Check out time is 10 am, which I found to be a little early. I suspect they gear themselves more to Japanese business travelers than the tourist trade. Later check outs were available at a premium.
The room did NOT smell of smoke, which is good. There were a number of almost comical warnings in very poor English advising that if you did smoke in a non-smoking room "they would demand a maney" to clean it. In a country with so many English teachers, it still amazes me that companies don't bother getting anyone who can actually speak the language to proof-read things like this before committing to them. All part of the charm I guess.
Convenient locaton? Not at all. If you decide to leave your bags at the hotel, presumably on check out day and come back for them later, note that they are kept across from the elevator in the open across from the front desk, which was frequently unoccupied. Their idea of security is putting a net over them. You are better off walking to 2 chome, across the main road and leaving them in a locker. I left mine in a locker in the underground near Shinjuku Sanchome station as even if I did want to leave them at the hotel in the open, I didn't want to have to walk all the way back to the hotel to get them.
I paid approximately $120 CAD for two nights here (or 9,800 yen). I don't think I'd pay more than that. There appears to be another larger hotel getting ready to open closer to Meiji Dori.
I think the thing that I disliked the most was that it was really out of the way to get to.
Rating a hotel like this is difficult. If you're comparing it to a western hotel "brand", it would be poor in many respects. No bedbugs that I saw (and I always look)
If you're comparing it to other Japanese business hotels, it was quiet nice and on the larger side. Yes, the carpet was dirty, but it was immaculate compared to a hotel I stayed in for one night in Hawaii.
If you are looking for a relatively cheap place to stay in Shinjuku and don't mind getting some exercise walking to and from the hotel, this may be it.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
