Reserved a single room in this hotel which was about 9.5 sq m, based on good reviews below. was not disappointed.

PLUS POINTS

-LOCATION- a zebra crossing away from the north exit ! something i looked forward to after pavement pounding.

SAFETY- prime consideration for solo female travellers. it was located on a busy road and while it was near fruit shops, Family Mart (convenience store), food chains like First Kitchen, KFC, Yoshinoya, as well as Matsumoto Kiyoshi, it was not in the immediate vicinity of dodgier ikebukuro - i.e. woman asking passers-by if they wanted a 'massa-gi', alleys with bars, etc... i basically bought what i needed from convenience stores, or TOBU and SEIBU food halls and headed straight to my room to chill out.

- CHEAP for its location & proximity - paid 5500 for 4 nights and 5900 for a sat night which is gd value for ikebukuro , a shopping destination.

-FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL staff- thoughtfully placed my bag into the room, were always willing to help me with maps and directions to food shops, laundry shops, etc...

- CLEAN room and amenities-
empty fridge to store food/ drinks, hot water boiler, temperature regulator, yukata neatly folded each day, bathroom- had bidet, above average toiletries, bath tub... daily room cleaning

THINGS TO NOTE:
Light sleepers should ask for a room that does not face the station- to avoid rumbling of trains from as early as 0530 and as late as 0010. I slept like a log- so that did not affect me.

for petite travellers like myself ( 5 ft 1)- the room size and bed are ok, considering it's tokyo. but if you are taller, please book bigger rooms which are available

Bring your own laptop/ notebook-> wired LAN access is free but no computers in lobby or for rental. If you don't- an Internet cafe is open 24 hrs in the next building on level 5.

BRING your own travel adaptor- hotel does not loan adaptor or sell travel adaptors- you will be directed to the BIC camera store in east ikebukuro. i did that, and after much haggling and persuasion, managed to get said object.

I went with a friend on a leisure, free & easy trip to Tokyo and we chose this hotel because the reasonable price and superb location seem perfect for us. The hotel is situated right opposite the north exit of Ikebukuro station, which makes it a relief to return to after each day out shopping/sightseeing. Furthermore, Ikebukuro being the second busiest train station in Tokyo after Shinjuku, is an ideal starting ground to get to other places in Tokyo. It is really that accessible (and crowded of course). As a traveller, you get to save time and money.

The hotel is also right in the midst of Ikebukuro, so shopping/food places are plenty. If you are an otaku (Japanese term for people with an obsessive interest in anime, manga or video games), you can also check out Otome Road (Maiden Road) in Ikebukuro. It is the female otaku's answer to Akihabara, the male otaku's town. I like the Animate store best.

We stayed in a twin room facing the station's side on the 6th floor. Most rooms (except for a couple of single rooms) are smoking rooms. Cigarette smell is one of my concern too, but truthfully speaking, it is slight and bearable. Our room also came with complimentary shampoo/conditioner/body wash, toothbrush, razor etc, and equipped with a bathtub, hairdryer, fridge, kettle, TV plus free internet access (you have to ask the front reception for a LAN cable). Yukata and slippers were also provided.

They provide room cleaning service for free daily. Laundry comes with a fee, depending on the type of garment. They also have vending machines just outside the corridor. Overall, their front reception service and politeness is commendable. I like their automatic toilet (with washing function) best. What I liked the least was perhaps the lack of a microwave in the room. You have to bring whatever that you need to heat up to the front reception for them to heat up for you.

Great location which is just across the road from North exit of Ikebukuro station. The staff are very helpful and room size is just right. Convenience stores, eateries and lots of interesting shops just around the corner.

To book directly through the hotel website, you will need to enroll as a member first. However, there is only Japanese version for its website .

I would highly recommend this hotel and would definitely stay there again for my next trip to Tokyo.