This was not my first time in a Japanese hotel, so I knew what to expect in terms of room size. I was however, startled to view the cupboard-size room that had been prepared for our stay. There was nothing "studio" about the "studio twin" and when I enquired if they had put us in the correct room, I was informed "yes sir, the twin studio is a single room with two beds". Anyone who has seen the diminutive state of a Japanese single room can only imagine the gymnastics required to navigate a single room with two beds,one of which was not even a bed but a hastily arranged couchette- type sofa with a sheet.
This was just the beginning however, as we discovered that even though you may request a non-smoking room, your neighbours may indulge, leading to smoky corridors. Despite numerous attempts to find the main light switches, we discovered that the only way to turn off the main lights was to remove the key card from its holder beside the door, and turning off the power for the room. But this meant no air conditioning. If that's a deliberate policy in reducing the hotel's power bill, it's a pretty cunning one. We were awoken in the morning to the bizarre strains of Strauss's Blue Danube Waltz to mark the hour, which blasted around the hotel complex. A strange self-service machine awaits the deposit of your card which is supposed to issue a receipt showing the time and date of one's departure. When this failed to happen, we informed reception who told us somewhat nonsensically "We cannot give you a receipt".... !???? The convenient location of this hotel is often lauded, yet a hotel in the Tenjin section of town is far better for shopping and especially nightlife.