Hotel Livemax Chiba Chuo Ekimae

The room is very small and basic, with one button controlling all the lights. You can't turn off the bathroom fan, and it makes enough noise to wake a light sleeper through the closed door. Check-in is at 3pm and checkout is mandatory at 10am, so you get 19 hours in a room you're paying for by the day. There's no cafeteria or canteen. It's on a small street, but fortunately walking around Japan is safe day or night. The staff don't greet you with a smile, though they understand some English, which is something. Livemax chain rooms are usually tiny but budget friendly, so whether this works for you depends on what you can accept. At least the room is clean and there's no black mold in the bathroom, unlike in many hotels.

The location was why I booked, and the rooms were really clean for the price. Reception spoke very little English, but the staff were friendly and polite. There's a 7-11 right outside, a supermarket across the road, and a nearby street full of shops and restaurants. The washer and dryer came in handy, and late checkout until 12pm for 1000yen was well worth it. I'd book again.

I paid around 5500¥ a night for a small room for two. It's a budget place that works well for an inexpensive, cozy tourist stay, with Chiba train station about an 8 minute walk away. The room had a small fridge, microwave, and humidifier. The toilet was small, but very well maintained in my experience as a foreigner. The semi-double bed was a bit cramped for two, and the receptionist didn't speak English, which is okay in Chiba.

Terrible service!!! The receptionist had no English skills and wouldn't use Google Translate to answer basic questions. She also wouldn't let me see the room before I paid a nonrefundable amount, and wouldn't allow check-in a few minutes before 3 pm even though the room was available. I'm never staying here again.