Business Hotel Sun Mall

The front desk staff were friendly, which was the one saving grace. Most of the unit bathroom's rubber seals were covered in black mold, but at least the toilet and bathroom didn't smell of cigarettes and had no ants. The cigarette smell hit me at the entrance, and the room I was shown was even worse. The windows had no screens, so I couldn't open them. I'd read reviews from people who managed with the air purifier and air conditioner, so I tried that too. The purifier was bright yellow, whether from nicotine or age, and its vent smelled of smoke. It wasn't cleaning the air, and the vent and filter were dusty. I wiped everything down with the alcohol wipes I had brought, and gray grime mixed with that same yellow color came off. After a while the throat-stinging smell eased, perhaps because of my efforts, or perhaps because I got used to it. I thought things were improving, then noticed black specks moving on the desk. Ants, several of them. I ignored them at first, but soon they were crawling on my hands and clothes. I killed the ones I could see, but more kept appearing, even on the walls. Looking closely, I spotted dead ones curled up on the sofa. I dealt with them, again regretting the room choice. I pulled back the comforter, expecting more, but there were no black specks there. I knew that was likely, but it was still a relief. The cigarette smell lingered, though. All my cleaning just barely lost out to it. I should've spent a little more and chosen a different room, but it was too late.

There are plenty of nearby places to get dinner, and breakfast for 650 yen seemed reasonable. Parking is free, and if you can accept the building's age, I think it's a very good deal. At the entrance, there's a drinks vending machine in the corner to the right, along with a microwave, newspapers, and a kettle with hot water. During Golden Week, I traveled with two motorcycles and accidentally booked my friend in a separate room, then ended up staying alone for several nights. We were in a tough spot because there were no rooms available, but they quickly arranged a Western-style room. The hotel is clearly aimed at business travelers, so a leisure stay may have a few drawbacks, but the low price makes it perfectly acceptable.

The low price is the main draw, and the room was perfectly adequate for one person. The rooms are average otherwise. I'd avoid the twin, though: one bed was like a folding sofa, a bit slanted and extremely uncomfortable. There's a drinks vending machine by the entrance, plus a microwave, newspapers, and a hot water kettle.

The room was roomy and clean, and the facilities seemed fairly new and worked fine. Cigarette smoke was the problem. I managed by running the air conditioner and purifier at full blast, but I wonder whether non-smoking rooms are available. I arrived at 8 p.m., and it was so dark around the hotel that it felt a little creepy. I wondered if business travelers often stay here. There were surprisingly quite a few guests, and it smelled like they might serve food. Four stars, despite the smoke.