Guesthouse Hakodate Bay - Hostel

The man at the front desk was incredibly kind and helpful. He even helped me place a local call to a Japanese number using the hotel phone, and went above and beyond. The ground floor has a TV, a piano, a small kitchen, and a large dining table. I stayed in the dorms, which were very clean and quiet. Each bunk had a curtain, and the room had good AC. There aren't lockers in the dorm, but I could use one of the two safes in the lobby for a day. I got a key to the dorm room, and only the four people staying there had one. Just keep in mind that the door doesn't lock by itself, so you'd have to rely on your dorm mates to lock it behind them. Great place to stay!

The location was good, in town and not far from the main station. Everything was clean, and the beds were comfortable, but there were several things that could be better. The shower cabins are tiny and poorly lit, and the staff weren't very helpful, with little support for tourists. Also, the "public dorms" can't be locked for guests, even if your group books the entire dorm. We reserved a four-bed dorm for four people. Although the door had a lock, staff wouldn't give us the key.

It's a well-kept place with nice, friendly staff, about a nine-minute walk from the JR station and close to Hakodate Morning Market. The limited floor space was manageable, but there aren't many power sockets. The sink is in the room and has no heater, so its water was very cold.

It's close enough to the train station, and the rooms and bedding were clean. Some rooms also have private toilets. The rest was a letdown for the price: I paid $190 US a night, but the photos gave a misleading impression, the rooms were cramped, and there was nowhere to put luggage, especially with four people. The showers were tight and the kitchen had few amenities. At that price, I'd only consider this place as a last resort, or if forced to stay here at gun point.