M’s Hotel Gojo Odawara

No smoking, which was a bonus. The beds were firm but comfortable, with two pillows each that weren’t too thick. The sheets and covers felt good quality, and the AC worked great. There’s a tiny fridge that’ll keep beer cold but not ice cream, plus an electric kettle and two tea bags for our whole six-night stay. Our twin room was an okay size compared with rooms in other big cities. It had a small round table and two chairs, a 32-inch LCD TV that wasn’t really smart, and a wall coat rail with four hangers. There were no drawers, shelves, cubbies, or other clothing storage, so our suitcases stayed on the floor. The carpet ran right up to the bathroom area from the entrance. The sink was extremely small with nowhere to put toiletries, and the tub was so small you could only sit in it. This was the only hotel in the country where we stayed during the month that had a non-heated bidet. When we asked, the receptionist checked with the boss and said all the rooms were like that, though we had no way to confirm. Cleaning was after the third night, not day, as advertised. They may have changed the sheets, but I’m not sure. Fresh towels were provided and the room wastebasket emptied, but the toilet bin wasn’t, and two more trash bags were left beside the main bin. It didn’t feel like cleaning, and the carpet wasn’t vacuumed. There’s no breakfast, either included or optional. The main floor has shared laundry, just two units for the whole hotel, plus a microwave, water dispenser, and kids’ area. It’s near Gojo station, one stop from the central station, with a few convenience stores close by. The hotel is on a back street, so it’s relatively quiet. Soundproofing is poor, but being on the top, fourth floor, it was generally okay. For the price and location, it was okay. I might stay again, but with proper expectations.

The room itself was basic but fine, and check-in is strictly at 16:00. We’d already paid the city tax online, but were still asked to pay it again on arrival. Check-out is at 10:00, and they charged us 1000 yen for being a few minutes late. A bit tight.

The room was overpriced, and the pillows were shockingly flat for what they charge. They had obvious dents and seemed like they hadn’t been replaced in years. The sheets also smelled unpleasant, almost sweaty. There was a hole in our room’s wall that the staff didn’t even know about. Definitely a hotel stay I won’t remember fondly. I wish there had been better lodging options.

We had a spacious, clean deluxe double for a good price. It’s right by Gojo station and close to everything we wanted to see, within a 20-minute walk or an easy bus or train ride. Service was good, and while there weren’t many staff around, self check-in and check-out were easy. I loved the manga available to read for free. I’d stay again.