Mogana

We've been back for a second stay, and we love everything about Mogana. The breakfast is beautifully presented every day and really filling. Rooms are spacious, with a cloud-soft bed and a gorgeous bathroom with a stone bathtub. The staff are warm and go out of their way to help. Thanks, Mogana. See you next time we're in Japan!

The staff were polite enough, but the look and feel of this hotel really didn't work for me. The corridors are black with wave-like lighting, and the place feels sterile. The incense was so strong that each time I came in, I got a headache and felt nauseous. It's on a side street, and walking in felt quite scary to me. The main entrance is a blank, dark metal automatic door, then there's a floor-to-ceiling glass door that's actually a window. I nearly walked straight into it. Another blank, dark metal automatic door leads to reception. Room amenities all cost extra, which wasn't disclosed and felt expensive. The price list was tucked into the nightstand, which seemed like a way to get guests to buy things without realizing the cost. If this modern concept is your thing, the hotel may suit you.

The rooms are spacious, nicely arranged, and the hotel has an impressive design, but this was the worst stay we've had in Japan. It doesn't feel like a five-star hotel, especially in its service, which fell far short of what we've experienced elsewhere in Japan. Only two staff members could speak English with us. One staff member was rude and unhelpful throughout, and made us feel unwelcome from arrival. Whenever we asked for something, he responded negatively. Housekeeping was also unacceptable. Dirty glasses stayed in our room for four days until we complained, the trash wasn't taken out, and dust in the drawers got onto our clothes. The air conditioning worked, but blew straight onto the bed, so we couldn't use it while sleeping. There was no curtain in the bathroom, and light came through from there. At checkout, we had to wait while a billing mistake was checked and corrected. We saw the same thing happen to another guest. They also charge 2,000 yen for a lost room key, without telling you ahead of time. When we asked, staff said it was in the “hotel rules” that we were expected to read. There's no restaurant, room service has only three choices, and breakfast has to be ordered two days ahead so the chef can prepare it. I don't usually write reviews, especially negative ones, but this experience was the worst we've had in Japan.

Mogana looks beautifully modern, and we found the staff friendly, with enough English to get by. The breakfast brought to our room was very good and beautifully presented. My wife and I enjoyed its flavors and unusual offerings, though our teenage daughter didn't care for them. The location is quiet and a little removed from the busy areas, which meant more walking to get most places. We would have preferred to be closer to the action, but the setting was a nice change of pace. Our main awkwardness was the small curtain between the shower room and bedroom. It might have been fine with just my wife and me, but having our teenage daughter there, and staff bringing breakfast, made it feel potentially uncomfortable. A few other things: there are no blackout shades, so the sun was in our eyes by 4:30 every morning. I wish they'd add something to darken the room. Both our mattress and our daughter's daybed were very firm. The lights are automatic, and the bathroom light is bright if you get up in the middle of the night.