APA Hotel Nagoya Sakae Higashi

The hotel itself is nice enough: very clean and comfortable rooms, with friendly staff. It’s an extension of the APA hotel next door. The location is the problem. It’s right in the middle of the red light district. After dark, the bars and other venues open, and doormen solicit people on the street. The area also ends up filthy, with garbage you wouldn’t normally see on a Japanese street. For some people this could be the perfect hotel, but everyone else should stick to hotels three blocks north or west of here.

My non-smoking single room was 11 square meters, which seems about right for an affordable hotel. It was modern and very neat, though not fully soundproof. Sometimes I could hear little noises from outside the door and window. The staff were friendly and helpful, always greeting me with a smile as I came and went. Check-in is at 3 PM and checkout at 10 AM. You can’t check in early, but you can leave your bags at reception and return later. There’s a microwave and water filler in the shared area. You can borrow things like an iron for free, though supplies are limited. Breakfast is served at another APA hotel a few steps away on the same side of the street, from 6 AM to 9:30 AM, with the last walk-in at 9. It was so-so, neither good nor bad. There were Japanese dishes like fried pork or chicken with curry sauce, miso, and udon, as well as Western food like spaghetti, macaroni, bacon, and sausage, plus salad, orange juice, and bread. The street is full of bars and pubs, and in the morning it’s dirty with lots of garbage and cigarettes. It made me wonder if I was really in Japan. After 10 at night, boys and girls stand around chatting loudly, and some stared at me. I felt a bit unsafe and uncomfortable. I’d rate the hotel 4/5.

The location was great, and it was easy to explore other attractions from there. The staff were very professional and welcoming. Thanks APA!

Clean and nice, with the best breakfast and affordable service.