Guest House KuKu

The place has a lot of character, with a Japanese feel and Ghibli motifs, and the staff are friendly and helpful. They explain the rules clearly. Still, I can’t give a firm rating. Every step creaks, which could keep you from sleeping if you’re not used to it. I personally didn’t mind. I also can’t accept the extra cleaning fee if a mattress gets dirty. That should be covered by the price, and the rule feels lacking in empathy. What about periods, or a wound that opens? Not everyone gets a mattress dirty by eating or drinking. At first glance it looks clean, but the details matter. The kitchen fan is disgusting, enough to put me off eating in the kitchen. The bathroom vents and fans are in better shape, though still far from perfect. For the price, it’s an okay place for one night, maybe two. I’d give it 3.5, but Google doesn’t offer half stars, so I’m leaving a 3 as an incentive to improve :3

The location and decorations were the only redeeming parts for me. The manager, who said “I’m basically the owner,” was rude and passive-aggressive throughout. The luggage storage policy says to notify them 24 hours ahead, but that’s buried in a small section of the booking page you have to click into. Other properties message you about things like this. After I checked my bags, he told me, “Next time let us know.” I said the policy wasn’t clear to me, and when I returned he asked to see the app, found the note, and showed me. I suggested they message guests because it wasn’t clear, and he looked at me like I was crazy. The rule seems strange anyway, since staff are there during the day. There was often pee on the toilet floor, and the common-area tables were sticky. The manager also kept pushing people to buy drinks. Honestly, this person made my stay the worst in Japan.

I stayed in the four-bed women’s dorm, with two bunks below and two above. It was very clean and quiet, and the shower room had shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and face wash. I’m a light sleeper, but I managed to sleep through the night, though I did wear earplugs. The futon felt hard to me. It was my first time sleeping on one, so if you’re worried about trying it, it’s doable. I felt a bit bad opening and closing the sliding door at night because it makes noise.

Best hostel in Niigata! Miyazaki fans will love it. The atmosphere was fantastic, and after three nights I found it hard to leave this peaceful place. Thanks again!