Nikko Pension Logette Sanbois

We were relieved this was only a one-night stay. The building being old wasn’t the issue, since an old place can still be clean. This one wasn’t. There was a terrible smell at the entrance, though I couldn’t tell what caused it. Maybe it was the poor dog chained to a tiny, rotten kennel. The room was dirty, with thick dust built up over what seemed like years without proper cleaning, even inside the cupboard where the bedding was kept. The bathroom was disgusting too. The tub and sink needed a serious scrub, the shower curtain was moldy all over, and the tiles were stained and moldy. The toilet was gross. There was a sign at reception asking guests to leave their rooms after 10 a.m. for five hours because it was “cleaning time.” For the money, this was really poor value. It was the only bad accommodation we had during three weeks in Japan, staying in several places. NOT recommended!!!

I went in 2019 and still can’t get the experience out of my head. The inn is far from the train station, and my first impression was that it needed some care. Inside, there was a kind elderly woman, but the room was dirty and the bathroom even worse. Both needed a thorough cleaning. We stayed just one night, and it was my only bad experience in Japan. Disappointing, and expensive for what it offers.

The hospitality comes through, and I think people may be generous in their reviews because the landlady is nice. But I want to be honest for the inn’s sake: the food was just average, and I found the place expensive. It simply wasn’t clean. There was a lot of hair on the bath mat, and the toilet in the room was especially filthy, with a grime ring, mold, and an old seat cover. It was unbelievably dirty. I suspect it hadn’t been cleaned in years.

The owners were friendly and helpful, and the rooms were beautiful. We came hoping for a traditional stay at a reasonable price. At first, the outside looked like a witch’s house, but I changed my mind once we arrived. He looks like Miyaghi! The bathroom was spectacular, with an ofuro (east bath) looking out over the forest.