Guest House Oniya - Hostel

Don't book here. We arrived to find the hostel empty, locked, and in poor shape. We couldn't reach the owner, and Agoda also tried without getting a response. After waiting a few hours, we had to cancel and find somewhere else to sleep. The town itself felt deserted and is far from the tourist spots. Not recommended.

Check-in was straightforward: the owner sent a door code and bed assignments, then stopped by later to introduce himself. The shared space is simple, with a microwave, kettle, cooker, two showers, and one toilet. It could get crowded when busy, though that was my only concern. We booked at the last minute because it was the only affordable place left, and reviews had made us a bit wary. That worry turned out to be misplaced. The interior seems to have been updated since older photos and reviews. It’s minimalist, modern, and very clean. Each curtained pod had a soft mattress, pillow, comfortable duvet, warm individual light, and two outlets. Everything was nicely made up, and I slept really well. It looks like the owner took earlier feedback on board. For a hostel at this price, I don’t think you can expect much more.

There were no staff around, and I never received check-in instructions. I stood outside trying to call the owner, who didn’t answer or call back. Inside, the building felt like an empty shell, furnished with the cheapest-looking items. The futon covers felt like plastic shopping bags. The rooms were grimy too: hair everywhere, with old stained carpet laid over bare plywood. After five weeks backpacking around Hokkaido, this was my only bad experience. It was just awful. The owner shouldn’t be charging anything for a place like this. If I could have got my money back and slept at the train station instead, I would have. Avoid it.

The location worked well, and I slept fine. The hostel wasn’t dirty, but it was disorganized, and there were no towels. Getting inside was a real hassle because you have to contact the owners, which is tough for travelers without a Japanese phone number. They wouldn’t reply to my messages on booking, so I had to ask at the hostel across the street to call the manager and get the door opened. Aside from that, it’s not a bad hostel. They need to sort out the organization.