Family Inn Ibaraki

The woman I spoke to on the phone was polite and helpful, and the bathroom was spacious, with a tub big enough to stretch your legs in. It takes a while to fill, though. You can use the washing machine on the first floor if you're there several nights. And it's really cheap. I only stayed because the area I wanted was full. The entrance road was hard to find. I'd heard check-in was self-service, but I had to use a tablet and talk over the phone, which felt clunky. In person would've been smoother. The room felt like a basic love hotel and was old, with a cigarette smell that wouldn't go away. I even wondered if there was a ventilation fan. Breakfast wasn't available at 9:00. What do you think? 😂

This place seems to require online booking, so it may not suit people who aren't comfortable with phones or computers. I'm not very good with them myself, so I gave up on the reservation and stayed at another business hotel.

The room and bathrobe both had strong unpleasant smells, and the lighting was dim. There wasn't a closet or a vending machine, so I had to bring my own drinks. This was my first time using the service, and a night's stay cost 5,000 yen.

I checked in and took a bath, and I'm already seeing several problems. The toilet was wet with some unknown liquid and smelled bad. I couldn't capture it clearly in the photo, but I'll upload it anyway. There were cockroaches, the sheets were dirty, and it took a while for the hot water to come on. I knew it looked old and accepted the conditions. I usually like budget places and older guesthouses, and understand there can be a trade-off between price and quality. I try to find a compromise, but even so, I'd recommend a regular business hotel.