Bakuro - Doyanen Hotels

At around US$20 a night, a private room with housekeeping every 3 nights is a very good deal in Osaka. The room was clean, and shared bathrooms and toilets were clean too, so using those facilities was completely fine. You get a TV, air conditioning and a refrigerator in the room, enough for a stay, though it's not especially comfortable. The work area is under the bed, so mind your head when moving around or getting up and down. Stations for the M and K lines are about a 7 minute walk away. Another line, which also takes you to Namba, is around 4 minutes away, though you'll still need to walk from that station to reach the center. After 6pm, the place is unstaffed and requires mobile check-in, which may be difficult for some visitors. I'd only recommend it to younger visitors since accessibility is low for elderly people. The PIN-locked door also feels old, and remembering the code is a bit inconvenient.

For us, the place had what we needed: a good price, comfort, self-service and a sustainable approach. We were a couple, and the building had six floors. Each floor has a shared sink counter for washing your face or brushing your teeth, plus a hair dryer near the bathroom. There's coin-operated laundry, and the lobby has basic shared kitchen items, including a microwave, dishwashing area and trash bins. The room has raised tatami-style beds with high bases, a design we hadn't expected but came to like. The two separate tatami areas could be put together, leaving space for a suitcase and other things. There's a small entry area, with the magic toilet right beside it. We had a clothes hanger, a TV facing the bed, a little fridge below the bed and an air conditioner we used for heating because of the weather. The shower is separate, everything was clean, and body wash, shampoo and conditioner were provided. They don't offer room service for short stays, but you can buy basics like slippers, toothbrushes or towels at reception. If you plan to arrive after 6 PM.

It was a horrible stay. The room was unbelievably tiny, and my suitcase barely fit. There was no soap in the room or washroom, no one to talk to, and the windows were locked so there was no fresh air. The area was full of homeless and other struggling people. I can't recommend staying here at all. :(

After a long journey, I spent another hour just trying to get through the worst check-in system I've experienced. The staff seemed uninterested and wouldn't help. The room was extremely small, with nowhere to hang towels or put luggage, and the internet didn't work properly in the room either. Customer satisfaction is absolutely zero.