Hanastay Oka

The apartment was clean and tidy, with a good bathtub and a useful vending machine right outside. It’s split into ground and upper units with separate entrances; each unit has its own bedroom, living room, kitchen, and dining area or work desk. The amenities were extensive: air conditioning, fridge, washer, microwave, water heater, electric stove, floor heating, range hood, bathtub, tissues, toilet paper, dishes, dish soap, laundry detergent, hand soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, umbrella, towels, face towels, and toothbrush. Self check-in and check-out were quick and easy, and everything else was great. Anryumachi station is right next door, while Suminoe station, which connects to Namba, is a five to ten minute walk, a few hundred meters. Pulling suitcases over the rough road was hard on the wheels. The residential area is quiet, though Japanese voices can sometimes be heard very loudly and clearly because soundproofing isn’t great. The washing machine is also very noisy, and I don’t know whether it bothers the apartment below. On the afternoon of the first day of the earthquake, it felt like being rocked in a hammock 😁 There was no bottled water in the room, so we had to buy it at a vending machine or convenience store. That matched the other four hotels and ryokans I stayed in during my 14 days in Japan. Rooms and towels also usually aren’t refreshed during the stay. For our four nights, that wasn’t a big problem, but for a longer visit I’d ask the owner about it beforehand.

The quiet neighborhood was a plus. Roller shutters on the windows made the bedroom completely dark and even quieter, and we could run the washing machine whenever we wanted, with detergent provided. The kitchen wasn’t very user-friendly, so I wouldn’t choose it for a long stay if I planned to cook. The outlets were awkwardly placed too. There was a leaflet in Chinese and English on the sliding door encouraging people to move to Japan for social security benefits, and the place wasn’t as comprehensive as people say.

The rooms have an interesting apartment-style setup.