Hillsgarden 405

The room size and view were excellent, and it was spacious, not too old, and fully equipped for cooking. But the floor was very dirty and needs a more thorough wipe. The inner soles were peeling off both pairs of slippers, so they were hard to wear and should be replaced. I know it isn’t a hotel, so I can’t expect too much, but please make those improvements. I’ll definitely stay here again.

The location worked well for us, with a convenience store downstairs and a big supermarket about five minutes away on foot. Inside, the room had plenty of space, four single beds, a sofa, dining area and kitchen. The bathroom's hot water was strong and made for a comfortable bath. The fridge held a lot, and having a microwave and oven was handy for cooking. The sheets and pillows seemed reasonably clean, though they had a slight smell, so bring your own towels. There was also an odd plastic odor by the first-floor entrance. Some kitchen things were frustrating. The two-burner gas stove wouldn't let us use both burners at once, and the frying pan looked old and dirty, so I bought a new one. The plastic plates and bowls got greasy after washing and showed knife marks. The price changed a lot, too: we paid NT$12,000 for two nights when booking three months ahead, but two weeks before the stay it was NT$8,000. That didn't feel good, and I hope prices come down a bit. It was my first guesthouse stay in Japan, and I still had a pretty good time.

It felt like being at home, and there was room for children to spread their toys out on the floor. The place was clean, and the coin laundry would make longer stays easy. This was my first time in a private lodging and I found it very comfortable. My one disappointment was that the toilet didn't have a washlet.

The nearby convenience store was handy, and I didn't feel inconvenienced. The facilities were clean, there was parking, and the rooms were set apart by a corridor, so I couldn't hear noise from outside. The problem was the upstairs noise. I stayed three nights, and on two of them it was awful, like somebody putting on a drum show. I think the building's structure may be more to blame than the upstairs neighbor's manners. I've never stayed anywhere with noise this bad before, which is why I gave it two stars.