Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo

The dorm was comfortable and not too warm, and every guest floor needs a key card to enter. I was able to check in early. If you arrive before check-in or need to leave after checkout, you can drop off or store your luggage. Reception is on the third floor, along with the lounge, dining area, kitchen, and toilets. It’s a great hostel, about a 10-minute walk from the Susukino intersection.

We booked through the official website, which was significantly cheaper than the usual travel apps. We came from SEA during winter. The room was comfortable and clean, and access was by card. The common area has a kitchen with Japanese condiments and plenty of utensils, plates, and cups. There’s free coffee and tea there, too. Getting here in winter wasn’t much fun: Susukino station and Nishijuitchome station are both around 800 meters away, and the walk can be rough in snow or a blizzard. There are convenience stores, markets, and restaurants nearby, though. The building has just one elevator, and it’s small and very slow.

The location gets a definite thumbs-up, and I prefer a hard bed, so that part worked for me. But the guys on my floor showed little respect for others. They left towels in the bin meant for clothes instead of used towels, didn’t clean the shower after using it, and stayed loud throughout my one-night visit. I barely slept. The single elevator was also an issue. I’ve now been to Japan three times without staying in a pod hotel, and I can see why. I’ll likely avoid them again.

Good hostel for a cheap price, but the room is really small, barely enough for two 28-inch suitcases. Susukino station is 880m away, a bit of a trek dragging luggage over snowy roads. There’s only one small elevator.