BOND - Hostel

Great…

I could hear ordinary talking from the woman in the next room, even though she wasn't speaking loudly. The stairs were noisy too, probably just from people walking on them. The room was clean, but there's no sink in it, and the sound carries completely. It was so inconvenient that I never want to stay here again.

The other two rooms were quiet, which was nice, and shampoo, conditioner, and body soap were provided. But my daughter and I had only a toilet in our room, with the sink and shower in a shared area. After a tiring day of travel, we had to cover the mattress, pillows, and comforter with sheets ourselves. There was even a notice saying we'd be charged later if we dirtied the bedding without covering it. We were given just one bath towel, with nowhere to hang it to dry, so we used the same towel again the next morning. In the bathroom changing area, there was a basket on the floor, and a shelf or chair would have helped with hygiene. I picked the place mainly because of the price, so I guess that's how it goes.

For around ¥3,000 per room, we got a twin room with its own toilet and shower. Personally, I thought it was worth it. This is a really good-value guesthouse between Kyoto and Osaka. There are three rooms total, one downstairs and two upstairs, plus three shared sinks. The amenities felt hotel-quality, with things like body sponges, toothbrushes, cotton swabs, hair dryers, and bath towels. The rooms were immaculately clean, had a refrigerator and freezer each, outlets beside the beds, and washlet toilets. The station was convenient, and Lawson and coin-operated parking were each a one-minute walk away. Parking was ¥800 for a 24-hour limit. Non-contact check-in was available even late at night. The front door lock was a little confusing, and some guests left it unlocked. Sound insulation was poor. You could hear all three rooms on both floors, even when they weren't next door to each other. Trains on the nearby Shinkansen and Hankyu lines could be heard inside, and even car doors opening and closing outside came through. I got used to all the noise and it didn't bother me, and I wasn't woken at odd hours. Still, it could be a problem if you're sensitive to noise.