GUEST HOUSE Hitoya-do - Hostel

The location is great. Check-in cuts off a little early at 8 pm, though check-out at 11 am helps balance that out. My dorm bed was really comfortable, and the whole place was clean and smelled nice. There are parking lots nearby, around 1,000 yen for 12 hours. I found one a few minutes away for 900 yen per 24 hours. S-san was a gracious host. I'd definitely stay again.

A sweet, quaint place within reasonable distance of Shizuoka Station, with dorms as well as private rooms. The dorm capsules are comfortable, though it can get noisy when they're full. Honestly, I found it a little hard to sleep in those conditions, but it was still comfortable. Bathrooms and showers are clean and well maintained. The lockers are somewhat small but hold valuables. Breakfast and other amenities are available for a small fee if needed.

The antique cafe atmosphere is memorable, but as a place to sleep, I found it only just adequate. It also sits farther from Shizuoka station than I expected, and there’s no elevator. At this price, there are better hostels nearby, though I’d rather not name them. They should think about what makes travelers choose this place over its competitors. The shared facilities were a concern. There was one toilet for what I think were eight beds, plus one men’s shower room and one women’s room. The glass in the toilet door was fitted backwards: people outside could see in if they got close, while someone inside couldn’t see out. I’d read about this in an earlier review and assumed it had been fixed, but it hadn’t. Ventilation wasn’t good either. The second floor had just one partly open window, in the toilet, and there were odd smells even when nobody was using it. There were only two people using the eight dorm beds, including me, but they put me right beside the other guest. They snored like thunder. AirPods with noise cancellation usually block every noise for me, but didn’t help this time. Of course, staff couldn’t have known about the snoring, but with plenty of empty beds, placing guests farther apart would also seem sensible for reducing potential risks such as bed bugs. Check-in was at 7:30 pm, and I checked out by 5 am to catch Mt Fuji, moving my luggage out beforehand. Later, I came back to shower and relax a little, at 10:30 pm, half an hour before the checkout time. While I was doing my facial care, staff came to the washroom and reminded me of checkout time, saying I could use the common area only until noon. It wasn’t even ten minutes past 11 yet. I wasn’t planning to stay longer anyway, since I had to catch a 1 pm train to Fujikawaguchiko. In general, the place came across as committed to running its hostel, but not very attentive to what travelers need or value. Late check-in is another limitation. The stated cutoff is 8 pm. It may be 9 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays because the cafe opens late, but the website doesn’t make that clear.

I stopped in early for toast and pineapple juice, and really liked the atmosphere. It’s a vintage-style cafe with capsule beds and private rooms if you want to stay overnight. The owner was so nice and helpful with local events and things to do. Definitely worth visiting, or staying.