54Journey Tokyo Otemachi Hostel

The room felt claustrophobic from the moment I arrived. My so-called single room had no window, hardly enough floor space for my bag, and walls so thin I could hear everything. The place was filthy too: toenails on the floor, hair in the sink, and shaving hair across the bathroom. A washer or dryer kept running after midnight and made sleep nearly impossible. For what they charge, you don't even get the basics. It feels like a rip-off aimed at travelers with nowhere else to go, which is sad and infuriating. The hostel is run-down and looks nothing like its online photos. The bad reviews are accurate, and I wish I'd listened to them. Please stay somewhere else. This place is a disgrace.

The ventilation makes a lot of noise at night, and there’s very little room. The common spaces and bathroom weren't especially clean, with stuff piled all over the place. There’s no reception, either, so you have to check in by phone. For the same price, you can find much tidier capsule hotels in Tokyo.

The worst part was an older, possibly staff member or guest, who'd wake up and shout at people in the middle of the night. The place was cold, and the AC seemed to cool rather than heat it. Laundry was a problem too: the dryer didn't work, and the washer wouldn't rinse. There weren't really any amenities, just old shampoo that looked like some kind of chemical, and I was afraid to use it. The hostel itself was tiny, old, and dirty. They squeeze 10 people into a very small room while leaving a larger one closed until more people arrive. One Japanese tenant told me he'd found bugs in his bed. Honestly, next time I'd sleep outside rather than stay here 😆.

The bedroom 2 stank, the sheets were stained, and lights kept flickering while the vents whirred. There was black mould, torn wallpaper covered in mould, dust built up on every surface, and piles of junk in every corner that made it hard to move around. The misleading photos should embarrass the owners. I can't imagine how it could be worse. Very, very disappointing for my family.