9h nine hours Shinjuku-North

Booked through Jalan, and they kindly held my luggage before check-in and helped bring it to my room afterward. The room was clean, and the man at the front desk was very kind. It's close to Shin-Okubo Station, which made it convenient. I'll definitely stay here again^^

I booked this for a business trip and ended up stranded after missing the last train, with nowhere to go. It was the first day of a three-day weekend, Shinjuku hotels were full late at night, and although I'd paid, I got no refund. I had checked the terms, which said check-in was until 10 PM. A business dinner ran late, and I couldn't call by then. When I phoned after midnight, they told me my reservation had already been canceled because I hadn't contacted them by 10. I know I should have called sooner, but the way they handled it was the real problem. The staff member said that letting me check in after midnight would mean accommodating a suspicious person and reporting it to the police. The terms and booking instructions said nothing about police. The phone manner was extremely cold, and they wouldn't hear my concerns. I was also told guests must check in by 10 PM whatever the reason, and late arrivals can't stay even if they've paid. The doors are locked after midnight, so you can't enter or leave. I won't use this hotel again, and wouldn't recommend it to business travelers or anyone whose schedule might change.

Both Shin-Okubo Station and Okubo Station are a straight three-minute walk away, so carrying big luggage was no trouble. The entrance is closed, so you need to ring the intercom. Reception is upstairs on the second floor, and the stairs are a bit narrow, but the staff helped me with my bags. I'd sent my luggage ahead, and they carried it to my room too. I was really impressed, since hotels don't often do that these days. I tried both a double and a single room. In either, there was enough room to open a large suitcase, and there were two outlets by the bed. The single was comfortable too, with the full-length mirror off to the side. In the double, the mirror was wide, the TV a good size, and there was adjustable air conditioning and two pillows. USB ports were available along with the bed outlets. The refrigerator fits about four 500 ml bottles, but doesn't cool very well, so it may not work for things that need to stay cold. The staff were very kind, and I'd definitely stay again when I'm in the area.

After 20 years away, I came back for a stay. The place has been renovated and was much cleaner than I remembered. The cleaning was thorough, and I felt at ease the whole time. The owner is still as kind as ever.