Akai Hotel

I spent a night out on the street in Japan because of this booking. I reserved through Trip.com on October 21 for November 22, a month ahead, and accidentally chose a bed in the men’s dorm. I entered my full name, passport details, gender and all the other required information. I can’t understand how neither the hotel nor the booking site contacted me about the problem during that month. By Saturday evening in Tokyo, it was impossible to find reasonably priced accommodation for that night. Please make the dorm’s gender restriction clear in the room title, rather than leaving it in a small comment section. Other hotels do this.

The booking through Orbitz left out that the room was for men only, and I ended up paying more for the only room left on a Saturday night, a smoking room. As a non-smoker, staying in it felt like hell. Apart from that, it was a standard Japanese business room, clean, and an easy walk from the station. Keep in mind it’s far from central Tokyo: Shibuya Station is exactly an hour away. At the end of the Asakusa metro line (A20), the train becomes the KS line, and leaving at this station costs an extra 190 yen. No travel pass worked.

The front desk staff were friendly and helpful, and the location made things easy, with a supermarket and plenty of shops and restaurants nearby. I stayed five days. The rate felt a bit high for a queen room for one person.

Loved this place. I’ll definitely come back.