Akasaka Yoko Hotel

The bed was comfortable, and it was nice to have a small fridge and kettle. The carpet was old, but everything else seemed reasonably new. The room was usually quiet, though the bathroom walls may let through more sound. It wasn't a problem for me. Everything worked well, including the shower, which had great water pressure and was always hot. The room service was very thorough, and on days I skipped cleaning, they still left a package of fresh towels. The location is convenient, and there are coin washers and dryers plus vending machines. The room itself was tiny, with nowhere to put luggage except the floor. The bathroom was the typical small Japanese style, clean, modern, and functional. The small size is the tradeoff for a very affordable hotel.

A few things to know: there wasn't bottled water in the room, so we had to get drinking water from the lobby during certain hours. The easy check-in and check-out went smoothly, and the staff were friendly. Their English was limited, but we could communicate clearly enough. The room was clean and had the amenities we needed, including toiletries, a kettle, mini fridge, and hairdryer. It wasn't spacious, but even with four suitcases we managed, using the space under the bed for luggage. The hotel is in a quiet yet central area near restaurants, convenience stores, and a park for walks. Getting around Tokyo was easy thanks to the public transport. It's about a 6-minute walk to Akasaka Station's Chiyoda Line Gate 7, and the area has a Harry Potter-themed atmosphere that added a little magic to the stay.

The location, facilities, service, and amenities were good, and we were three people booked through a travel agency. Our one big complaint was the strong smoke smell in the hallway on the 5th floor. We hadn't noticed smoking as an issue when booking. The front desk said that was the only floor that could accommodate three people, and they gave us an air purifier for the room. The smell was much stronger in the morning than in the evening. Breakfast was below par for a continental breakfast. It might be great as a Japanese breakfast, but I can't comment on that.

This hotel felt very old and run-down, and the worst thing was that the toilet didn't work properly.