Akino Hotel

We had a lovely stay. The location was great, and our room was comfortable and very clean. Great value for money, and we’d definitely come back.

The place is in a quiet residential area, with Akihabara Station close by. I’d barely seen any reviews and thought it might be a weird place, but Tokyo accommodation prices were beyond what I imagined, so I took a chance. And then, wait, this is so fucking expensive, lol. A Saturday night was about 80,000 won. The bed was decent, the towels were nice, and the water pressure and hot water were good. The sink, though, was tiny. The place is more spacious than an average Tokyo hotel. I went in fall, and the temperature was just right. I can’t say how it would be in midsummer or midwinter. No elevator, but I didn’t mind at all, it’s a great way to get a workout in. There’s a shared living-room-like area on what I think was the third floor, with a microwave and water purifier. The owners seemed Chinese, though I’m not sure, maybe the person I saw was just a cleaner. They were really kind and let me check in early because my room was ready. I’m so grateful. I didn’t ask for anything, and I’m writing this review on my own.

The separate toilet with its control panel and the shower were very nice, though I wish the hot water could be warmer. It’s regulated and felt a bit cold to me. There’s no bathroom space for toiletries or makeup, and the rooms are tiny. This was by far the smallest of the five hotels I’ve stayed in in Japan. Two people with two suitcases just can’t manage it. The suitcases couldn’t stay open, there’s no wardrobe, and I think changing the bed position might make the room feel more spacious. Like the other hotels I’ve stayed at in Japan, they don’t offer morning cleaning. There’s no staff to ask questions either, since check-in and checkout use access codes. For the price, it doesn’t feel very economical.

The check-in was incredibly confusing, and it was obvious the place, whether you call it a hotel or an Airbnb, hadn’t been cleaned. By the bed, the built-in fridge had a note in Chinese that I couldn’t make sense of. There was ice cream in the freezer, no idea who put it there or when, and a huge paper bag from an anime shop crammed carelessly into a drawer. I have no idea how long that had been there either. The walls were thin, and I could hear people speaking languages I didn’t recognize all around me. I’m definitely not coming back.