Book & Bed Tokyo Shinjuku - Hostel

The reviews here are pretty accurate. We booked because a family member had always wanted to try a capsule hotel, and this one was in an incredible area. The bed was a tough little pad, but the bathroom bothered me more. People left long hair all over the floor instead of cleaning up after themselves. I've got long hair too, and I always clean up in shared spaces, so I didn't like that everyone wasn't respecting the rules. On our last morning, a woman who wasn't sleeping in a pod was just sitting in the couch area where people leave their things. That seemed really odd, and the staff didn't seem to care. The first two photos are of me and my brother; the last is of the random woman. I made sure not to show her face, just the awkward situation.

Book and Bed's location is great, and the hostel atmosphere was fine. Everyone was considerate, and people barely spoke above a whisper. We knew the simple double room would be small and basic, but it was much too hot at night, and the mattress was so thin we could feel the wooden base. We slept terribly. The next night we switched to the private superior room, which was a totally different experience: more space, windows, better comfort, and a pleasant temperature.

The books and setting give the place a nice vibe, though it wasn't as impressive as the photos. I spent one night there last December, between two trips, needing somewhere affordable near Shinjuki. For that one-night stop, it did the job. I don't see a reason to stay longer, and even for one night there are probably better choices. It's right in the middle of Kabukicho, on a small side street. You can hear the lively neighborhood, though it wasn't so loud that I couldn't sleep. At the first intersection to the right when I stepped outside, someone accosted me very insistently. I won't get into the kind of service they offered, but you get the idea. That isn't the hotel's fault, but the area felt a bit sketchy. I've stayed at several capsule hotels, and these capsules felt clearly lower quality and cheap. The mattress was super thin, and it was hot inside. If you're a light sleeper, it's a bad choice. The welcome wasn't the warmest I've had in Japan, but honestly, I didn't really care.

The concept and the area are cool, and it could have potential. Go for coffee and the view, but for my partner and me, the hostel felt like a total SCAM. We slept on plywood with an uncomfortable plastic pad and had to make the bed ourselves with sheets that didn't fit, which was a mess. The pod was extremely dirty and dusty, with lots of dirt left by previous visitors. The double pod we were meant to use also had a noisy fan that was broken and moldy. We ended up leaving because there was simply no way to rest.