Claska

The room was clean, quiet and furnished as advertised, and the rooftop had a decent view. Staff were very friendly and helpful. The main problem was poor, spotty Wi-Fi, which seemed odd given how many networks there were. It’s a little out of the way from train lines, but easy to reach by bus.

The room’s design was interesting, and the hotel was nice, but at the price of a four-star residence I expected more. My hair dryer didn’t work, the air conditioning was noisy, and both the automated toilet in our room and the one next door could be heard. Reception staff were sometimes hard to understand, the hallway outside was a bit dingy, and the duvet was too heavy. There were no slippers, even though guests are expected to leave shoes by the doorway. Afterward we stayed at a traditional Japanese inn in Kamazawa for a fifth of the price and got far better service and a better room.

The open-plan hall has a relaxed feel, with most of the seating arranged around sofas. The food is nice and there’s a good range of drinks. On weekdays, it can fill up with housewives and small children. Be sure to look at the shop and gallery space upstairs too.

We love this design hotel and are staying here for the second time. It’s in a part of Tokyo away from the usual tourist route. There’s a nice design shop in the building, and the rooms have great Marks and Web toiletries.