ELM Takadanobaba

The area is handy, with Takadanobaba Station about a 10-minute walk away and connections to lots of train lines. There's a 7-Eleven only two minutes away, plus plenty of good food options once you leave the neighborhood. I also appreciated the heater function on the air conditioning during my winter trip. The room was cozy despite being small, and the smart TV, microwave, and utensils were useful for simple meals. But the keypad often took a few tries to unlock, and check-in was tiring: only two tablets were available, so queues built up, especially with guests unfamiliar with the system. The pillow was very soft and flat, which made sleeping a bit uncomfortable. The stay was comfortable overall, but those parts could be improved.

We booked clearly for three people, and I had separately checked by message and email before arriving because earlier reviews mentioned this same problem. Still, we were given a room with just one double bed. One of us ended up sleeping on the floor, which was completely unacceptable. The room was tiny, not very modern, and not properly clean. The duvet was especially unpleasant and unhygienic, and I was expected to put it on the bed myself. There was no staff around to help at any point. Check-in was confusing and stressful, with no instructions provided, and I saw other guests struggling with it too. This was honestly one of the worst places I've stayed, especially as someone who travels often and has tried many kinds of accommodation in different countries. I expected basic comfort, cleanliness, and an honest description of the room, and got none of those. I hope they take this seriously so other guests don't have the same experience.

The mold and bad smell were the main problem for us. The room was dusty, the building was very old, and the bathroom was moldy and particularly smelly, with an unpleasant odor coming from the toilet pipes. We even bought an air freshener, but it made no difference. We had booked for 3 people but were given only 2 towels. At first, they said we should have booked for 3, even though we had. The host later apologized and offered another towel, but we declined because the ones provided were already very old and worn. We asked to add one night since the following day was available, but were told a “law” prevented an extra day, without a clear explanation. They offered a free 1-hour late checkout instead. Although the host had allowed us to leave at 11:00 AM, staff knocked three times to remind us checkout was 10:00 AM. We kept explaining, but it was clear the host and staff weren't communicating. I've stayed in Airbnbs in Japan several times. For future guests, this property is one of the places that can be dirty, have lots of strict rules, and offer no luggage storage. Please think carefully before booking.

We stayed here for two parts of our trip and had a good experience. The rooms were comfortable and a decent size, though a little dated, and for what we paid I can't complain. It's close to the metro, making ELM Takedanobaba a good budget option if that's what you need. The cleaning staff were friendly and helpful, though nobody was working at the counter.