GrapeHouse Koenji - Hostel, - Caters to Women

I felt really at home here and would absolutely book again. The location is great, the hostel is comfortable, and the facilities are convenient and well looked after. I slept really well in the larger-than-average bed. One thing to plan around is the luggage storage. It's quite small, and a top shelf is awkward to reach. I managed for my five nights, but if you need to get into your bag often or don't plan ahead for the next day, a bottom-shelf bed would suit you better. The other annoyance was that showers close for cleaning at 10 a.m. It seemed early when people were still using the bathrooms and kitchen. Cleaning at 11 or noon would be nicer. That's my only real criticism.

The location is the only thing I can praise. At 6,000 yen a night, this was the most expensive hostel I've stayed in so far, yet even towels cost extra. For 3,000 yen I'd have accepted paying for a very uncomfortable place in a good spot, but 6,000 yen made no sense. They charge for everything. Even the conditioner dried out my hair, and the toilet paper was the cheapest kind. There wasn't much room, so my large suitcase had to stay downstairs. They were precious about the floor and said not to roll wheels across it, despite the stairs. The bunks were uncomfortable, and the little thin wooden lock on the bed felt unsafe. The place was cramped and smelly, with two showers for 13 people. You couldn't shower from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., then again from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. That's a long restriction, especially in a lively area by shinjuku, where people might come back from a bar or club and want to shower. The noise was bad too. Girls were packing until 2 a.m. and yanking their curtains open so hard it was hard to believe. There was snoring, and it was loud outside as well. I had earplugs, but this was the first time I'd needed them in more than two months in Japan. Usually they're provided or people are very considerate. Here, they charge for them. I'm shocked by all the good comments and how few bad ones there are. The rules seemed unreasonable and set up to keep people from going out at night. I read one woman say this was the best place she'd ever stayed, but that would only make sense if she'd previously been homeless and her other hostels had been shelters.

I could visit my cat in the office area whenever I wanted while I slept in the dorm, and she had plenty of room to move around and seemed happy. This was the only place I found in Tokyo that let me stay with her, with no extra charge. The hostel itself was clean and nice, with the amenities I needed and a pleasant shared living space. It was in a quiet area too. Thanks so much for being so welcoming!

Koenji has a great feel to it, full of friendly, open-minded people and stories. It's a haven for creative people, vintage fans, and music lovers, and was where the Japanese punk rock scene began in the 70s. The location worked well for me: away from busy Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ginza, but only about 20 minutes by train from Shinjuku. At Grape House Koenji, Sanae was kind and attentive, and the place was spotless. I stayed seven nights, and they even offered to change my sheets without me asking. I'd definitely come back.