Hotel Accela

Most of the staff were kind and attentive, and the rooms felt airy. The air conditioning and TV worked well, the area was fairly quiet, and a balcony room gave a nice view of the SkyTree. I also appreciated the clearly labeled bins, good internet and the included ethernet connection. Towels were replaced daily, once a day. A few practical things were decent: the place has three bicycles to borrow for free, and the older man at reception usually recognized me when I came back. But I only learned on day three, from a rather curt staff member, that the bikes were meant for two hours. For longer rides I’d use a nearby LUUP or LIME instead. The washing machines and dryers were overpriced, and it could take 400 or 500 yen to get things properly dry. There’s just one vending machine, with no alcohol and no IC card or Coke ON payment. The location was a hassle with luggage. The closest station is quite a walk away, and the roads and sidewalks aren’t smooth, which isn’t kind to suitcase wheels. The hotel can’t change that, but it’s useful to know. Having to leave your key every time you go out also felt like an unnecessarily slow, old-fashioned routine. It’s especially irritating if you need to pop back for something you forgot or just walk to a nearby conbini or grocery store. The older man at reception remembered me, but most of the other staff didn’t. My biggest trouble was getting enough sleep. I have chronic back and neck pain and sleep hot, so capsules, guesthouses and shared places with no air conditioning or uncomfortable futons aren’t workable for me. I chose this place because the rooms were bigger than a capsule and had air conditioning, but the futon on hard, cold tatami was still painful. When I was younger I could manage that. Now, after a rough night, I ordered an air mattress from Amazon JP and got at least some sleep after it arrived. If you sleep on your back and don’t have chronic pain, it may be fine. There’s a curfew, too. You have to be back by 11:50 pm, which cut into enjoying Japan’s nightlife. I nearly missed it once. There’s also only one bath, with set hours to separate male and female guests. I often missed the available times. That may be fine if you’re an early riser, are female, or don’t need a shower to start the day. The one coin-operated shower was another frustration, especially given how many guests could be staying there. I’ve made ten trips to Japan and stayed in at least 50 hotels. Other than the futon issue, these rules and limits were all new to me. I hope they aren’t a sign of things to come, or I’ll have to stick to Western chain hotels.