Hotel Belle Via Tokyo

I liked having a quiet place away from Tokyo’s bustle. Otsuka, on the Green Line, is the closest station, about 1 km away, and there’s a Uniqlo and 7/11 nearby. The room and everything in it felt tiny and stuffy, especially the bathroom, which had no air circulation. The bed and pillow were hard, though I did manage to sleep. I never met the host, but didn’t run into any problems.

The owner was friendly, and I had a good stay. The rooms were comfortable, but the common area was freezing.

I was really impressed by the staff. When I checked out, they held my bags while I went to sort out something I needed to ship. I came back with a huge box, and the man at the desk helped carry all my things to the station. He also spoke fluent English, which was a nice surprise. For what I paid, around $30 a night after booking a few days ahead, the room had everything I needed: a nice bed, AC, space for my stuff, and walls that weren’t paper thin. The showers and bathrooms are shared, as you’d expect at this price, but if one is occupied there are others on different floors. There’s no elevator, so taking luggage up one or two floors could be a hassle, though the staff were so helpful I doubt it would be a problem. I’d give it 10/10, way above and beyond, and would’ve stayed longer if I’d had more time in Tokyo.

We drove over from Miyagi, and having a free parking space was a real plus. The surrounding area is peaceful, with plenty of shops and things to explore, and you can walk to a station to get around. The rooms were quiet and the bathrooms clean. Great value and a comfortable stay!