Lions Mansion Kabukicho Third 402

Booking through Booking.com led to a disappointing stay, and I really didn't enjoy this hotel. Storage was a problem because the cupboards were already full of other things, leaving no usable room for our belongings. The bathroom was so cramped I barely fit inside. During our visit, the building was in poor shape, and the elevator felt like a construction site instead of a finished facility. The host wasn't accommodating, either. I'm used to wonderful hospitality in my country, so this felt substandard, and I wouldn't recommend it.

There are stairs up to the building, which made getting in with my large bags awkward. The luggage storage on the first floor was cheaper than the subway lockers, but my suitcase wouldn't fit. I ended up paying another hotel to hold it, and only then did the landlord reply to my Booking.com question from the day before, about half an hour after I'd found somewhere else. Booking.com also took a long time to get back to me. At this price, I would've preferred a hotel where I could leave my bags if I arrived early. The location is handy for Shinjuku and the subway, with supermarkets, cafes, and drugstores downstairs. But my Booking.com rate was over NT$3,000 a night and came to over NT$5,000 after tax. The tax was small enough that I didn't notice it when I paid, and the booking wasn't refundable. That's why I can't rate it highly.

The weekend daytime dramas, the quiet sky in daylight, and the sunrise from Lions Mansion Kabukicho are memories I still carry with me. Nights had their own city-center atmosphere, yet somehow I didn't feel lonely in this apartment, even though walking around Shinjuku can feel lonely. You see this place on YouTube a lot, but those portrayals are all lies. There's a manager there around the clock, and the cleaner comes regularly. For someone honest who lives in Shinjuku and is trying Kabuki for the first time, it feels like the right place. This apartment was the epitome of my youth, and I felt truly relaxed there. It's a great apartment.

Lovely room, but the sirens kept me awake. If you're a light sleeper, I'd avoid it 😭