Mustard Hotel Shimokitazawa

The neighborhood and location are fantastic, and the front desk staff were friendly and helpful. That's the only good thing about the hotel. From outside, the lobby, coffee shop, and bar looked amazing, so I was excited on arrival. Past the lobby, though, the rest of the place was terribly disappointing. The hallway walls were heavily scuffed, and the halls and room looked like a poorly maintained college dorm. Our room was bland and unwelcoming, like an empty student room. Its size was what I expected for Tokyo, but the layout was poor, with no decor to make it cozy. Better millwork could have provided a larger bed, more surfaces, and more storage. The curtains were cut to the exact window size, so light came in around the sides and bottom, making the blackout curtains pointless. The design didn't seem to consider how guests would live in the space. Beyond the lobby, everything felt cheap, value-engineered, and like an afterthought. Amenities were limited, though pajamas were provided. We had to leave waste bins and used towels outside the door to have them cleaned; otherwise, there was no daily room cleaning. The mattress was firm in an uncomfortable way, and the pillows were deflated. Very disappointing, and I wouldn't recommend it apart from the location.

The lobby is trendy, and the location in Shimo is good, though the area feels very self-consciously trendy too. This was much more like a budget place or youth hostel than I expected. The rooms are basic, the walls thin, and even the "superior" room has no bath or TV. The standard double felt small and was pushed against the window, so whoever sleeps on the wall side gets a face full of dirty curtain and a cold draft all night. There are no proper lighting controls or lamps. There were lots of foreign tourists. If you see that as a plus or minus, first-time visitors to Japan used to what 100 bucks a night gets in London, Paris, or NYC probably won't mind. Having lived in Tokyo for years, we found the rooms below standard and overpriced compared with all the business motels around the city. We'd actually stayed at a five-star hotel a few days earlier for barely $10 more per night. Basically, you're paying for the location if you want to party in Shimo or Shibuya, plus a little English service at reception.

We came back here twice during our trip, and Shimokitazawa was a lovely neighborhood to stay in by itself. The hotel adds to what the area has to offer, and getting to Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Enoshima, and Kamakura was easy. We really liked the hotel's feel, and the staff were great, always helpful.

The rooms are unusually roomy for Tokyo at this price, so I'd happily stay again. There's a record player in every room, and you can borrow records from reception. The hotel itself is minimalist, in a fun neighborhood full of vintage shops, bars, and coffee places.