Rembrandt Cabin Shinjuku Shin-Okubo

The capsules are roomy and mostly comfortable, and for the price this was a great stay. It’s around a 15-minute walk to Kabukicho, with a huge Don Quiote not far away. I stayed four nights. The facilities were nice and clean, and staff were always helpful. Showers could change temperature depending on how many people were using them. My main issue was the capsule room being kept at 24 degrees Celsius, which felt far too warm.

For my first capsule hotel stay, it was a good experience overall, though three nights felt a little long for me since I prefer more privacy. Check-in was easy on the top floor, and the separate elevators for the men's and women's dorms worked well, a very Japanese setup. The shared space behind reception had filtered water, tea, coffee, plenty of seats, desks, and tables, plus a nice view of the area. My capsule and the dorm were clean, as were the shared bathrooms and showers. Soap, shampoo, and conditioner were supplied, along with basic toiletries, pyjamas, and earplugs. You’ll want the earplugs because you can hear everything in the dorm. The capsules have no door and aren’t soundproof. The locker system worked fine and could fit one large standard suitcase. They also had luggage locks if you brought an extra one or needed to store your bag on checkout day.

With the subway only a three-minute walk away, getting around is easy. This is right in the middle of Koreatown, so there are loads of food spots and cafes just outside, and it’s a great area if you’re into kpop or Korean culture. The capsules and hallways were clean. I slept well because the corridors are dark, unlike some capsule hotels where light comes through the curtain. The showers and lounge were clean too, and they provide sleepwear, bath essentials, a toothbrush, skincare items, and other amenities. I’d highly recommend it.

I stayed here in early December and wouldn’t come back. The location is excellent, in a Korean neighborhood full of shops and restaurants, very close to Shin-Okubo Station on the Yamanote Line. Wi-Fi worked well throughout. Staff were friendly and spoke intermediate English. The café area upstairs had a cool view, seating, free M&M’s, drinks, and a water fountain. The bathing area was spacious, and the hostel has an attractive design that’s great for photos. I found the capsule experience interesting, the beds had a reasonable amount of space, and the women-only and men-only elevators felt like a nice safety feature. Sleep was the biggest problem. The pillow was the worst I’ve ever used, and the thin, hard mattress often left me with back pain. I only learned from a Google review that you can ask reception for a different pillow. There was a hair on my bed when I arrived, which made me question the cleanliness, and the mattress smelled strange at first. The gender-separated elevators made moving between floors inconvenient and slow. When the hostel was full, the luggage area got chaotic. My locker was directly in front of the elevators, leaving almost no room to open my suitcase or organize anything. Sharing that tight space with a bunch of girls was extremely annoying. Several bathrooms were under maintenance, and some toilets had bidet problems. Staff were kind but gave almost no instructions on arrival, so I had to ask for basic information. And if you hope to make friends, forget it, people barely look at you. It really just feels like somewhere to sleep and leave. With all those downsides, it’s a pass for me.