Shinagawa-ku - House / Vacation STAY 12126

The area was lovely to walk around, with good food and an interesting history, and breakfast was great. We didn't want to leave Bamba House. The beds and linens were extremely comfortable, and thoughtful, luxurious touches were everywhere. You can feel how much care went into the place. We'd hoped it would be good before booking, but it was so much more. Thanks to everyone there for such a special stay.

The house has a lot of charm, and the breakfasts were amazing. We also liked having a living room table, and the staff were nice. Still, it was the most expensive and least comfortable of the 10 places we stayed in Japan so far, and the price felt too steep for what it was. It was drafty in winter, with a freezing toilet and bathroom. The house was noisy from the nearby station, busy road, and fire station, and the neighborhood felt rather dead. The stairs are extremely steep, the mattresses very firm, and the place generally dilapidated, with doors that felt ready to break. They seemed aware of the problems and supplied an extra bathroom heater and noise-cancelling earplugs. Unfortunately, the heater spread a gasoline smell through the house. Cool experience, but not worth the cost.

Our first two nights in Tokyo were at Bamba Hotel, and it was a lovely place to come back to, almost like having a home there. The three-story traditional Japanese apartment is an 80-year-old building with modern comforts, and the futon beds were surprisingly comfortable. Everything was very clean. Shimbamba station is literally 30 secs away, which was so convenient. Taka was friendly, welcoming, and full of suggestions. He took my husband and me around the neighborhood when we arrived and showed us his favorite restaurants. Breakfast was brought to us both mornings, with a choice of Western or traditional Japanese food. On evenings when we hadn't seen Taka or his staff during the day, they left us cute little notes. Thanks, Taka, Yoshi, and Misuzu. We can't wait to return!

Taka is charming and really attentive to what his guests need. We stayed four nights, and although the place is a little outside the center, getting around was no problem with the metro and JR railways working well. The hotel is right beside Shibamba railwaystation.