Hotel Sunroute Asakusa

The location was perfect and the rooms were nice. We stayed for a week and tried the breakfasts, but stopped after a few days even though we'd paid for them. They were fun to try at first, but the fish, hot dogs, and runny eggs were too different from what Americans are used to in the morning, and our stomachs weren't happy. Nothing wrong with the food, just not breakfast for American stomachs.

I got upgraded to a Deluxe Twin room measuring 25.7 sqm, with tatami mats and warm wood details. It felt spacious and peaceful, and the large desk was handy for work. The bathroom is a standard unit style, though the DHC amenities were a nice touch. For around $58 with breakfast included, this was fantastic value, and the hotel is an easy, pleasant walk from Senso-ji Temple and Kaminarimon Gate. There are water servers and ice makers, plus a limited-time free draft beer service in the evening. The Chinese restaurant "Panda" on the second floor stays open late, which is handy after a day out. The hotel is also a one-minute walk from the nearest subway station, close to Nakamise shopping street and Hanayashiki amusement park. For breakfast, try the famous A5 Wagyu roast beef bowl at "Niku Kitchen BOICHI" on the first floor. A good pick for budget-conscious travelers who want to stay near Asakusa's main sights. You can find my 4K review on YouTube by searching: SUKIYAKI TRAVEL JAPAN.

We had a great view of the Skytree from our room, and the rooms were clean and comfortable, though definitely small. Staff were friendly and helpful. Knowing Japanese came in handy, but they could communicate in English too. The hotel is in a convenient part of Asakusa near a Ginza line station, within walking distance of Senso-ji Temple, with the Skytree in Oshiage close by.

The room was a decent size and the location was good, but our non-smoking room smelled like old cigarette smoke. I tried the linen spray, and it was just isopropyl alcohol. The room wasn't very clean either: I had to wipe fingerprints off the bathroom door, the sink around the tap was grimy, and there was mold on the shower head and on the bathroom stickers explaining how to use the shower. I also wiped old food off the bedside table. The air conditioning never made the room cold, whatever temperature I set, so it stayed uncomfortably warm. The windows don't open, leaving no fresh air, and the view when you open the curtains is just a wall. It felt like a prison.