Super Hotel Lohas Ikebukuro-Eki Kitaguchi

During the fire alarm, the lobby filled with guests who didn’t know what was happening, and I couldn’t see any staff there to guide or reassure anyone. About 15 minutes later, a receptionist came out, made another announcement in Japanese, then went back to the office. No one was available to answer questions or explain what to do. The first announcement was also only in Japanese, which left us and many other guests confused. Since this is an international hotel, an announcement in English as well would have helped. Emergencies can be stressful and move quickly, but clear communication matters when people’s lives may be at stake. At a minimum, emergency announcements should be in both Japanese and English.

I stayed six nights and rarely write online reviews, but the hygiene problems here made me feel I should share this. There were stains on the toilet door that looked like food sauce, which I found disturbing and unacceptable. The bed had lots of hair on it, and I questioned whether the sheets had been changed. Both the sheet and duvet cover looked worn and overused, rather than fresh. I’d be reluctant to book for the hot spring, too. Most guests followed the rules, but I saw some tourists who seemed unfamiliar with the etiquette leave their slippers on the towels on the locker room floor instead of putting them on the shoe rack. It made me wonder if this had happened before and raised concerns for me about cleanliness. After seeing the state of the room, I also found it hard to trust that the onsen water was changed or maintained properly and often enough.

The rooms are small but cozy, and the staff were really friendly. I loved the onsen and the tea bar. It’s a super comfortable place to unwind after a long day in the city.

I liked the adjustable shower, and having microwaves and water machines on every floor was handy. There are two elevators, so I never had to wait long. The welcome bar felt cozy, too. It’s a bit of a walk from the train station, and breakfast costs 1300 Yen. I spent one night in a single room. It was tiny, with a column beside the bed, and there’s no desk. The small coffee table barely fits a 13-inch laptop. The bed frame makes use of the space underneath for the fridge, rubbish bin and chair, or a suitcase if you prefer. The mattress was comfortable, though the beanbag pillow took some getting used to. I don’t think I could stay long term in a room this small without a desk.