Tamayura Hotel Asakusa

The 9th-floor lounge and terrace were the standout for me, with a close view of the Sumida River, Komagata Bridge, and the Tokyo Skytree. It's a lovely place to unwind at night. Breakfast is basic, free coffee and toast in the lobby on the 1st floor, but the bread comes from "Pelican," a legendary local bakery in Asakusa. At about $68 for a semi-double room with breakfast, it felt like good value for a distinctive stay. Tamayura Hotel Asakusa has a cozy Japanese feel in the middle of Asakusa. The wooden lattice and tiled eaves give the exterior the look of a traditional inn, while inside all rooms have tatami flooring. You leave your shoes at the door. My 11 sqm room had shoji paper windows and Japanese patterns, plus a comfortable Simmons bed. It was compact and nicely designed, though a bit dim, with no sofa or cushions for sitting on the floor. The location is excellent, about a 2-minute walk from Toei Asakusa Station (Exit A2a/A2b). Kaminarimon Gate and Senso-ji Temple are within walking distance, and the area has local places to eat, including "MISOJYU" for hearty miso soup and "Tanaka Soba" for ramen. I'd recommend it as a stylish Japanese-style base for exploring Tokyo. For a real vibe and room-size walkthrough, you can find my 4K review on YouTube. Search: SUKIYAKI TRAVEL JAPAN

The receptionist was a good person, and the washroom was fine. They also offer luggage transport between hotels at a reasonable price. But our mini fridge didn't work, and we found a cockroach in the room, bigger than my thumb. The receptionist already had bug spray ready, which made me think this may have happened before and that there could be an infestation. Having a bed close to the floor after seeing that bug was unacceptable. We asked a couple of times, but no refund was given.

The room and hotel were clean, and the location was great. My only real issue was that the rate included breakfast with no option to leave it out, and the booking didn't say it was just bread and spread with coffee. It'd be nice to have the choice. The rest was good.

I was very disappointed by the service. They wanted ¥5,000 to dispose of used luggage, while many other hotels will help with that free or for much less. It felt unfriendly and not focused on guests, and not like the level of hospitality I expected.