The Hotel Shinbashi

I wouldn't stay here again. Before my check-in date, I called several times to confirm something and never got through or received a callback. On check-in day, I still couldn't reach anyone. When I arrived at 3 PM, the stated check-in time, the door was locked and nobody answered. The booking site's customer service tried to contact the hotel too, but said they couldn't reach it either. I finally heard from the hotel after 4 PM. They said they were unattended because of COVID-19 and, in broken Japanese, told me they'd give me a password so I could let myself in, choose any bed, and leave my payment under my pillow. I wondered whether it was really okay for nobody to be there. I eventually got inside, though I hadn't really checked in. The password didn't work, no matter how many times I entered it, and I couldn't get through by phone. I pressed a random button and the door opened. A lock that opens with any random button? Inside, there was nobody on the designated floor, and the door there didn't lock either. There was no staff and no lockers for valuables. The listing said the hotel had air conditioning, but it was all controlled at the front desk, so guests just had to put up with it being too hot or cold. The curtains seemed poorly measured: even closed, they left a gap of about 10 cm, so people outside could see in. At checkout there was nobody around, and I couldn't get a receipt. The booking site said it couldn't issue one because payment on site was handled by the hotel. But how was I supposed to get a receipt from a hotel I couldn't contact? Lol. I eventually reached the hotel through the booking site and was told they'd contact me. Two days later, I still hadn't heard anything. I've stayed in plenty of hotels, but never experienced one like this. Is this even possible? I'll never go back.