Tokyo Ichiban Asakusa

DEALING WITH THE OWNER: My husband's company booked a family room for two adults and two children under six, with two double beds and a sofa bed, but made the reservation in his name for one person. We told the owner before we arrived, and they wanted to charge us 1500yen x3 x7 = 35k yen (225 USD). That felt like a total rip-off. I checked Booking.com online, and the difference between one adult and two adults plus two children for seven days was only 30USD. We negotiated it down to 25k, but we only had 23800yen cash, or 152USD, so they accepted that. We were exhausted after walking 20k steps that day, and I wanted to find somewhere else for me and my kids, but they were at our door demanding the extra fee. I should have found another place. The kitchen was so dirty, and the bathroom had mold. FINDING THE LOCATION: It's easy to find if you search TOKYO ICHIBAN ASAKUSA, and Google Maps will direct you there. The building is next to a green and red parking lot sign, in a fairly quiet residential area, 1.1km from Sensoji. It's a few bus stops from Sensoji, with KIKUYABASHI the closest bus stop. Our unit was on the second floor. There is a lift, but you have to climb a few steps to reach its level, so be aware if you have a stroller or heavy luggage. It was difficult with a sleeping toddler in a stroller after a long day out. CHECK-IN PROCESS: We were assigned room 202 on the second floor. Check-in was simple and easy. WiFi was provided, the door was unlocked, and the key was inside. Bedroom slippers were provided. TOWELS AND WASHING MACHINE: They provided only four towels. Luckily, there was a washing machine so we could wash them often, but NO DRYER. If you visit in winter, you'll need to dry towels on a rail in the room near the curtain and turn on the heater using the upper third button on the right, set to 30 degrees. Laundry powder is provided. There's also a launderette dryer two minutes away on foot. ROOM SIZE AND BED: The room was a decent size by Japanese standards. The bed was big and soft, and the duvet comfortable. There was a coat hanger, which was a plus, and a small full-size mirror in the corner. Slippers were provided in the room. KITCHEN: VERY VERY DIRTY. Don't even consider cooking here. Food was stuck to the utensils in the drawer, which hadn't been washed properly. The pans were badly scratched, so I wouldn't even make a simple egg breakfast in them. Baskets and other utensils had black stuff, white specks, and dirt on them. Black stuff also fell from the exhaust fan when I dried bowls in the washing area. There's no drying rack. BATHROOM: VERY VERY SMALL. I had to squeeze in to get into the bathtub. There was MOLD all over the bathroom, under the sink, in the tub, and on the walls. If you're allergic to MOLD, please AVOID. There was nowhere proper to hang towels or clothes. You could use the shower curtain rail, but it was so dirty and dusty that you'd probably end up hanging things on a hanger outside in the room. The washbasin and bathtub shower head use the same hot and cold knobs, the type where you have to adjust two separate knobs to get the right temperature. So you either leave the setting halfway or use only the shower head or only the washbasin, which is annoying. The toilet is so close to the washbasin that brushing your teeth there is uncomfortable, so it's better to brush in the kitchen. NOISE: We could clearly hear people coming up the stairs, entering the unit opposite, or walking upstairs. The door is like a metal bomb shelter door and makes a lot of noise when neighbours open and close theirs. We could even hear the cafe downstairs opening and closing its door because it's directly below us. For a short stay, it might be okay if you don't care about mold or cleanliness, or if you don't plan to cook. The bed is fine, and it's better than a hostel because it's en-suite. But if you want to cook, brush your teeth, or shower comfortably without all that bathroom mold, this isn't for you. I definitely wouldn't return. Definitely not for families with children. Avoid at all costs. Maybe it suits a solo backpacker.

***AVOID. The host's response to our emergency was shockingly hostile.*** I'm writing this to warn other travellers. Please read it before considering this property. We had to cancel our family trip to Japan after our flight was cancelled at the last minute because of the war in our home country. It was completely outside our control, a classic force majeure event. We understood the non-refundable policy, but hoped the owner would show basic human decency. We politely asked them to let Booking.com try to re-book the room for our dates. This would have carried no risk or financial loss for the owner, who would still be paid. Instead of simply saying no, they sent a barrage of hostile, abusive messages. Even after we pleaded for understanding, the owner kept spamming our inbox with messages like: "We reject all requests." "Our attitude is very firm." "Please don't send us any more messages." When we said we couldn't believe how callous the response was, the owner's final message was: "Your revenge is welcome." Think about that. A host on a major travel platform told a customer who had to cancel because of a war that their "revenge is welcome." If everything goes smoothly, maybe you'll have a fine stay. But if a problem, emergency, or unexpected event comes up and you need even a little flexibility or compassion, this is the kind of person you'll be dealing with. Book at your own risk.

A great place for our first time in Tokyo. The location is amazing, with pretty much everything about a 15 to 30 minute walk away. The beds are so comfy, the bathroom pleasant, and the accommodation just right 🙏 Might be back soon for sure.

The location is excellent and the rates are low, though the apartment is tiny and offers almost no services.