Hotel R9 The Yard Togane

The room smelled awful and clearly hadn't been cleaned properly, and the staff were so poorly trained that I couldn't make out what they were saying. There weren't many other places to stay nearby, so I had no choice but to book here for 12,000 yen a night. It felt like a total rip-off. They seem to have lots of branches, but the Togane location was such a bad experience that I won't use any of them again.

On my recent two-night business stay in Togane, the front desk, cleaning staff, and everyone else were incredibly helpful. I'd booked separate rooms for the two nights online, but at check-in they rearranged things so I could stay in one room throughout. There was an unusual snowfall in the area that made checkout difficult, so I really appreciated their help. The hotel is right in front of the station, which makes the Togane location ideal. R9 is useful for both business and leisure, especially in an area with few reasonably priced places to stay. There's a Lawson right next door. For drivers, a bigger parking lot would be even better, though there is a gravel lot a short walk away. I first stayed at R9 in Asahi when I needed to be near Asahi Central Hospital before an early checkup or treatment, or couldn't drive afterward. Being close to a major hospital can be reassuring for patients and the family members supporting someone in hospital. I wish there were also a location near Higashi Chiba Medical Center.

I like this kind of place and find it really comfortable. The room is a converted shipping container, and the big desk works well when I need to get work done. There's a microwave, and the refrigerator has separate fridge and freezer shelves, so I didn't find anything inconvenient. Credit cards are accepted, and at check-in you get a frozen food coupon for each night of your stay. I stayed in November and came by train. I think there's enough parking for one car per room, but please check. I've depended on various yards for work around Chiba Prefecture. One thing to keep in mind in summer is that you're outdoors when you open the door, so bringing insect spray and a vape mat is a good idea.

I've stayed at plenty of hotels, including other R9 Togane stays, and this time the smell was awful from the moment I opened the door. I left the window and door open to air it out, but that didn't help. The air purifier was running the whole time with its red light on, so I think the staff must have noticed the odor. The air freshener smell mixed with it and made things even worse. I'm really disappointed, since this never happened on my earlier visits.