Hostel Wasabi Nagoya Ekimae — Hotel in Nagoya

This place USED to be good, but I recommend avoiding it now.

I've been coming to this guesthouse since 2016. I've easily been here more than a dozen times, usually for several days at a time. Since around 2020 or 2021, policies have changed for the worse.

I am writing this from the lobby right now, working at my laptop because I fortunately got in without an issue.

But I witnessed the receptionist at the front desk kick out two people in the space of ten minutes because they arrived "too late" due to their shinkansen being delayed by a typhoon. One said he was basically in transit for six hours due to the delay. Staff literally said (in English) "So what?"

When that person asked if he could get a refund, the receptionist said "maybe" but no refund happened.

The craziest thing is not that this happened twice as I was sitting on this terribly uncomfortable stool they replaced all the old chairs with to discourage socialization like an actual guesthouse, but also that something very similar happened last time I came here.

That time, the receptionist (who I think was a different person due to the aforementioned high turnover, but same attitude so maybe she's the one constant) walked to the door, opened it, and said in a saccharine voice "Dōzo! Dōzo!" as if she were doing him a favor by throwing him out in the literal rain.

It's a convenient spot, a convenient price, but if you have bad luck they will gladly chew you up and spit you out without even helping you find another hotel. The cliched virtue of "omotenashi" that used to be here several years ago is gone, and I have decided that this is my final stay.

I'd take a smoking room at a roach infested 1980s love hotel without cleaning staff over supporting this place anymore. Such a bad taste left in my mouth from seeing this happen three times in my last two visits.

Also, FWIW, they do the illegal practice of requesting ID from foreigners living in Japan. I provided my Japanese address, which legally means they have no right to my private documents, but they violate this law every time over the past few years.

Edit: Before the owner comes here to say that they had to be kicked out because they didn't have any staff to prepare their beds or anything, I want to reiterate that they had RESERVATIONS, just like me. I didn't even pay in advance like that one guy, but my bed was completely ready before I even arrived.

It's just ghoulish.

I have attached an image of the lobby and my laptop showing the current time as of this edit (12:44AM) to show that I am indeed staying here and was not one of the people kicked out. I'm writing this as an actual regular customer, not as someone trying to get petty revenge because I...

3 nights stay 😡 wish I didn't booked! Shittyest place on heart! Not only the dorms are poorly organised, they are so dirty too. I arrived and there was a problem with my booking, they sorted but I had to check out and check in on my second day. A pain because on my last day was raining badly and I wish I could have relaxed in bed instead. (They charge if you stay in bed after checkout). Yes they sorted but with the excuse they were full didn't done a good job. I saw the girls working there cleaning, but they don't want to do it. The smell in the toilets... how they clean a toilet? They replace toilet paper and close the sit, that's all! in the shower you can find rubbish and hair everywhere. Bins overflowing with rubbish around the hostel too. They may clean, but 2 people for a 5 floor hostel is way not enough staff and they can't care less. I'm not talking of dirty after everyone had a shower in the morning/night time, there is always a mess and everything is dirty you may prefer going to a toilet in a cafè (they'll be more clean). In the girls dorm there was a nightmare! My bed had a sharp corner inside the bed and was near the door, so for the sharp corner (no protection whatsoever) I had to move away after banging my head against twice resulting in a very discomfort position with my feet hanging out the bed (top bunk bed) or risk it to woke up with a bleeding head, the bed are already small, with the huge column in it it's just ridiculous!!! There were a group of girls making lots of noise and banging the door and because in the toilet there is no door and you are just next to it all the screaming going on (even hairdryer and flushing toilets) you can ear it. I went downstairs to complain because I really was getting fed up with everything and yes she came up with me, only to turn off the lights and leave, not a single world exchanged with the noisy group. They don't care if you have a good or a bad time, as long as you pay for all the extras, they are good. false advertising as well, the pictures of food are the staff food or costumers that prepare on they own (the kitchen is just for the staff, they don't even want you to use the fridge that is on the back). They don't cook, if you want something you can pay and go 5 minutes away to a restaurant they have a deal with (if you buy at the restaurant instead is cheaper so well done on ripping off...

I rated this hostel 2 stars out of 5 based on my personal experience, if you’re lucky, it might be a 3 or even a 4 if you’re not picky.

I want to start the review with the positive points.

The check-in process was fast, nothing to complain about. Bathrooms are nice and there is one on every floor. Free lotion, free shower gel, towels are a 300¥ rental though. Location is central even though kind of sketchy with lots of girls bars around.

Now the bad side.

First, I know we are in Japan and it is globally safe but anyone can walk-in the room as it is not key or password protected. Second, mattresses are so thin and hard. Third, AC is super loud. Fourth, even though I booked 3 months ahead and for 4 nights, I have been attributed a top bunk bed which doesn’t make any sense. I asked to change it and was granted another bed, thanks for that. Fifth, my newly attributed bed and the other one, I checked just to be sure have a corner in it therefore reducing the bed size that is already small by a third. How greedy do you have to be to set up beds where there is obviously no space for one? Or at least if you are going to sell those spots, make an option for people to pay half the price. This is one of the worst hostels I have ever been to.

Update, this is even worse than I thought. I managed to get a new bed but once again there is an issue, it is not properly separated from the neighbouring one and therefore if the person next to you is inconsiderate you’ll have to sleep with the light on. The hostel lets the girls from the sketchy businesses around here stay for the night, they wake you up in the morning by being loud - also, they look very young and I really hope...