Park Inn — Hotel in Osaka

I think I owe it to this place to write a review about it. It was the very first and also the cheapest place I stayed in Japan and remains therefore as a memorable experience.||So, on our day of arrival, late after midnight, we showed up there and the old receptionist was already waiting for us. He only could speak a handful words of English, but after all he was friendly and helpful enough to welcome us so late at night.||This place is a typical run-down old-school Japanese hotel in which you still have to pay in cash. The online booking is just for the reservation.||After handing over our modest ¥1100 per night, the old guy gave us the key to our rooms.||The rooms are basically pseudo Ryokan cubes with Tatami mats. They also come with fresh sheets, pyjama, fan and TV - everything very small and basic. Toilets on the other hand are on the end of each floor.||On the ground floor, not far from the reception, are also a soft drink vending machine, microwave and hot water dispenser, in case you are traveling on a budget and if you depend on instant noodles or cheap bento boxes from supermarkets. Also on the ground floor is a small Sento-style bath which also serves as public shower. Please note the official bathing times for male and female guests. This can be quite confusing and uncommon for Japan-firsttimers, but I really enjoyed taking a bath with the other guests after a long day strolling through Osaka.||There's good Wifi on every floor and the hotel is located near the Shinsenkai area, the metro and JR line, the zoo and also Spa World (a must-visit place during weekend, when there's a special entrance fee).||Some people who never had been to Asia before may be not used to the run-down atmosphere of this hotel, but at the end of the day I must say that Park Inn was still one of the best values in Japan you could get for a very low price. Compare what you get for the price with for example a lousy dorm in Kyoto, and you may realize that this is quite a hidden gem after all.||You have your own small room, a pseudo Ryokan atmosphere, a funny, uncomplicated old guy in the reception, a small Sento bath, a good location and pretty much all the facilities you need if you're on a...

If you are a poor prince or pincess and ask to be showered with facilities for a low price in Japan forget it.. don't bother reading the rest... You get the bare essentials for the lowest possible price...||||Here is my experience.||||As soon as you come to japan you realize that there are millions of people competing for a tiny island and that space comes as the cost of high real estate prices. A motel room in Tokyo is around 50-70$ a night while in Osaka it ranges from the 30-50$ usd per nght. You will mainly spend all your money on accomodation, transport and gift shopping...the rest is cheap and will never drain your savings. I exchanged 300USD to get about 40 000 yen after paying my accomodation for 9 days (15 000) and spending 15 000 on JR train tickets, i managed to do a full week visiting Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Kyosan and enjoying Restaurants and bars, on a 300 usd budget.||||How did i do that? Park Inn. You can get a room and thats it. No heating, no private bathroom, no closet space.... just the bare essentials...I took the cheapest room and they gave me a key, and left me alone.||||You want a shower? Public Bath.. You want a kitchen... microwave + Hot Kettle..||You want to go number 2 Public Bathroom.... Otherwise free internet and TV cable is included with everyroom.||||One night the temperature was cold, they told me that i didn't pay for the heated room so instead they gave me a blanket. Lets be realistic it wasnt -10.. it was around +5 Celcius.. nothing to freeze over.||||Otherwise the staff was very helpful and i had the chance to practice my japanese because english isn't their strong point.||||I got what i paid for....the lowest possible price for the bare minimum... with all the Shower Rest Shops/Laundry Shops/Short-Rest Salons/ Automated Locker Shops... that cost tons of money, even if you camp in the japanese jungle, you won't get cheaper...

I've never stayed at a hotel this cheap before (¥1.2k/$8 per night), but if you're like me and absolutely hate capsule hotels, then this is a pretty decent option instead. You get a basic Futon on a tatami mat, but wow it's so much nicer than having no space in a capsule. You also get a Yukata which you can wear.

A lot of the reviews mentioning the communal bath obviously must not have much experience in Japan? This is very common in older, more traditional cheap hotels/hostels in Japan. Honestly, the bath is one of the biggest positives, you can shower then relax in the bath which is a perfect temperature. Also, very very cheap vending machines on the first floor which we don't usually get where I live in Fukuoka so that was a plus.

Now, the reason why I'm giving this hotel a bad review is because the room is absolutely freezing. It's so so cold. I know they offer rooms with aircon, but they were all sold out so I had no choice but to book without an aircon. Much to my surprise, there's an aircon panel in the room, but it turns out it's broken so I guess the rooms with "no aircon" are just broken lol. Also the hotel itself smells like cigarettes (not so bad that you can't get used to it).

Anyway, all in all, as a solo traveller I'm very pleased with the price, location, layout of the room and the public bath. Really the main negative is the fact the room is freezing, but if you can get a room with an aircon then imho it's worth it. Also about the other review mentioning the queue for the showers, I asked the guy in the lobby, apparently anyone can shower after 10pm in the room with the bath, just you won't be able to use the bath (just...