ELM Takadanobaba — Hotel in Tokyo

WE BOOKED AIRBNB AND I WISH WE SAW THESE REVIEWS FIRST. The owner told us through the BNB app and she said that she will not post any reviews under 5 stars. We stayed there for 10 nights, you get what you paid for. Very affordable, decent area near many stores, restaurants, and a decent walk away from the train station. THERES A STEEP HILL TO GET TO THE MAIN ROAD. There's no front desk so check in was through the iPad at the front. Although our room was non-smoking, we were right next to the designated smoking room so whenever someone to smoke, the smell came through the walls/vents. SOMETIMES THE SMELL WOULD LINGER FOR HOURS AFTER. There was MOLD along the bathroom door frame and some on the corners of the walls. ALSO MOLD IN COMING OUT OF THE TUB DRAINS. No bedbugs that we saw or felt thankfully. The water gets hot fast which was nice for the long cold nights. They supply toilet tissue, a vacuum, iron and board, tissues, and a hairdryer. Also there's a small kitchenette with an induction stove, a set of dishes, dish soap, and a sponge. The mini fridge was decent, but we didn't use it much. The over head lught in the kitchen was also dim, but we didnt use it. Carpet was pretty dirty and there was this patch that looked like a previous tenant left the iron on there and it burned an outline into it. Also, we vacuumed before we left and tried to clean the filter for it, but it looks like they haven't changed the filter in a long time, it was caked in layers of dust. The bed was comfy with a down blanket that's nice for winter. Also, the walls are super thin, so please be courteous to everyone when closing doors and cabinets. There is a coin laundry on the 3rd and 4th floor BUT you are not allowed to use it between 2200-0600 as the walls are so thin, they disturb the guest on that floor. Good price though, 200¥ for a washer, and 100¥ for 20 minutes of drying. Also, theres a vending machine next to the elevators and they have a display of amenities so you dont have to ask anyone directly, make sure to grab some extra, because i guess a couple new arrivals came and the shampoo and bodywash was out for the past 2 days. So over all it's what you get as the price if...

필독!! Please read the review, even though it's long.

This is one of the worst accommodations in Japan, giving the impression that it’s being illegally operated in a rundown building. There were no signs of the host or any management, and this place made me seriously reconsider my view of Japan.

I booked this place through Airbnb and was assigned a room on the second floor. From the moment I walked in, there was a musty, unpleasant smell, and the room looked nothing like the photos posted by the host. The bathroom reeked of bleach, the furniture was covered in dust, and I found hair in the drawers and bedding. What was even more unsettling was that, despite the checkout time being 10 a.m., there were no cleaners or staff present around that time, unlike most other accommodations. It felt like the place was entirely neglected.

I had booked a 13night stay with a friend, but we were only given two small and two large towels. Normally, for long stays, most places provide enough towels or offer a daily replacement. However, the host refused to provide extra towels, instead telling us to use the nearby paid laundry facilities.

On the morning of September 27, 2024, around 6 am., a siren went off, causing all the guests to evacuate. Since there was no manager on-site, a Japanese guest had to contact the police and fire department. When they arrived, they had to spend about an hour searching for the fire alarm control panel because there was no staff to assist. Meanwhile, guests were left waiting outside in the rain, barefoot and still in their pajamas.

This was my last accommodation after a month-long trip in Japan, and it was extremely disappointing. I filed a complaint with Airbnb and requested a refund, then hurriedly found alternative lodging. If you want to avoid a troublesome experience, I strongly advise against staying at this place.

다들 얼마내고 숙박하길래 가성비 괜찮다고 하는지 모르겠지만 전 이런 숙소 처음봐요,,, 돈 더 주고 다른...

Steer clear if you plan on booking through Airbnb or something similar. Host never responds to any messages. My wife and I were on the last week of our honeymoon and we arrived at 4pm for check in. First off, check in was difficult and it took 5 of us guests to figure it out in the lobby. Second, the generated code to enter our room didn't work. Had to get a maintenance guy to let us in. Thirdly, the room was disgusting. Kitchenette sink and space were filthy, the bathroom mirror was covered in filth and the bathroom itself smelled of sewage, everything was covered in layers of dust that had not been cleaned in months. We tried messaging the host during the check in issues and received no support. Given that we hadn't heard anything from them over the past 30-45min during check in issues and then accessing our room, we determined no response would come and we needed to find somewhere else to stay immediately. Even if the host had offered another room, we would have been hesitant to take it. This was the only building in Japan we didn't feel safe at and we had traveled between Tokyo, Fuji, Osaka and Kyoto. It looks like it was an old hospital or something and the hallways are littered with old CCTV cameras.

To this day (almost three weeks), we still have received no communication besides bot messages asking us for a good rating and telling us about their late check out options. Even Airbnb cannot get a hold of the host because we have been requesting a refund. Of course Airbnb is also being useless and telling us they can't do...