Hotel Asakusa & Capsule — Hotel in Tokyo

We stayed here mainly just for the novelty of this Japanese experience - I can't say that I would ever like to do it again!

The hotel is very old and dated. The staff don't speak English very well so it was a little frustrating checking in and understanding the process. You have to use a coin locker for your baggage.

The capsules are bigger than what I anticipate which included a radio and television. For privacy there is a blind. I actually got really hot during the night and wasn't sure if there was any way to adjust temperature so I had to sleep with blind open (which was a bit uncomfortable as you are in a room with 20 so other capsules). In the morning it was very loud as you can hear everything/everyone from all the other capsules especially when you are all waking up at different times.

The bathroom's are old and don't seem exceptionally clean. Upstairs is a small common area with an outside balcony on the roof which is nice (had a beer up there from one of the vending machines in the hotel). It's very smoky though which was unpleasant but I'm not used to it coming from somewhere where it is illegal to smoke inside restaurants/clubs/bars/hotels etc.

The location was a great area to some local sights and also very close to railway stations.

Overall it was fun for the experience but I would never really consider staying...

I stayed in one of the single rooms (I.e. not in a capsule) on the ninth floor after arriving in Tokyo. It's easy to find and a good location. ||||The venue is obviously quite old as the plastic interior of the bathroom has an aged look to it. They've obviously managed to keep it very clean in order for make the place last. At first sight it was a bit grim / bare but for a few nights it's ok - basic and clean.||||TV and free wireless Internet available in the room. The people at the front desk don't really speak much English but enough to check you in and out. It's a business hotel and so they're not really equipped to give you tourist info / guidance that maybe available in a place thats more holiday orientated.||||If you stay for multiple nights you have to check out but can keep your luggage in there during the day. They clean the room during this time and there's a daily change of towel. I was there early on my first day and they let me leave my bag there (apparently some people had to pay for this service).||||Communal area on the ground floor usually consisted of men watching TV or smoking so I never used that area.||||This is more a cheap / back up / basic budget option. I would not come here again when on holiday - I'd rather go...

I had booked a capsule online for this place.||On arrival the guy at the reception was smoking. The whole place smells like old cigarette smoke and dust. At the word 'grim' in the dictionary there's a picture of this place. It was green and dark and old, as in not nice old.||No english spoken at the reception - at all. We had to do with my Japanese which is extremely limited.||I arrived around noon and was told it would not be possible to leave my luggage until check in time (later in the afternoon). I was also I would not be allowed to keep anything in my capsule but would have to use lockers (not on the same floor?). I was shown a machine to just buy the ticket for the room and come back.||I said I'd be back later and never returned despite knowing the full amount would be debited from my card - it was just too dodgy for me. I booked into a lovely hostel 3 minutes walk from there where I knew I would be comfortable in a nice clean place with friendly staff ready to help me if needed. I thought until then that I didn't have what other people describe as a gut feeling - well I was wrong, and my gut feeling was telling me this was not a place to go...