The Knot Tokyo Shinjuku — Hotel in Tokyo

We had a good nine-night stay at the Knot-Shinjuku. There were some things we disliked but nothing unusual for a mid-range/three-star hotel. Conversely, much of what we did like exceeded our expectations.

The staff were the stars of the place—professional, courteous, responsive. Example: We asked to change rooms upon arrival (ours smelled like cigarette smoke). The hotel was full, but the concierge moved us to a new room the next morning with apologies. Other moments: booking a massage for me at a nearby spa; letting me access our room to look for a shirt after we’d checked out and the combination had been changed; holding our luggage after check-out so we could do some things before leaving for the airport.

We loved the Knot’s location. It’s nestled in a quiet nook on the west side of Chuo Park, featuring Tokyo’s impressive commercial architecture, government buildings and an abundance of large trees. For those who dislike trees, a 30-minute walk gets you to the iconic, electric-circus part of Shinjuku presided over by Godzilla. And Shinjuku Station is less than a 15-minute walk away. There are many stores and restaurants nearby. Within the hotel itself, there’s the MORETHAN TAPAS BAR and also the MORETHAN GRILL. We tried and liked both. There’s a bakery we didn’t try but which seemed very popular.

We liked the Knot’s lobby (and lounge): part art gallery, part chic club, with paintings, installations in discrete corners, and piped-in music adding a youthful coolness to something typically practical or stodgy at other hotels.

We had mixed feelings about our room. We did appreciate that it was clean, had comfortable beds (twins were what was available), good AC, and a shower with good water pressure/temperature control. Other good things: lighting, a full-length mirror, well-placed power outlets, an electronic combination safe, and a keyless, palm-activated combination lock on the room door with a unique code generated upon check in.

Tokyo is known for tiny hotel rooms and apartments. NYC has a similar rep, so we’re no strangers to tight spaces. But there wasn’t much free floor space in our room. Two people needing twin beds in a room this tight will have to reevaluate their relationship, because they’ll effectively be sharing a Queen with a fat crease down the middle. My size 12 slipper got stuck when I stepped crossways between the beds. Add a cabinet with mini fridge and safe, a table, chair, and suitcase rack (plus luggage with half the contents spread out), and you’ve got a traffic jam. A room this small needs a design that frees up floor space, like having Murphy beds and stowable tables/chairs and using more wall space with added hooks and shelving. Regarding the bathroom, it was clean, but a sewage smell would arise when the toilet was flushed. As for noise, we heard loud-talkers in the hallway. Luckily this wasn’t often, and we couldn’t hear noises from neighboring rooms or from outside.

Another challenge was laundry. It was hard to dry hand-washed clothes in our room (too humid, limited space), so we were glad the hotel had a laundry room, only to find the three coin-operated washers and dryers continuously occupied (it was the 400-room hotel’s lone laundry facility). Getting a machine was like finding free parking in New York. We went back to air-drying in our room. Every morning and evening, there was this tragic-comic scene of guests lined up at the laundry room with their dirty bundles, gaunt faces etched by the dread of learning the price they must pay to saunter down fashionable Tokyo streets in clean underwear.

All in all, the Knot Shinjuku worked for us as a base camp before and after long, busy days in and around Tokyo. We got fair value for the price we paid. For a future visit to Tokyo, we would consider staying here again but probably only if we got a good deal on a...

Title: Disappointing Experience: Small Rooms, Inconvenient Amenities, and Lackluster Service at "The Knot Shinjuku" in Tokyo

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

I recently stayed at "The Knot Shinjuku" during my visit to Tokyo, and unfortunately, my overall experience fell short of expectations. Despite the hotel's highly central location, the issues with small rooms, inconvenient amenities, inconsistent housekeeping, and a lack of warm water in the evenings left much to be desired.

Let's address the rooms first. They were excessively small, even by Tokyo standards. Despite booking the premium room, I was disheartened to find that space was severely limited. The lack of room made it incredibly challenging to open our suitcases or move around comfortably. It felt cramped, claustrophobic, and significantly restricted our ability to relax and unwind within our own accommodation.

The bathroom was a major source of frustration as well. It was extremely tiny, posing significant inconveniences. The shower head was positioned in such a way that it consistently pointed towards the sink, creating an awkward and uncomfortable situation. This design flaw resulted in water splashing onto the sink area with each shower, rendering it wet and inconvenient for use afterward. Additionally, the non-functional dust vent in the bathroom contributed to poor ventilation, leaving the already small space feeling stuffy and uncomfortable.

Adding to our disappointment, the housekeeping service at "The Knot Shinjuku" was lackluster. On one occasion, upon returning to our rooms after a long day, we discovered that our beds had not been made. This basic expectation was not met, leaving us further dissatisfied with the overall experience. The lack of attention to detail and inconsistent housekeeping service only compounded our growing list of grievances during our stay.

Furthermore, the availability of warm water in the evenings proved to be another persistent issue. After a tiring day of exploration, we looked forward to a relaxing shower, only to find that there was barely any warm water left. This inconvenience was highly frustrating, as a comfortable and refreshing shower is an essential aspect of any hotel experience. The lack of consistent hot water supply in the evenings further added to the overall dissatisfaction we experienced during our time at the hotel.

While "The Knot Shinjuku" boasts a prime central location, it regrettably fails to deliver on providing comfortable and convenient accommodation. The small room sizes, inconvenient amenities, inconsistent housekeeping, and lack of warm water in the evenings significantly impacted our stay. If you prioritize a convenient location above all else and can manage with minimal space, this hotel might be suitable for you. However, if you value comfort, ample room to move around, efficient housekeeping, and reliable amenities, I would strongly recommend considering alternative accommodations when...

Having stayed at the Knot in Hiroshima, and various other hotels in Japan we were disappointed with the Knot Shinjuku for many reasons. We booked this due to the reviews and the images online. It was one of the more expensive hotels - it should have been one of the most affordable.

-Hotel- this felt more an ‘upscale’ backpackers. The first floor where you find reception, has the More Than Tapas Bar and the More Than Bakery either side as you enter the hotel. Through the centre is an overcrowded lobby with people lounging around working, eating, talking loudly and just hanging out. It was an extremely chaotic and loud environment.

-Staff- The staff were friendly, helpful and always greeted us with a smile. I cannot fault the staff.

-security- This is the only hotel that we stayed at that didn’t have a key card to access the floors other than reception or dining. This meant that all floors were accessible by the public, and as safe as Japan is, this made me feel extremely uncomfortable.

-Ammenities- There is a coin operated laundry on the second floor. This was easy enough to use - but they weren’t easy to lock. If you came back 5 minutes past your wash cycle finishing you would find your clothes on the floor, or on another washing machine. Also the laundry floor can be accessed by the public.

-Rooms- The rooms were a standard size for Japan, we stayed in a superior Hollywood so that we could have the 180cm bed for our last few nights. The rooms were fine, there was nothing special about them. (Saying this having stayed at another Knot hotel) Also our room smelt fruity everytime we came back to it so we kept our window open during our stay. You could hear the noise from the hallways and doors the neighbouring rooms.

-Location- while it is in Shinjuku, it is not near Kabukicho - this is about a 30 minute walk. The hotel it’s approx 17 minutes from the west concourse exit - if you are wanting to use your JR pass keep this in mind. It is a 8 minute walk from the nearest subway station. It is next to Central Park, and close to the metro building. There isn’t a lot of food options around other than it’s 3 on-site options. There is a few options about 5 min away if you turn left as you exit the building.

-Breakfast- we opted not to do the breakfast package at nearly $30NZD pp, which is as a relief as there was always a massive que in the mornings. We ate at the bakery which was nice and fresh. We did a light dinner at the tapas bar one evening and that was an over all nice experience.

Would I recommend staying here - No. I think there are far more affordable, and better located hotels in Shinjuku. Maybe if you are in your early 20’s and want a quieter paced area and can get a good deal. Next time we will stay at one of the other hotels we stayed at...