TurnTable — Restaurant in Tokyo

With a layover in Tokyo on the way home, I couldn't allow myself to waste a few hours in the airport of one of my favourite cities. Instead, I decided to spend a few nights in Tokyo and stayed at Turn Table. The hostel came highly recommended by a few mates who'd stayed there prior, and fortunately for me this time I was able to book in.

As a record collector who lives for 'digging' in Japan, the Turn Table reference alone is enough to convince me. Located right in the heart of Shibuya, if you're a tourist and it's one of your first times in Tokyo, this is the perfect central area to base your city exploration out of. It's close to everything and transit it super accessible. It's even a treat just walking up and down the winding back streets that ooze character and are lined with interesting bars and restaurants you can't help but gaze into.

This being Tokyo, everything is spotless and Turn Table Hostel is no exception. A curious mix of hostel, bar, restaurant and possibly other things, the space has a smart, boutiquey feel that's very inviting. The reception lives up to its namesake, featuring a wall display of records and a turntable, which unfortunately wasn't in working order. Not sure if it's there purely for show or it gets a few spins from time to time. If you happen to enter on the bar side which I'd done unknowingly, you'll walk through a chill, zen-like open lounge area to a quintessentially groovy playlist where there's plenty of seating and couches at the back to stretch out and relax.

Though I'm not entirely sure what constitutes a true capsule hotel in Japan, I would consider this to qualify as one. The rooms are tight but tidy and feature a little corridor of wooden containers with about a dozen individual bunks for sleeping. Each has a set of blinds that close you off from the rest of the outside world. The only thing is, these don't provide any escape from outside noise. Unfortunately, what put a real damper on my stay (and likely everyone else in my room too) was a very large man who clearly had severe sleep apnea, who out of consideration of others should never under any circumstances be sleeping in mixed dorm situations. I never bothered to request a room change, though I kind of wish I'd had. This aside, I felt totally comfortable and not nearly as confined as some other hostel sleeping arrangements.

The night staff was especially helpful with allowing me to use their phone to call my travel agency and airline to sort out my flights. Despite the language barrier, everyone is nothing short of polite and accommodating.

One of the highlights of staying here is definitely the freshly-prepared traditional Japanese breakfast experience. It's worth sticking around for (or waking up early enough for depending on your schedule). When signing in, you're given the option of breakfast or a complimentary drink at the bar in the evening. I was able to give both a try over my several nights stay. Neither disappointed.

It can be pretty competitive finding good, affordable accommodation in such a desirable area of Tokyo like Shibuya. But if you have enough time to book a stay at Turn Table, I highly recommend it. Just don't expect to be able to listen to the glorious haul of vinyl records you may have picked up during your...

Location is awesome: just a 10 minute walk from Hachiko exit of Shibuya station, couldn't be better for our big family of 15. Maruetsu petit (convenience/grocery store) is just a couple steps away and a 7/11 is just a block down. The entire alley is full of restaurants and bars which are great options for those that like to drink after hours.

The hostel itself was just as amazing: sheets changed every other day, complimentary buffet breakfast (or bar card) each morning, washrooms and shared areas cleaned every day and new towels provided each day as well. The hostel had AC which was a relief since we traveled during one of the hottest weeks in July (temperatures reached up to 47-50 degrees Celsius).

There are two showers and two toilets per floor, which was more than enough for our family + all the other people staying on our floors. Washroom situation was something that we had been worried about since we've heard horror stories from other families of airbnb's/houses they've stayed in having only one washroom for the entire family to use. Shampoo, conditioner and shower gel are all provided but we found them to be drying so we just bought our own to use. There is a shared mini fridge + kettle and tea which we found really useful for our late night trips to the 7/11 or maruetsu petit.

Staff was beyond amazing and so accommodating + patient, even when we weren't the quietest or easiest bunch, especially having children in our group. They went above and beyond to make sure our stay was comfortable and that we all enjoyed our time there. On our last day, one of the staff ran up to us, shook our hands and thanked us sincerely for staying with them and that hopefully, we'll see each other again. Amazing, amazing customer service. I recommend Turn Table Hostel just based off of this, as I know bad customer service can ruin an entire experience, and the experience we had was just phenomenal, thanks to everyone at Turn Table Hostel. I cannot...

I originally booked this hostel for several nights for my first week in Tokyo, however I ended up leaving after the first night due to waking up with bug bites all over my body. At first I wanted to remain hopeful that they were not from bed bugs, but upon further inspection there was no other explanation. They were uniform bites everywhere. Upon notifying the hostel that I would be leaving, I asked for a refund. They refunded me for the nights I didn't stay only. At first this seemed fair, however - this experience with bed bugs has not only tainted my vacation but also cost me hundreds and hundreds of dollars. I had to book a last minute hotel for several days, throw away all my luggage and repurchase, as well as launder all my clothing multiple times + buy new clothing + throw out many other items I had been carrying. I think if your customer experiences bug bites at your accommodation, you should not refund them and then ask them to pay for the single night they...