POD SELECT HOTEL SHINJUKU

Business trip to Tokyo was exhausting, so I tried the in-room service at Qingya Pavilion. The girl came directly to my room, there were no strange charges, the service was incredibly attentive, and the privacy was perfect. Even though I don't speak Japanese, it went smoothly. I slept right after! Highly recommended! TG @meiyou06 #Osaka #Tokyo #JapanIn-roomService #Osaka #JapaneseBubbleBath #OsakaCulture #Tokyo #TokyoIn-roomService #JapanAffairs

I paid 10,928 yuan for four nights, and was charged 800 yuan in accommodation tax. The room photos clearly showed a bathtub, but they gave me a tiny room before changing it. They said all the photos were the same size and there was no difference? They insisted they were the same size, even though I paid more! The toilet drainage was bad, even after I told the front desk. And there were huge cockroaches in the room 🪳. I'm too lazy to talk about the last day. This is truly the worst hotel I've ever stayed in in Japan ☝️. The surrounding area was also terrible; there were ambulances nearby every night. The room's internet was completely unusable; I had to change floors because the internet reception was very poor.

Most of the cheap hotels around the station are capsule hotels, so the location is somewhat suitable. The exterior isn't bad. However, the key I was given was an old-fashioned, very traditional key. I turned it with a click and entered the room. It had the bare minimum facilities and size. The bathroom was also tiny. Well, it's fine since I'm just sleeping there. However, I was surprised when I tried to lock the door from the inside. There was no chain, just a button on the doorknob. How is this security for a hotel in the heart of Shinjuku? It's quite scary. Next, I tried to turn on the air conditioning because it was hot, but there was no switch anywhere. After searching, I found that it was a floor-mounted type, which is quite outdated these days. It worked fine, but I was still surprised. Considering the door lock, I won't be staying here again.

Booking through the official website is cheaper than booking through online booking sites, and the prices fluctuate. If you see a good price, book it now and pay in cash upon check-in, without worrying about losing your accommodation fee due to changes in your itinerary. The hotel entrance is small and inconspicuous; it's next to the "Diji" (地鸡) sign with a small staircase leading up. When I arrived that evening, I almost missed it because the hotel sign wasn't lit, and I had to look for it. The rooms are small; there are nine rooms on one floor. The amenities are fairly complete, including a hairdryer, electric kettle, and extension cord. The bathroom is tiny, and there's a noticeable musty smell. Besides shampoo and shower gel, there's also conditioner. Sitting on the second floor, I could faintly hear music and noise from outside, as well as the convenience store doorbell. The internet connection is not ideal and is intermittent.

Just for sleeping. Nothing else. Not a very nice area either.

⭐☆☆☆☆ Extremely Disappointing Stay – Not Suitable for 3 Adults or Elderly Guests I booked this hotel because I was driving, not because of its proximity to the train station. Unfortunately, the overall experience was very disappointing. The biggest issue is that this room is absolutely too small for 3 adults. The room size and layout make it unsuitable for three people to stay comfortably. Once all 3 suitcases are inside, there is barely any space to move. In reality, only one suitcase can be opened at a time. Once one luggage is opened, there is almost no walking space left. Even with luggage closed and placed inside the room, moving around becomes difficult. The hotel itself feels very old and not particularly clean. The condition did not match expectations. Another surprising issue was that in such a small room (around 15m²), the air-conditioning unit is placed on the floor, taking up even more limited space. Access was also inconvenient — there are around 10 steps at the hotel entrance, which means guests need to manually carry luggage up and down. This was especially inconvenient when travelling with multiple bags. In my opinion, this hotel is even less suitable for elderly guests, especially those with limited mobility or anyone carrying heavier luggage. Since I was driving, parking became another major disappointment. Nearby parking is extremely expensive — around JPY 3,300 for 10 hours, while many other hotels or parking facilities typically charge around JPY 1,500–2,000 per night. This added unexpected cost to the stay. I also feel the hotel did not provide enough information during booking for guests to properly assess whether the room would realistically work for 3 adults. More transparency regarding actual usable space, room practicality, entrance access, and parking expectations would help guests make a better decision. Originally, I booked one night and later changed my itinerary and made a separate booking for an additional night. After experiencing the room and realizing the issues were more serious than expected, I requested cancellation of the second booking, but the request was not accepted. In the end, I decided to book another hotel and move out anyway. To be fair, this hotel might still be suitable for business travellers or solo travellers who only stay short-term, carry minimal luggage, and spend most of their time outside the hotel. However, for families, groups of 3 adults, guests with multiple suitcases, drivers, or elderly travellers, I would strongly suggest considering other options. Overall, this stay did not meet expectations, and I would not recommend this room category for 3 adults.

The location is perfect, the rooms are a bit small but seem normal by Tokyo standards. The staff were very attentive and helpful with every request we made up for all the other negatives.