Guide to Tokyo Accomodations

Here's a quick synopsis of all the accommodations I've found in Tokyo over my obsession for the last 2 years (quite literally). Please note that the exchange rates change frequently, so please check using Google.

Personally, I suggest you carefully weigh what is important to you when it comes to going abroad. I know it seems really dumb, but people do get horrified by certain conditions and end up wasting money by requesting a transfer to another place or canceling their reservation altogether. I've sat in Yadoya's Maruman and watched this occur with two young French women.

Ask yourself things like:

Am I going to be staying there for awhile or just a few days?
Do I have to have AC? Internet Access? A locker for valuables? Access to a washing machine?
Do I need a private room? Do I need a private bathroom or can I tolerate a communal one?
Do I need storage capacity for a long term stay?* Do I need a TV?
Do I have to have a bed or can I do a Japanese-style futon?
Do I want the place nearby something specific? **

*This is the one I'm really hung up on - I plan on staying at Yadoya for cheapness, but I may end up doing Freshhouse or Oakhouse if I am able to secure a scholarship or two.

**Another hang-up. I fell in love with Nakano, due to the proximity of everything. Otherwise, I'll consider Tama Branch of TenTen Guest House because it's close to my school. Close = walkable distance = save on transportation costs.


Places that have daily rates:

Yadoya
http://www.cheap-accommodation-tokyo.com/

Review: I personally have stayed at Yadoya's Maruman branch. It's good for both short and long stays. While stuff was everywhere due to another young woman living there, it was fairly clean and very inexpensive. The mattresses were thin (cheap Japanese-style futon mattresses) and on wooden slats, but they gave me a comforter, which I put on the mattress and then placed a bed sheet on it. There was a free washer and a small place to dry your clothes outside. Small, but complete, kitchen and a refrigerator. I didn't really have any problems with the other tenants, who literally shared the room with me. Sometimes they did come back late and turned the light on because they were drunk, but no one really yelled or anything. The neighborhood is very well placed. Less than a 5 minute walk to Nakano station, which is less than 5 minutes from Shinjuku. Two convenience stores literally right outside the building in opposite directions, a post office (the foreigner's best friend due to international ATMs) within 50 feet of the exit, Nakano's shopping district and several department stores within 10 minutes of walking. 100 yen shop, etc. AC was included, And this place only cost me 39,000 yen (roughly $450 at the time, now around $500). I plan on staying here again when I study abroad, mainly due to the proximity of my university and the cheapness of the place.

Khaosan
http://www.khaosan-tokyo.com/en/index.html

Haven't stayed here, but it seems cheap and effective for backpacking, but not necessarily long stays. They start at 2000 yen a night ($25) and have several different branches to choose from.

Oak Hotel
http://www.oakhotel.co.jp/english/

Oak Hotel is a sub-company of Oakhouse and is placed in Asakusa, so it's fairly close to the city center. Rooms start at 5800 yen ($75) a night and include: free internet, private shower, access to a kitchen, a laundry facility and a security locker.

Sakura Hostel
http://www.sakura-hostel.co.jp/?gclid=CJbR77Dzj60CFQXd4Aodu30OoA

Not nearly as cheap as some of the other hostels (Khaosan, Yadoya), Sakura Hostel is a sub-company of Sakura House. It claims to be the largest hostel group in Tokyo, but I literally hadn't heard of them until now because the information wasn't as readily available as their guest house info. They do offer a "special rate" for people who reserve up ahead as much as 3 months, making it around 1900 yen a night ($24) and they offer a discount depending on the duration of stay. Like most hostels in the Tokyo area, this one is located in Asakusa.

Sakura Hotel
http://www.sakura-hotel.co.jp/rate.php

Like Sakura Hostel, I hadn't heard of this hotel until now. However, it's a sub-company of Sakura House. Room rates start at around 6090 yen ($80) for a single small room. It's located near the Imperial Palace at the Tokyo Metro stop of Jinbocho.

K's Hostels
http://kshouse.jp/tokyo-e/index.html House Tokyo
http://kshouse.jp/tokyo-oasis-e/index.html Tokyo Oasis
http://kshouse.jp/fuji-e/index.html Fuji-san

First off, they have a Fuji-san guest house, for those interested in seeing that. Secondly, they are fairly priced and located in Asakusa. 2800 yen ($36) for a dormitory and 3000 yen (40) for a women's dormitory at House Tokyo and starting at 2900 yen ($38) a night for the more private Tokyo Oasis.


Places better for longer stays:

Oakhouse
http://www.oakhouse.jp/eng/

Haven't stay here either, but it seems best for long term stays (unless you do Oak Hotel, see below). Unlike the Maruman Branch of Yadoya, Oakhouse gives you a private room, unless otherwise specified. You can even rent apartments. However, you pay dearly for the private room - around 75000 yen ($975) a month, usually more. The further out you get from Inner Tokyo, the larger your room gets, so the prices don't really vary much. They do have a huge coverage area across the Tokyo area, unlike Khaosan, which is focused in Asakusa.

Sakura House
http://www.sakura-house.com/en/

I have read mixed reviews on Sakura House. Some of their buildings are quite old and they seem to use low resolution pictures in the suspicious looking rooms. However, they are the competition of Oakhouse and therefore priced similarly, so I suggest checking them out at your own discretion. Sakura House also offers apartments.

Freshroom
http://www.freshroom.jp/en/houses

I've only discovered them in the last couple of months, but they look legit. They are similarly priced to Oakhouse and Sakura House. The pictures they have online are VERY clean - but this cannot be taken without a grain of salt because of the existence of programs like Photoshop.

Borderless House
http://guesthouse-tokyo.jp/

While most of their facilities are further away from the city center, they generally cost less by around 10000 yen or so ($125).

TenTen Guest House
http://www.tokyo-guesthouse.com/

This place looks very cheap. Not really much else I can say unless I go there - They offer some images of their guest houses, but they don't really specify whether the room is private or not. At 33000 yen ($425) a month near Shinjuku and Ikebukuro, I'd definitely check it out. In fact, as I'm going through their website, I've found yet another wonderful possibility (Tama Branch) for my study abroad, as it's close to my university.

Shinjuku Guest House
http://www.guest-house-tokyo.com/index-en.html

Another new one. It's located in Kagurazaka, Shinjuku, Tokyo and starts at 33000 yen ($425) a month. It doesn't seem like there are any private rooms, but the location is prime real estate.

Bamboo House
http://www.bamboo-house.com/

Bau House
http://www.bauhousetokyo.com/index.html

Guest House Hanata
http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/i/hanata/rates.html

Interwhao
http://www.interwhao.com/english/g_gakugei.html

Koyomiya House
http://koyomiya.jp/englishindex.html

U & I House
http://home.att.ne.jp/sun/U-I_house/

Yoshida House
http://yoshidahouse.net/en/index_en.html


If you have anything to contribute to this, please leave a comment. It can either be another guest house/hostel or a review. I will personally edit this and quote your review (as long as it sounds fair). Simple saying, "I went there and it was great/terrible" isn't sufficient. Please give pros and cons their weight.