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26 Amazing Things About Japanese Budget Hotels

Esther Oct 13, 2012
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Having a hard time deciding the accommodation for your holiday in Japan? Tight on budget, but don’t want to sacrifice comfort? Don’t worry, because Japanese budget hotels are cheap (usually about 3000yen or US$38 per person, per night) and yet provide top-notch service! You probably won’t find anything that is more value for money than this in other countries.

Here we bring you 26 reasons why Japanese budget hotels are so amazing!

1. Free mineral water.
Tap water is safe for drinking in Japan. But if you’re one of those who dislike the idea of drinking from a tap, most hotels provide free bottles of mineral water.

2. Bathroom amenities are available, and often for free!

Forgot to bring your skin care travel pack? It’s ok. A wide range of bathroom amenities ranging from lotion, moisturizers, facial cleansers, to body soap is provided, and most of the time, they’re free! Some hotels even have separate bathroom amenities sets for men and women.

3. Guests can watch unlimited movies for only 1000yen (US$12.80)!
At a small price, you can buy a movie card which allows you to watch unlimited movies.

4. Bath towels are conveniently placed above the shower head.
The Japanese always take the extra effort to ensure your comfort. Things are always placed in the most convenient locations. You won’t have to worry about slipping in the bathroom while trying to reach for the towels.

5. Smoking rooms.
If you’re a smoker, good news for you! The hotels have certain guest rooms where smoking is allowed. For non-smokers, remember to request for a non-smoking room when booking your rooms. As for how the fire alarm system differentiates cigarette smoke and real fire, it’s a mystery.

6. Personalized “welcome back” notes by housekeepers.
Every night, you are welcomed back to the hotel with a personalized note. “Hope you had a good day! –XX, housekeeper.”

7.Internet is free.

Internet, LAN or wifi, is available in all rooms at no extra cost! Hence, there is no need to sign up for data roaming when travelling to Japan.

8. Expensive ionic hair dryers are provided.

For ladies out there, you’ll be happy to know that the hotels provide expensive ionic dryers that emit negative ions and make your hair all silky and shiny! Say goodbye to dry and frizzy hair during vacation.

9. All hotels have vending machines and ice makers.
Vending machines are everywhere in Japan. Enough said.

10. Phone chargers – yes, even iPhone chargers – are available in guest rooms.
No worries even if you have accidentally left your phone charger at home. The hotel rooms are equipped with them!

11. Rooms are equipped with air purifiers.
You don’t need to worry about dusty hotel rooms. Breathe in fresh air!

12. Newspapers are free.
If you can understand Japanese, you can even read the newspapers for free!

13. You get to choose your favorite pillow.
If you’re one of those who can’t sleep well in hotels, perhaps a good pillow may solve the problem. One of the hotel chains, Super Hotel, provides pillows that come in 7 different heights and firmness for guests to choose from. Pick your favorite one from the shelves in the lobby after checking in.

14. Hotels have washing machines and dryers.
Normal hotel laundry services are expensive, but budget hotels have coin operated washing machines and dryers which cost around 100-200yen (US$1.30-2.60) per load.

15. Free item rentals.
Anything that you might need during a stay in a hotel, such as steam irons, nail clippers, extension cords, bottle openers, or corkscrews, can be rented for free.

16. Advanced toilets.

Yes, you can find the world-famous high-tech Japanese toilets even in budget hotel rooms! Seats that keep your butts warm in winter, built-in bidets, sound effects for the embarrassed, you’ll be amazed at what the toilets can do.

17. Onsen baths can be even found in some hotels.
You don’t have to stay in an expensive hot spring inn to enjoy onsen. Some hotels have their own onsen baths. Just remember to abide by the bathing etiquette.

18. Breakfast is sometimes free as well.
Some hotels entitle all guests to free breakfasts. It can be a simple bread-with-coffee set or even a full breakfast buffet, depending on the hotel.

19. Compact rooms.
Guests may sometimes feel that the rooms are a little too small with not enough space to walk around. But hey, look at all those amenities available in the room! Japanese budget hotels are small but compact.

20. Origami souvenirs.
One origami is placed on the table or by the bedside everyday when the housekeeper comes in to clean the room. You may bring the origami with you as souvenirs during checkout.

21. Rooms are equipped with humidifiers.
The weather in Japan is quite dry throughout the year (excluding the summer), so having humidifiers in the rooms really help.

22. Self check-out system.
If you don’t speak Japanese or are a shy person, you may want to avoid speaking to the Japanese person at the reception counter as much as possible. With a self check-out system, you can just drop the room card into the post box on your way out.

23. Japanese yukatas are provided.
One of the exciting things about staying in Japanese hotels or inns is that you get a chance at wearing their traditional clothing. Just remember to wear it left over right! (Right over left is for the dead at funerals.)

24. All rooms have bath-tubs.
Japanese bathrooms are pretty small, measuring about 1.5m by 1.5m, but they will always come with a bath-tub. You’ll be amazed at how the Japanese can squeeze a toilet seat, a sink AND a bath-tub in such small space.

25. Some hotels even have guest rooms that come with massage chairs.
Yes, in some hotels, you can even enjoy some massage after a long tiring day of work or sightseeing.

26. TVs have adult video channels.
The TVs do come with adult video channels. So if you have kids with you, you might want to hold on to the remote and select the safe ones for them to watch.

Images: Rocketnews24
[ Read in Japanese ]

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(Budget Hotels • hotel • toilet • travel)

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It Can Be Done: Recreating The Japanese Budget Hotel Experience In The US | The Travel News

October 19, 2012 at 10:44 PM

[…] RocketNews has place together a handy list of the best amenities offered at Japanese budget hotels, explaining in 26 concise bullet points all the useful small extras that get thrown in, like free internet, free toiletries, free water, hand-on paper notes from housekeepers, pillow menus, origami souvenirs, and air purifiers. Oh yeah, and high-tech toilets. […]
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