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Free alcohol and curry make this cheap capsule hotel near Shinjuku Station a great place to stay

Oona McGee Dec 19, 2023
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A whole load of free perks await you just seconds away from the station.

When you’re looking for a place to stay that provides peace of mind in the middle of Tokyo, you might think to Google the words “Anshin” and “Oyado“, which translates to “Peace of Mind” and “Inn“.

That search will likely take you to Anshin Oyado, a capsule hotel chain with locations around the country. The branch in Shinjuku is located a quick 90-second walk from Shinjuku Station, and it offers loads of perks including free drinks and Japanese curry, all for around 5,000 yen (US$35.12), which is fantastic value for money.

When our reporter Masanuki Sunakoma, who’s always on the lookout for great accommodation deals in Tokyo, heard about Anshin Oyado, he immediately packed an overnight bag and booked a 4,980-yen stay there for one night after work, making his way through the bright lights of Shinjuku to get to the hotel.

▼ Exit the station…

▼ …walk down the street…

▼…and there it is, with a faux brick facade that makes it look like a private residence.

This branch goes by the official name, Luxury Capsule Hotel Anshin Oyado Premier Shinjuku Ekimae, with “ekimae” meaning “in front of the station”. It’s a men’s-only facility, and the freebies offered are advertised on a signboard out the front, showing shampoo and conditioner, hair wax and styling gel, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and rice and miso are “ぜ〜んぶ無料!!” (“Aaaall Free!!“)

Guests are definitely spoiled here, but was it all to make up for subpar capsules? Masanuki was curious to find out, stepping through the sliding doors into a space that definitely looked luxurious.

When he stopped by the reception desk, he learned that check-in is from 3 p.m. and check-out is 12:00 p.m. Guests also receive an “Accommodation Benefit Voucher” at reception, which you can exchange for…

▼…a favourite drink, cup noodles, or ice cream as a special “Welcome Service”.

Changing into the indoor slippers provided, Masanuki headed to the lockers, which turned out to be the only drawback to his stay.

The lockers were really small, so anyone travelling with large luggage will need to either: 1. use the large luggage storage area next to the front desk 2. leave their bags on top of the locker or 3. keep their bags with them at all times. Of course, guests should be careful to mind their valuables, so Masanuki shoved as much as he could in the locker and left his larger bag on top of the lockers, keeping his valuables on his person.

▼ After dealing with his luggage, he headed up to the large public bath on the second floor.

▼ The public bath here is called “Shinjuku Hot Springs“.

Masanuki stepped inside the washroom, where he was greeted by a whole heap of free amenities.

They weren’t joking about the freebies — he was free to use as much and as many of the sprays, conditioners, gels and shampoos as he liked, and the place was spacious as well, helping him to relax and unwind before even stepping into the bath.

After enjoying a nice long soak and changing into the indoor clothes provided, Masanuki made his way up to the free lounge on the third floor.

Here, he found a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, and a whole load of comics and magazines for guests to read. Guests are free to laze around here as much as they like, which is especially handy if you can’t sleep for some reason.

The lounge is also equipped with power outlets, Wi-Fi, a smoking area and a drink bar.

▼ It was quiet enough for remote work as well.

Masanuki had already finished work for the day, so he was keen to sleep, and when he arrived on the capsule floor, he was pleased to find that the space looked clean and modern.

The 4th to 7th floors are capsule floors, and because this place bills itself as “an evolutionary capsule hotel”, the atmosphere inside is reminiscent of the future, making you feel like you’re journeying in outer space.

Feeling like an astronaut about to embark on new realms of sleep, Masanuki was excited to climb into his capsule, which was roomy and equipped with a Simmons mattress, making this a very fancy sleeping space.

Simmons mattresses are usually found in non-capsule hotels, and this high-quality bedding wasn’t the only thing giving his space an air of luxury, as it also came with a high-performance air purifier.

▼ In addition, earplugs, reading glasses and charging cables were provided, covering all the bases for a comfortable stay.

Masanuki slept like a baby on the Simmons mattress, and when he woke in the morning he was excited for breakfast in the lounge, which turned out to be keema curry with naan and lassi.

This was a meal Masanuki would’ve been happy to pay for, so to have it included for free with his stay was like the cherry on top of an already great experience.

So next time you’re looking for a place to stay that provides peace of mind, along with a whole load of freebies, be sure to check out Anshin Oyado. With a number of locations in Japan, it’s a capsule hotel that knows how to please its guests, and sometimes it can work out to be cheaper than renting an apartment in Tokyo!

Hotel Information

Luxury Capsule Hotel Anshin Ojuku Premier Shinjuku Ekimae Branch / 豪華カプセルホテル安心お宿プレミア新宿駅前店
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 4-2-10, Shinchika Building
東京都新宿区新宿4丁目2-10 新近ビル
Website

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