First Inn Takamatsu
This property is best suited for budget-conscious male travellers who are not bothered by cigarette smoke and appreciate a traditional Japanese public bath experience, provided they plan to return before midnight.
First Inn Takamatsu offers a traditional Japanese capsule hotel experience, featuring enclosed sleeping pods and a large public bath with a sauna. Its location near the ferry ports makes it a convenient base for exploring the islands, and it provides easy access to Takamatsu's city centre. While the property's 'Showa era' charm appeals to some, the overall atmosphere is significantly impacted by widespread smoking in public areas, which often permeates the capsules. Guests frequently highlight the budget-friendly pricing, which typically includes breakfast, as a key advantage. However, issues such as poor sound insulation within the capsules and a strict midnight lockout policy are notable drawbacks.
Stations & airport.
Distances measured from the hotel. Walking times assume a gentle pace with a backpack.
- Kataharamachi248 m3 min walk
- Takamatsu-Chikko654 m8 min walk
- Imabashi749 m9 min walk
Eleven dimensions of capsule life, read from 344 reviews.
Noise & sleep
Noise isolation is a significant issue, with guests reporting being unable to sleep due to loud snoring from adjacent capsules and street noise from thin windows.
“カプセルホテルの欠点ですが、真上の人の、ものすごいいびきが朝まで止むことなく続き、ホントに寝れませんでした。もう少し防音が欲しかったです。ま、安いからしかたないんだけど…”
“シングルルームは5階だが、窓が薄いのか車の音が気になることがある。”
Pod comfort
Guests frequently complain about strong cigarette smoke smell permeating the capsules, and poor sound insulation leading to disturbed sleep from snoring.
“カプセルホテルの欠点ですが、真上の人の、ものすごいいびきが朝まで止むことなく続き、ホントに寝れませんでした。もう少し防音が欲しかったです。ま、安いからしかたないんだけど…”
“Oh my god, if you even remotely don’t like the smell of cigarettes, please don’t book this crap of a hotel. All the capsules stink of cigarettes. They do not even bother to have any filter to purify this shit from the air. The smoking room is right next to the entrance of the bedroom….which makes the whole smoking room point useless. I made the mistake of trying to book this looking at the price but don’t spoil your lungs to save a few bucks.”
“It was a very convenient location but the room stank of cigarette smoke.”
Privacy
While the property offers capsule rooms, the lack of private facilities like toilets and baths within the 'private rooms' (likely referring to capsules or small single rooms) is noted. The presence of adult channels in capsule TVs is also mentioned.
“個室にトイレ、浴槽が無くて部屋の外の設備を使用する事。”
“Adult channels. In the TV in a capsule room. I can only imagine what can go wrong.”
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is a major concern, primarily due to pervasive cigarette smoke smell throughout the property, including capsules. While some areas like rooms and shared toilets are considered acceptable by some, the overall impression is that the facility is old and not always clean, especially the public bath.
“館内のニオイが気になる”
“建物が古いため全体的に清潔感が低くなるが、部屋や共同トイレ、大浴場などの清掃は個人的には及第点でした。”
“Oh my god, if you even remotely don’t like the smell of cigarettes, please don’t book this crap of a hotel. All the capsules stink of cigarettes. They do not even bother to have any filter to purify this shit from the air. The smoking room is right next to the entrance of the bedroom….which makes the whole smoking room point useless. I made the mistake of trying to book this looking at the price but don’t spoil your lungs to save a few bucks. But when you deep dive in, it isn’t clean.”
Shared bathrooms
The property features a large public bath and sauna, which is a significant draw for many guests. While some note it's old and not the cleanest, many appreciate the hot bath experience after a long day.
“Waschraum mit Sauna und Bad”
“お風呂が良かった。”
“Nice hot spring and sauna.”
Luggage storage
One review explicitly states that the lockers provided are
“Lockers are tiny af.”
Staff & check-in
Staff are generally described as friendly, kind, and polite, with some guests appreciating their helpfulness despite a perceived shortage of staff. However, there's an instance of inconsistent service regarding bicycle rental and a significant issue with guests being locked out after midnight due to no staff presence.
“チェックイン前にも関わらず、スタッフの方が快く対応してくださり助かりました。”
“前回は借用できたのに、今回は色々と言われて借用できなかった。（16時まで借用したいと言ったとき、12時までしかダメと言われ、じゃ12時までに返却するといったのですが、今日は貸出できないといわれた。）退館するとき自転車は4台あったのにどうしてなのか？対応者の気まぐれ？”
“スタッフが少なく、高齢の方が多いので対応しきれていないようであるが、気遣いは感じられた。”
Location & access
The hotel is conveniently located near ferry ports, making it suitable for island hopping, and offers good access to major city points like the station and market. However, there are few shops or convenience stores directly nearby, with the main arcade street being a 5-10 minute walk away.
“フェリー乗り場に近かった事”
“The location is near the ferry ports with walking distance around 10 - 15 mins. if you ride a bicycle, it only takes around 5 mins. So it's convenient for island hopping.”
“近くにコンビニを含めてお店がほとんどない。５～10分程度歩くとアーケード街があり、飲食ができる。”
Atmosphere
The hotel has an old-fashioned, 'Showa era' atmosphere, which some guests appreciate as authentic. However, the pervasive issue of smoking in public areas, including the lobby, breakfast room, and even near capsule entrances, significantly detracts from the atmosphere and cleanliness, making it unpleasant for non-smokers.
“全体的に昭和の雰囲気でしたが、自分は気に入りました。”
“Viele Raucherbereiche sind nicht getrennt von den nicht raucher Bereichen”
“タバコ臭い。ポスターには禁煙と書いてあるのにロビーに灰皿が置いてあるのが不思議。”
Value for money
The property is generally considered good value for money, especially with breakfast included and its budget-friendly pricing. However, some guests feel the price could be lower given the facilities, and the pervasive smoke smell makes some question the value despite the low cost.
“経費を抑えるためなら宿泊費をもう少し抑えてもらえればありがたいです。”
“朝食込みで、値段が安い。”
“昨年TEL予約した時より高い気がする”
The honest drawbacks, from guests.
- pervasive cigarette smoke
- poor noise insulation
- no late-night entry after midnight
- tiny lockers
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