Shinjuku Sky hostel
This property is best suited for budget-conscious travellers seeking a very basic place to sleep for a night or two, prioritising location and price over comfort and hygiene.
Shinjuku Sky Hostel offers basic, affordable accommodation near Nakai Station in Tokyo. While some 'pods' are described as comfortable and spacious enough to sit upright, guests frequently report issues with noise due to thin walls and loud staff, impacting sleep quality. Cleanliness is a major concern across the property, from beds to shared bathrooms, with several guests detailing unhygienic conditions. The property's location is a strong point, providing convenient access to public transport, though it is not directly in Shinjuku as the name might suggest. Staff service is inconsistent, with some helpful interactions contrasted by communication difficulties and perceived rudeness from others. The overall atmosphere is functional rather than inviting, with limited amenities and an unappealing aesthetic noted by some.
Stations & airport.
Distances measured from the hotel. Walking times assume a gentle pace with a backpack.
- Station121 m2 min walk
- Nakai142 m2 min walk
- Station198 m2 min walk
- Nakai38 m1 min walk
Eleven dimensions of capsule life, read from 477 reviews.
Noise & sleep
Noise is a significant issue, with thin walls, loud staff in the mornings, and general noise making it difficult to sleep. Some rooms also suffer from hallway light intrusion.
“It can get loud”
“The wall is so thin”
“Too Noisy, too bright at night from hallway light. Couldn’t sleep well”
Pod comfort
Guests found the beds comfortable and some 'pods' allowed sitting upright with climate control. However, some rooms lacked windows, leading to a lack of fresh air and an aircon smell.
“Actually not bad, comfortable beds”
“The facility exceeded my expectations as the pods were comfortable and climate controlled. Not a capsule so you can sit upright.”
“The room doesn’t have any window so there’s a lack of fresh air, my room smells of aircon.”
Privacy
While some guests found privacy acceptable, others noted issues like holes in walls compromising privacy. The option of private rooms is mentioned as an alternative to shared spaces.
“A hole for a/c in the wall makes fill lea privacy.”
“Privacy and the friendliness of the staff”
“If I were to stay again I would probably get a private room instead of the shared rooms”
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is a major recurring complaint, with guests reporting dirty curtains, floors, bathrooms, and uncleaned beds with hair and crumbs from previous guests. Empty soap dispensers were also noted.
“Curtains, floors and bathroom were not very clean. Hand soap was empty and was not replaced for the days I stayed.”
“Lack of cleaning and no very pleasant accommodation”
“I was really appalled by the hygiene of the place. The bed had a little mat next to it and that mat was full of crumbs and hair from the previous guests. When I unfolded my comforter to sleep, a big knot of hair fell out. There was also hair inside the comforter, which I'll attach pictures of.”
Shared bathrooms
Shared bathrooms are frequently criticised for cleanliness, broken locks, and unpleasant smells. Some rooms advertised with 'private bathrooms' only offered a shower, with toilets and washbasins outside.
“Two of the three shower rooms on the second floor had broken locks, and the locked room had cigarette butts and ashtrays and smelled of cigarettes.”
“I wanted to book a room with a bathroom, but in this case, the “bathroom” meant ONLY a shower but the toilet and the washbasin was outside the room…”
“Bathroom was dirty. Someone's clipped nails were in the shower area. It's not necessarily the management's fault - you just might have dirty roommates.”
Luggage storage
One review noted a lack of dedicated luggage storage, with guests having to keep bags next to their beds.
“There was also no where to store luggage other than next to your bed.”
Staff & check-in
Staff service receives mixed reviews; some guests found staff friendly and helpful, while others reported issues with English communication, perceived rudeness, and staff being loud in the mornings.
“Night stuff member doesn't know English at all, doesn't know how to use translator, seems to be rude but maybe because we didn't understand each other”
“The staff was friendly.”
“There was a staff member from Greenland who was extremely helpful and friendly.”
Location & access
The location is consistently praised for its proximity to Nakai Station and other subway lines, making it convenient for accessing Shinjuku and other parts of Tokyo, despite some confusion about its Shinjuku designation.
“Great location”
“Good location right outside of the train station.”
“Convenient location. About a minute from Nakai Station and roughly five away from the Ozai Subway Line”
Wifi & working
One guest reported that the Wi-Fi did not work during their stay.
“Wifi didn’t work and the staff were really loud in the morning making phone calls and yelling in the hallways.”
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is described as unappealing, with one guest comparing it to a refurbished parking lot. There were also reports of inappropriate guest behaviour and cigarette butts in common areas, suggesting a less than ideal social environment.
“The middle-aged Japanese guest man who flirted with woman guest was annoying. He lied and was rude.”
“The place looked like a parking lot, which was refurbished into a hostel.”
“The common place’s table has some cigarettes butts”
Value for money
Guests generally consider the property to offer good value for money, with the quality aligning with the affordable price, especially for short stays or as a basic place to sleep.
“The quality was as expected for the price.”
“Very affordable.”
“Good value for money”
The honest drawbacks, from guests.
- poor cleanliness
- significant noise issues
- misleading bathroom descriptions
- lack of fresh air in some rooms
- limited luggage storage
新宿ニッカホテル
A functional, no-frills option for budget-conscious travellers prioritising an unbeatable Shinjuku location, but be prepared for a basic capsule experience with potential comfort and service limitations.
9h nine hours woman Kanda
This property is best suited for solo female travellers seeking a clean, well-located, and budget-friendly base for short stays in Tokyo, provided they are prepared for the inherent limitations of capsule accommodation and the specific operational policies.
Hotel PRELE
A suitable option for budget-conscious solo travellers seeking a clean and well-located base, provided they are prepared for basic pod comfort and potential noise.