by Devon Sponheimer
Today Japlanning are back with our latest hotel review from Devon with her most recent stay at a Japanese business hotel the Sotetsu Fresa Inn. Read on for Japlanning's latest hotel review in Kyobashi, just a few minutes walk from Tokyo Station.
The Sotetsu Fresa Inn’s have locations in the Tokyo, Kanagawa and Chiba districts. They currently have 15 locations and will expand to 50 locations by 2019. Their hotel name stands for FREsh, Sense, Amenity, as they want the experience they provide to be always ‘fresh’, with a ‘sense’ of comfort and ‘amenity’.
We stayed in the Sotetsu Fresa Inn Tokyo Kyobashi. The hotel is modern and sleek, with comfortable beds and convenient locations.
Our Experience
Photo credit - google
Location
The hotel is in a metropolitan area, close to many restaurants and within walking distance to Ginza and Yurakucho, and public transport.
Check-in
Once we found the hotel, we had some difficulty finding the check-in desk, as it was up an elevator on the second floor and the entrance did not look like traditional hotel entrance. Check-in itself was easy and we soon headed up to our room.
Check in & Check out Times
- Check in is at 15:00
- Check out is at 10:00
The Rooms & Hotel Amenities
Each room has a Sealy bed, providing a comfortable stay.
Photo credit - google
Room Types:
- Express Single – 1 person, shower but no bath
- Single – Semi-Double bed, 1 person
- Semi-Double – Semi-double bed, 2 people
- Ladies’ Single – Comes with a variety of amenities for ladies!
- Double – Double bed, for 2 people
- Deluxe Double – Queen sized bed for 2 people
- Premium Double – Queen sized, most spacious of the double category
- Universal Double – Queen sized bed, and handicapped accessible
- Deluxe Twin – 2 semi-double beds, and a sofa bed
- Premium Twin - 2 semi-double beds, and a sofa bed with more room than the deluxe
- Connecting Twin – 3 semi-double beds and a sofa bed in a connecting room. Can accommodate up to 4 guests
Our Room
We chose a double “smoking” room. Although there were no more “Non-Smoking” rooms available at the time of booking, we did not find a strong smoke smell in our Smoking room which was pleasant. The room itself is very compact (almost too compact) but it does try to make the most of the space in the room. The bed, however, was up against the wall making it challenging for my husband to get in and out of bed in the morning.
Standard in most rooms is a bathtub, television, phone, desk, air conditioner, water heater with tea, hair dryer, pajamas, WiFi and refrigerator.
When we booked, I indicated my gender and received a ladies stay package. Upon check in (and each night of my stay) I received a small package containing face and hair care, with hair elastics and clips. It was a nice little bonus and made me feel very welcome.
Free amenities in the lobby!
Photo credit - google
There are additional bath salts and men’s toiletries and a selection teas located in the lobby while supplies last. I made sure to take some bath salts for my time there, one smelling like fruit and one like flowers. This was by far my favorite part of this particular hotel and make sure you pick some up early in the day before they run out!
Additional items that can be requested during your stay include:
Blankets, Ion steamers, Tempur-Pedic pillows, Air filters, Hair Straighteners, Curling Irons, Shoe Dryers, Irons, Pants Presses, Disposable Chopsticks, Corkscrews, Ice Buckets, Cold Compresses, Thermometers, Nail Clippers, Envelopes, Paper, Matches, Sewing Kits, Hangers, Plug Adapters, LAN cables, Extension cords, Wheelchairs and Laptop Rentals (1,000 per night)
The hotel also has ice and vending machines as well as coin-operated laundry facilities.
Breakfast
For an additional 830Y per night, you can have breakfast buffet at the hotel with both Western and Japanese options. Offerings include bread, rice, cereals, salad bar, meats, yogurt, soups, coffee, and juices among other things. The buffet is different each day.
Since the Fresa Inn is conveniently located, we opted out of breakfast and took advantage of some of the local cafes each morning. (My favorite of which offered a maple syurp flavored latte!)
Additional Features
Each room has WiFi, but there is also a computer located on the second floor if you’ve forgotten your laptop or need to print, copy or fax.
Like other chain hotels, they offer a membership club. Free of charge, they offer late check-out, low-price guarantee and cash back benefits. It’s certainly worth signing up for the extra hour late check-out.
Photo credit - google
Cost
Our two-night stay ran us 29,400¥. Not exactly cost effective. We did book fairly last minute which may have affected the cost.
The hotel offers several ‘deals’, for advanced purchase and for staying multiple nights. Check their website for the most recent information.
Pros
- Clean and modern looking
- Free amenities in the lobby
Cons
- Small room
- Hard to navigate if you’ve got a lot of luggage
- Cost
Our Verdict
The Sotetsu Fresa Inn is nothing spectacular, but is a decent, clean room with a comfortable bed. We felt the room was a little high priced for the size.
One side note: While staying, my husband and I wanted to book a special dinner at the Oak Door in the Grand Hyatt. Due to the language barrier, I had been having some difficulty making reservations and asked the front desk staff to make me a reservation for that evening. They told me they would dial the number, but I had to speak to the staff at the Oak Door and make the reservation myself. I was disappointed that staff could not make the reservation for me as they were all bi-lingual. This experience did negatively color my experience at the Sotetsu Fresa Inn.
How to Book
The Sotetsu Fresa Inn can be booked either by phone or online through their English language website here
Location
Image credit - google
- ADDRESS: Sotetsu Fresa Inn Tokyo Kyobashi 2-11-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0031
- TEL: 3-5250-2031
- FAX: 45-319-2569
- EMAIL: kyobashi@fresa-inn.jp
Getting there
- 7 minutes walk from the Yaesu exit of the Tokyo Station JR Yamanote line
- 2 minutes walk from Exit 6 Kyobashi Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line
- 1 minute walk from Exit A5 Takaracho Station on the Toei Subway Asakusa Line
- 8 minutes walk from Exit A3 Hatchobori Station on the JR Keiyo Line
The Sotetsu Fresa Inn is a reasonable hotel to stay in for its location with a basic business hotel setup. Despite some disappointments, the hotel delivered what we expected in a clean, albit tiny room and had all the amenities we have come to expect from a Japanese business style hotel; with a bit more time to book i'm sure we could find very similar and more affordable. The Sotetsu is a adequate choice if you're looking for somewhere that isn’t a 5 star luxury chain hotel by Tokyo Station.
Have you stayed at a Sotetsu Fresa Inn hotel before? How did you find your stay?
Tell us in the comments below!