Years ago, Carla and I spent a five weeks in Kobe, Japan. Carla had a gig there, and I was just tagging along. It's a lovely city, and I mainly remember walking through lush green hills filled with roaring cicadas. We stayed in a tiny room at the Kobe Washington Hotel. Carla's employer paid for it. I just looked it up and it's only $41 a night, including breakfast! (example menu item: "It has good saltiness! Excellent seasoned boiled egg").
I had no idea that nearby stands a more economical option: The Sanwa Hotel ($10 a night). Guests of the Sanwa have uploaded photos of the hotel and its rooms. After looking at them I would be hard pressed to choose the bottom of Buffalo Bill's pit in the The Silence of the Lambs or a room at the Sanwa. In the pit's favor, there's complementary lotion. In the Sanwa's favor, there's free reading material and a television set in every room. I can't make up my mind.
The Sanwa's reviews are mixed:
- Kept hearing weird noises and voices at night, I was so tired from my travels, even the tv channels didn't work, what a poor hotel.
- The sanitary conditions are extremely poor, there are no baths or showers, and the toilets are extremely poor, so I do not recommend staying here.
- i\It was so hot that I couldn't sleep at all, so I went out and drank until the morning and took the first train home.
- The room is too small, but the service is poor.
- The futons are dirty and the communal toilets are also very dirty. There is almost no control.
- Women should not stay here under any circumstances.
- Prison style!
- Feels like you're in a horror game.
- If you want Hepatitis B stay here
- Insanely horrifying stay. Deserves no star rating.
The hotel's owner should rebrand the Sanwa as a horror-themed experience, and charge $200 a night.
Previously:
• Giant Gigantor statue in Kobe
