FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a 1R and a 2R room?
"1R" is our studio type and "2R" is our two-bedroom type. A 1R (4 of them, about 22 sqm, up to 3 guests) is a studio with a loft - a low-ceilinged sleeping platform reached by a ladder, where you cannot stand up. It has a double bed and a semi-double mattress in the loft, a combined bath-shower-toilet unit with a bathtub, and a rice cooker. A 2R (2 of them, about 40 sqm, up to 7 guests) has two bedrooms, a living room and a loft, all booked together as one unit: two queen beds, a sofa bed and a semi-double mattress in the loft, a separate shower room with no bathtub, and a toilet in its own room with a heated seat and bidet. The 2R has no rice cooker. The bedding layout varies slightly by room, and in the 2R so does the number of lofts and loft mattresses (one or two semi-double mattresses). Rooms are assigned on the day of check-in, so we cannot promise a specific room or bedding layout in advance.
Is there a bathtub?
The 1R has a bathtub, in a combined unit where the bath, shower and toilet share one room. The 2R has a separate shower room with no bathtub, and its toilet is in a different room.
Is there a rice cooker?
1R rooms have a rice cooker. 2R rooms do not.
Is Wi-Fi available?
Yes — all rooms include free high-speed Wi-Fi.
Is there a TV?
Each room has an Android-based smart monitor for YouTube, Netflix, and similar services. There are no terrestrial broadcast TV channels.
Is there a washing machine?
Yes - every room has one, and it is free to use. In the 2R the detergent and softener are dispensed automatically. In the 1R we leave detergent capsules (single-dose pods you drop into the drum) on top of the machine. Please avoid running the machine between 22:00 and 08:00.
What toiletries and amenities are in the room?
Every room has free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a washing machine, an iron and ironing pad, a hair dryer, a hair straightener, and shampoo, conditioner and body soap. Towels are provided for the room's maximum number of guests, beds are made up on arrival, and slippers are provided. We do not provide toothbrushes, razors or nightwear - please bring your own, or buy them at the convenience store or drugstore a few minutes' walk away.
Is there an elevator?
No - stairs only. The building has two floors and rooms are on both of them; there is no third floor. If you have a large suitcase you will need to carry it up the stairs. If a ground-floor room would help, please tell us by message after booking; we will accommodate it when we can, but rooms are assigned on the day of check-in and we cannot guarantee it.
Is there parking or bicycle parking?
No guest parking or bicycle parking is available. The motorcycle parking lot next to the building is a landmark only — it is not a guest facility.
Can you hold my luggage?
Before check-in we can often hold your luggage, but it depends on the time of day and on that day's bookings, so we cannot promise it in advance. Please contact us beforehand each time you would like to leave luggage with us. After check-out we are not able to hold luggage. If we cannot hold it, please consider a coin locker or a luggage storage service near the station. Staff cannot take in or hold deliveries on your behalf, though you can receive a delivery yourself while you are staying.
Will other guests be staying in the building?
Your room is yours alone for your stay, but the building is not exclusively yours. It has 6 guest rooms in total and other guests may be staying in the others; the stairs and hallway are shared. Because it is a small building you may hear everyday sounds from other rooms or the stairs. We ask all guests to keep noise down between 22:00 and 08:00. If you need a completely silent environment, please take this into account.
How do I get to the hotel from Takadanobaba Station?
About a 5-minute walk. Leave by the Toyama-guchi exit, walk along Waseda-dori towards Waseda University for about 4 minutes, then turn left into the side street at the corner where Google Maps tells you to turn. About 30 seconds down that side street you will see a wide motorcycle park on your right; the white building next to it is the hotel, with a "Shinjuku Topshot Hotel" sign. Please note there is a slope on the way from the station - worth knowing if you have heavy luggage or difficulty walking. After booking we send photo directions. In a taxi, describe it as "the white apartment building on Waseda-dori, on the Toyama-guchi side of Takadanobaba Station".
Which exit should I use at Takadanobaba Station?
The Toyama-guchi exit. Takadanobaba Station has a Waseda-guchi exit and a Toyama-guchi exit; Toyama-guchi is the convenient one for us. The station is served by the JR Yamanote Line, the Seibu-Shinjuku Line and the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line.
Is the walk from the station flat, or is there a hill?
There is a slope on the route between Takadanobaba Station and the hotel. It is a normal city street, but if you are carrying heavy suitcases, travelling with small children, or unsure on your feet, please allow for it. There is also no elevator in the building, so luggage has to go up the stairs.
How long does it take from Shinjuku Station?
About 5 minutes by JR Yamanote Line from Shinjuku Station to Takadanobaba Station - two stops - then about a 5-minute walk to the hotel. Allow roughly 10 to 15 minutes in total. The hotel itself is not next to Shinjuku Station; it is in a quiet residential part of Shinjuku Ward, near Takadanobaba.
How long does it take from Ikebukuro Station?
About 5 minutes by JR Yamanote Line from Ikebukuro Station to Takadanobaba Station - two stops - then about a 5-minute walk to the hotel. Allow roughly 10 to 15 minutes in total.
How do I get here from Haneda Airport?
Allow about 60 minutes. The usual routes are the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho Station, or the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa Station, then the JR Yamanote Line to Takadanobaba Station - plus the 5-minute walk from there. An airport limousine bus to Shinjuku Station is another option; bus times depend on traffic. These are guides only and vary with connections, service and time of day - check the railway, bus and airport operators for current routes and times. Late at night, public transport from the airport into central Tokyo is limited, so if you land late please plan your route in advance.
How do I get here from Narita Airport?
Allow about 90 minutes. You can take the JR Narita Express to Shinjuku Station and change to the JR Yamanote Line, or the Keisei Skyliner to Nippori Station and change to the JR Yamanote Line - then the 5-minute walk from Takadanobaba Station. An airport limousine bus to Shinjuku Station is another option; bus times depend on traffic. These are guides only and vary with connections, service and time of day - check the railway, bus and airport operators for current routes and times. Late at night, public transport from the airport into central Tokyo is limited, so if you land late please plan your route in advance.
How do I get to Waseda University?
One stop on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line from Takadanobaba Station to Waseda Station, about 3 minutes, then about a 6-minute walk from Waseda Station to the Waseda Campus around Okuma Auditorium.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-in: from 15:00. Check-out: by 10:00.
Is there a front desk? Is anyone on site?
There is no front desk and no staff on site - the hotel is unstaffed and you let yourself in. There is no 24-hour reception counter and nobody meets you in person. Questions during your stay are answered by message through the site you booked with (for direct bookings, the AirHost message thread).
How does self check-in work?
After you book, we send you the check-in instructions by AirHost message, usually a few days before you arrive, along with a stay guide covering directions and the area. On the day of arrival we send you a 4-digit entry code. You enter that code on the smart lock at the door to get in. There is no key to collect and nobody to meet.
When do I receive the entry code?
The check-in instructions arrive by AirHost message a few days before your arrival date. The 4-digit entry code itself is sent separately, by AirHost message on the day you arrive - not with the earlier instructions. Both go to the person who made the booking and are not sent to anyone else, so please make sure whoever arrives first can see those messages.
Can I check in late at night?
Yes. Because check-in is self-service with a code on a smart lock, you can get in whenever you arrive, including late at night or early in the morning. Arriving later than planned will never stop you getting into your room. Check-in opens at 15:00. Do bear in mind that public transport from the airports into central Tokyo is limited late at night.
Is smoking allowed?
All rooms are non-smoking. The area around the building is also non-smoking.
Are pets allowed?
No. We are not able to accept pets in any of our rooms.
Can children stay?
Yes, children are welcome. We do not provide cots, high chairs or children's tableware. There is no elevator, so if you are travelling with a pushchair please tell us by message after booking if a ground-floor room would help - we will accommodate it when we can, but cannot guarantee it.
Can guests under 18 stay on their own?
Yes. Guests under 18 can stay on their own.
How many guests can stay in one room?
A 1R room sleeps up to 3 guests; a 2R apartment sleeps up to 7 guests in the same unit. We cannot accept more guests than the room's maximum. Rates are per room, not per person, so within that maximum the price shown does not change with the number of guests.
Is the room cleaned during a stay of several nights?
Normally there is no cleaning and no towel change during a multi-night stay. If you would like cleaning or restocking during your stay, ask by AirHost message. Cleaning or restocking asked for during your stay is a separate request which is not part of the total you paid when you booked, and we may charge for it. For any extra request made during your stay, whether we can do it and what it costs depends on the cleaning schedule that day.
Can I get fresh towels during my stay?
Towels are not normally changed during a multi-night stay. Towels are provided for the room's maximum number of guests at check-in. If you would like fresh ones, ask by AirHost message.
What is the difference between booking here and booking on another travel site?
Booking on our official page is the direct route: you can see current rates and availability, check the difference between 1R and 2R, the maximum number of guests and how check-in works, and then book. The Official Site Exclusive 20% off room rate applies automatically to stays of 2 nights or more, and it is only available on this site. Payment for a direct booking is made online in advance by credit card. If you book through another travel site instead, that site's own prices, payment method and cancellation terms apply.
Are there extra fees on top of the rate I see?
For a direct booking on our official site, no. For a direct booking on our official site, nothing such as accommodation tax or a cleaning charge is added on top of the rate shown on the booking page. For a direct booking on our official site, the amount shown on the official booking page is the total you pay when you book. Rates are shown per room, not per person. Payment for a direct booking on our official site is made online in advance by credit card, and for a direct booking on our official site there is nothing further to pay on arrival for the booking itself. If you ask us for extra cleaning or extra supplies during your stay, that is a separate request which is not part of the total you paid when you booked, and we may charge for it. For any extra request made during your stay, please ask us during your stay whether it is possible and what it costs. A booking made through another travel site follows that site's own display and terms, so please check the payment method and the total on that site when you book.
What is the cancellation policy?
It depends on the plan. On the Room Only plan (standard rate), cancelling from 6 days before arrival onward, cancelling on the day of arrival, or not turning up costs 100% of the accommodation charge; cancelling earlier than that is free. On the Official Site Exclusive 20% off room rate plan, which applies to stays of 2 nights or more, cancelling from 30 days before arrival onward, cancelling on the day of arrival, or not turning up costs 100% of the accommodation charge; cancelling earlier than that is free. Day counts treat the arrival date itself as "day 0", so the day before arrival is "day 1", based on Japan Standard Time. Where no cancellation charge applies, the amount you prepaid is refunded to the card you booked with. The policy shown on the booking page at the time you book is the one that applies to your booking, so please check it there. Shortening your stay, moving your dates or cancelling only part of a booking is also handled on the site you booked with, and the cancellation policy may apply to the nights you drop.
Where can I see the rates?
Please check the latest rates and availability on the official booking page.
Can I book for just one night?
Yes, you can book a one-night stay on our official site. The Official Site Exclusive 20% OFF is automatically applied to stays of 2 nights or more.
What is the member price shown on the booking page?
That is a discount for tripla's free membership sign-up. It does not apply to the Official Site Exclusive 20% OFF plan (the 20% OFF plan offers greater savings; 20% off applies to stays of 2 nights or more).
Can I get a receipt?
Yes. You can download or issue a receipt from the site you booked with, whether that is our official booking page or another travel site. If you need it made out to a company name, ask by AirHost message.
What kind of area is Takadanobaba?
Takadanobaba is a student neighbourhood near Waseda University, with restaurants, supermarkets, drugstores and bookshops around the station, so everything you need day to day is within walking distance. The hotel is on a quiet residential street just off the busy station area, so it is calm at night.
Can I cook? What is in the kitchen?
Every room has a kitchen with an induction hob, a fridge, a microwave and an electric kettle, plus basic pans and tableware. The 1R also has a rice cooker; the 2R does not. A supermarket, a drugstore and a 24-hour convenience store are all within a few minutes' walk, so you can shop and cook in the room.
Can I stay for a week or longer?
Yes. Every room has a kitchen and a washing machine, which suits longer stays. There is no set maximum length of stay. Please check the booking page for current rates and availability.
Is it really near Shinjuku but quiet?
Yes. The hotel is a 5-minute walk from Takadanobaba Station, about 5 minutes by train from Shinjuku and Ikebukuro, on a quiet residential street.
Official Site Exclusive — 20% OFF room rates on stays of 2+ nights, applied automatically
*Applies to stays of 2 nights or more. Cancellation from 30 days before arrival: 100% of the accommodation fee.