Hotel Kizankan

Definitely a three star rather than five star hotel, but we would definitely choose it again. Very clean, we stayed in the family room (4 beds) which was spacious. Fabulous and quiet location, great service from the staff, and it exceeded our expectations. Don’t expect luxury, but do expect cleanliness and comfort. Very near Hongo-Sanchome Station (use exit 3 for the most efficient walk to the hotel).

**Beware of the Tokyo University Entrance Exam Plan** (This is a review of the February 2025 entrance exam. Hopefully, things will have improved in 2026. I'm keeping a record to avoid future victims.) This hotel is within walking distance of the University of Tokyo's Hongo campus, and I jumped at the chance to use the "Tokyo University Entrance Exam Plan," booking it months in advance. It was a complete disaster. I stayed in a second-floor room, but the noise of cars and motorcycles on the road continued all night, along with the occasional sounds of some kind of construction (?), making it impossible to sleep. I travel often and have stayed in many hotels, but this was the first time I'd experienced such a terrible noise problem. I didn't even think to bring earplugs, so when I woke up in the morning, I wasn't sure if I'd actually slept or just had my eyes closed, and I ended up taking the first day of the exam. The hotel itself isn't located on a main street. Also, since it advertises itself as a "Tokyo University Entrance Exam Plan," I assumed it would be quiet enough for test-takers (especially since it was reasonably priced), but it turns out I was completely wrong. The next morning, I explained the situation to the front desk and asked to change rooms, but they were fully booked and would not accommodate my request. My reservation was for two nights (the exam-student plan only allows two nights), so of course I was not given a refund for either, and I ended up having to pay a large amount to stay at a different hotel on the second night (although I slept soundly there). Also, according to the hotel, rooms are assigned automatically (for exam-student plans) and cannot be controlled by the hotel. Therefore, when booking an exam-student plan, you cannot specify a specific room (for example, a specific floor or room). Aside from the noise, there were several other disadvantages. 1) The air conditioning wasn't adjustable for each room, only had a high, medium, or low setting; 2) the duvet was thin, and it was cold when I fell asleep, but for some reason it got hot at night (it's unclear whether the temperature was adjusted centrally or not); 3) the room was dark (I brought a desk lamp from home to deal with that); 4) the toilet seat wasn't heated. Unless you're completely unfamiliar with the area or are afraid of missing the exam in the morning, there are several hotels a short walk away near Ueno and Tokyo Dome, so it might be better to choose one of those.

location is very good, very close to the MRT and also Tokyo dome. roon is comfortable even a little bit old, but however, comfortable and quiet. definitely will be a good choice for my next trip tp Tokyo