Shio No Kaori

Finding a hotel in Odawara is not easy, so we finally settled on this guesthouse. The price of 1,000 RMB per day was acceptable for four of us, staying for two days. I'd like to remind everyone to be careful with your luggage. I had three 30-inch suitcases and one 20-inch suitcase. First, there's no elevator at Hayakawa Station, so I had to walk up and down stairs, which meant I had to carry my luggage up and down. Then, the hotel assigned me a room on the fourth floor, which only had stairs. I had to move up when I checked in and down when I left. During the hottest weather, I felt like I was dying. The rooftop room was the hottest, facing the sun all day. There was only one air conditioner, and the bathroom was incredibly hot. The room was quite spacious, with two bedrooms, two single beds, and a double bed. All other amenities were standard. Check-in was at 4 PM, so I'm not sure if I could get in early. The cleanliness was acceptable, but the hallway was a bit rundown. There was a swallow's nest on the rooftop, with several swallows living there. It felt a bit like the 1980s. At night, it was very quiet outside and there were almost no people on the streets. After all, it was the outskirts of a small city.

This was the worst accommodation I've ever booked on Ctrip. The location suggested it was close to downtown Odawara, but it turned out to be just one stop away, making it a difficult walk. Worse still, the website didn't clearly explain the location. Upon arrival, I realized it was a single apartment on the fourth floor, with no elevator and a worn-out staircase. For someone like me, lugging two large suitcases and two children, navigating the area at night was a complete chore. The room amenities were all very old, and the conditions were considered poor for a guesthouse. I couldn't believe they were priced at nearly 1,600 per night! I checked the price again before I even checked in, and just one day later, it had dropped to over 600, which is probably more reasonable. The accommodation, location, and price are completely mismatched. All the other hotels I booked during my Japan trip were excellent, even in the heart of the city. Hotels in Shinsaibashi that cost over 600 were far superior, and hotels in Shimoncho, Kyoto, that cost 800 per night were five-star and included excellent breakfast for three. This apartment was truly terrible, and I felt ripped off. As a platform, Ctrip can't even handle this basic level of rigor? They just let merchants mark up prices at will. If you said 500 or 600 per night, I'd accept it. But 1500+ is a complete deception to consumers!!!