MAIDO - DOYANEN HOTELS

If you're traveling solo, I highly recommend this place. However, for female friends, I wouldn't suggest it. As a hotel, it's a really good single room — clean, hygienic, and I found it quite comfortable. It's about a 10-minute walk to Tsutenkaku Tower, which isn't too bad, and there's a huge Don Quijote nearby.

This was my first stay at MAIDO, which has two buildings. We stayed in the first one. On our third night, the air conditioner started leaking, and the hotel staff immediately moved us to a room on the 6th floor with an even better view. Although breakfast isn't included, there are plenty of convenient dining options nearby. Initially, I was concerned about the number of homeless people in the area, but they mostly kept to themselves and didn't interact with us tourists. Plus, if we returned to the hotel late at night, we just took a taxi, so everything felt safe. If I ever need a longer stay, I'd definitely consider this place again because the room rates are affordable, making it suitable for extended visits.

The biggest problem here is that homeless people are fed for free every day in the park next to the hotel. This means there are an enormous number of homeless individuals living on the path to and from the hotel. I've never seen anything like this, even in Southeast Asia. I felt extremely unsafe walking around at night. Couples should absolutely avoid this place; your girlfriend will tell you she's scared. The hotel facilities are just average.

The neighborhood truly is very colorful/unique, and overall, for the price, we were satisfied. This was our most budget-friendly hotel during our 3-week trip to Japan. The nearest train station is just a minute away, and we got to the airport very quickly. On the ground floor, there's a large table and a microwave. You can use the washing machine for a fee. You can leave your luggage before check-in, but not after. Housekeeping is only provided for guests staying 3 nights or more. Towel changes are only available for a fee. It gets very noisy in the evenings due to the train.

Close to the station, making it convenient to get to Namba quickly. The best part is the train noise isn't loud; the soundproofing is good. It's a quick walk to Shin-Imamiya and Dobutsuen-mae stations, and on the way, you pass two convenience stores and a supermarket, so food and drinks are no problem.