Hotel Raizan North (Osaka)

[cpuer]

Anyone stayed in this hostel before? I am shortlisting my Dec Kansai trip lodging choices.

11 nights for 19000yen sounds really nice price.

HOTEL RAIZAN NORTH

Anyone one has better options?

 

[samtcy]

Anyone stayed in this hostel before? I am shortlisting my Dec Kansai trip lodging choices.

11 nights for 19000yen sounds really nice price.

HOTEL RAIZAN NORTH

Anyone one has better options?

Yes, I've stayed there a couple of times before.
Building is old though, but like you said, the price is cheap.
It's located very near Dobutsuenmae subway station.
It's about 7mins walk away from ShinImamiya station, where you can take the Nankai Airport Rapid train to Kansai Airport (890yen if you take the regular train, or you can top up additional 500yen to take the Ltd Exp slightly faster and with reserved seat version)

The neighbourhood is not fantastic though. But there are quite a few convenience stores nearby.

I usually opt for the tatami room option, rather than the western option with bed. Because I would have more space on the floor to open up my luggage.
Room is clean, although sometimes you might get some weird smell in the mini-fridge depending on your luck.

See some pics of the Hotel here:
Go Away, Sam...: Japan (Sep 2012) Day 2: Osaka

 

[cpuer]

Yes, I've stayed there a couple of times before.
Building is old though, but like you said, the price is cheap.
It's located very near Dobutsuenmae subway station.
It's about 7mins walk away from ShinImamiya station, where you can take the Nankai Airport Rapid train to Kansai Airport (890yen if you take the regular train, or you can top up additional 500yen to take the Ltd Exp slightly faster and with reserved seat version)

The neighbourhood is not fantastic though. But there are quite a few convenience stores nearby.

I usually opt for the tatami room option, rather than the western option with bed. Because I would have more space on the floor to open up my luggage.
Room is clean, although sometimes you might get some weird smell in the mini-fridge depending on your luck.

See some pics of the Hotel here:
Go Away, Sam...: Japan (Sep 2012) Day 2: Osaka

Very nice blog on Osaka. Didn't know you have this covered too. The CHUO group have many hostel/hotel around the ShinImamiya and Dobutsumenmae. Most of them of similar standard right? The one I shortlisted is Raizan North, yours was Raizan South.

 

[samtcy]

Very nice blog on Osaka. Didn't know you have this covered too. The CHUO group have many hostel/hotel around the ShinImamiya and Dobutsumenmae. Most of them of similar standard right? The one I shortlisted is Raizan North, yours was Raizan South.

Oh, right. You meant North.
But then, South and North are in the same building, but their entrances are side-by-side. North takes the lower floors, whereas South takes the upper floors.
The pics of the rooms looks somewhat similar though.

 

[cpuer]

Oh, right. You meant North.
But then, South and North are in the same building, but their entrances are side-by-side. North takes the lower floors, whereas South takes the upper floors.
The pics of the rooms looks somewhat similar though.

LOL, what a way to create more hotels

BTW, my wife is concerned with the detached bathrooms, any problem you faced with these kind of hostels? Personally I don't have problem with it. But she is a little bit uneasy with the arrangement. comments?

 

[evilerniex]

LOL, what a way to create more hotels

BTW, my wife is concerned with the detached bathrooms, any problem you faced with these kind of hostels? Personally I don't have problem with it. But she is a little bit uneasy with the arrangement. comments?

the only concern i can think of is queuing for shower room. most of these hotels have very limited number of individual shower room coz most japanese will use the communal bath. for raizan, there is only one communal bath, different timing for male and female. so if it is not ur timing, or u are shy to use communal bath, then u have to queue for the shower room

i personally dun like the shinimamiya area. there are many drunks and homeless ppl in that area. otherwise, the location is actually good coz u have direct train to KIX, and it is walking distance to shinsekai area and even to den den town and nipponbashi if u want

 

[cpuer]

the only concern i can think of is queuing for shower room. most of these hotels have very limited number of individual shower room coz most japanese will use the communal bath. for raizan, there is only one communal bath, different timing for male and female. so if it is not ur timing, or u are shy to use communal bath, then u have to queue for the shower room

i personally dun like the shinimamiya area. there are many drunks and homeless ppl in that area. otherwise, the location is actually good coz u have direct train to KIX, and it is walking distance to shinsekai area and even to den den town and nipponbashi if u want

Yeah, saw many folks say the area is the run down part of Osaka. Like you said, the location is very good for transportation purposes. One key JR station nearby and in front a metro station.

You have a point on shower rooms. That could be a big no no for my other travelling kakis. Wifey is Ok with communal bath though, her main concern is the inconvenience of leaving the room for everything from toilet to washing of hands.

 

[samtcy]

LOL, what a way to create more hotels

BTW, my wife is concerned with the detached bathrooms, any problem you faced with these kind of hostels? Personally I don't have problem with it. But she is a little bit uneasy with the arrangement. comments?

The corridor is not really that long, so no matter where your room is located at on the floor, it's not a far walk to the toilets. The toilets are located at the middle, near the lifts.
Showers are on the ground floor though, and there are communal baths too.
But I usually just use the shower rooms. For Raizan South, there were 2 shower cubicles. Depending on what time you take your shower, you might have to hang around the common area and wait abit. But my shower times are abit odd (either early evening, or near midnight), so I've never had to queue.

Or you could try Hotel Chuo Selene, located just across the road.
Although their room rates are more expensive that Hotel Raizan, but Hotel Chuo Selene is much newer and they have toilets in your own room.

 

[samtcy]

i personally dun like the shinimamiya area. there are many drunks and homeless ppl in that area. otherwise, the location is actually good coz u have direct train to KIX, and it is walking distance to shinsekai area and even to den den town and nipponbashi if u want

Yeah, I don't like that area too, but since the accommodation rates is really cheap, and easy access to Nankai Airport Express, JR lines, as well as subway...therefore I don't really mind accepting that neighbourhood.
Anyway, the people there won't come and bother you.
I've stayed there on my own (and I'm a female) and I had to problems going back to the hotel from the subway station at night.

The main roads are well lited, so it's not too bad. But the smaller lanes are pretty dark, so I'd avoid walking the small lanes.

 

[cpuer]

The corridor is not really that long, so no matter where your room is located at on the floor, it's not a far walk to the toilets. The toilets are located at the middle, near the lifts.
Showers are on the ground floor though, and there are communal baths too.
But I usually just use the shower rooms. For Raizan South, there were 2 shower cubicles. Depending on what time you take your shower, you might have to hang around the common area and wait abit. But my shower times are abit odd (either early evening, or near midnight), so I've never had to queue.

Or you could try Hotel Chuo Selene, located just across the road.
Although their room rates are more expensive that Hotel Raizan, but Hotel Chuo Selene is much newer and they have toilets in your own room.

I just checked out Selene, looked pretty good with the attached bathrooms and all. If 5 to 6 pax can get their dorm for 2000Yen each,good value with privacy.
Hotel Chuo Selene