Cat N.
Yelp
This newer hotel opened up last September in 2018. I stayed here with one other person while on vacation for eight days in 2019 from July 1 to July 9th on the ninth floor. We were more than satisfied staying here. We could tell they were newer because all the restaurants and shops under it and around it wasn't fully opened yet, although most were. We choose this place because of its perfect location. There are currently two Shibuya Excel Hotels in Shibuya. This is the Stream location which is next to the stream and is the newer one. The other one is located at Mark City, which is even more central but a bit too crazy for us. Here are my pros and cons to staying here:
Pros:
- The location is perfect. It is very central to everything. Shibuya Station was right next door with an easy passage way. It was also a 5 minutes walk from the popular scramble. Getting to Center Gai and all the popular hot spots was a breeze. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect location.
- There is a limousine bus that took us to and from the airport for a small fee. It was easy to take and the people working it were so nice.
- 7/11 which has all the necessities was conveniently located right next door downstairs. This made getting cash and food so easy for times we wanted something quick or needed money.
- The staff was extremely nice. We originally went to the wrong Excel hotel and they paid for our taxi to and from. They even handled all my huge American luggage all the way into the taxi car. During our stay we also asked for directions and one of the nice man working there took out a map and showed us exactly how to get to wherever. Also, we had packages delivered. They made sure we got our packages safely and even called to check. When my feet were in pain from walking, they gave me bandages. I would say they went above and beyond to make us happy.
- The cleaning crew was excellent. All our toiletries were stocked everyday and our rooms were cleaned the minute we left the room. They were also really polite whenever we ran into them.
- Their wifi was pretty fast. We had pocket wifis too but whenever we had to use their wifi we were not disappointed.
- The rooms were pretty comfortable. Although they were small they had everything we needed. Can't complain about their beds. The bathroom was pretty large. There was a tub and a shower that were separate in the same room. The entire room was a wet room so it was pretty big. The toilet was a separate room and of course was a bidet. It had 24/7 seat warmers which was nice for nights. The sink area was also separate which I liked.
- We had a mini fridge. Although it wasn't nearly cold enough it kept our water and some food items cool. (There is a communal kitchen on the 13th floor). They also provided us with tea, coffee, and even complementary of three water bottles per day.
- There are plenty of food choices on their third floor. There are probably about 10 restaurants connected to the hotel, including Italian food, a cafe, and many others.
Cons:
- Although the rooms were organized and the bathroom area was large, the standard room was pretty small. The bed was pushed up against one of the walls to allow space. Also if you have a lot of luggage then most of your luggage will eat up space. Although the rooms were small though, it did have everything we needed.
- There weren't enough outlets. Especially in this day and age. We made it work but I should have brought an multi-outlet cord to charge our iWatch, phones, pocket wifis, computer, and ipads.
- I hated the lighting. Especially the sink area. If you are into makeup then you are out of luck. The lighting made it hard to do makeup. I also hated the lighting by the bed. It was too bright in some areas and not enough lights in others. I also didn't like where the switches were. I did like that there was one right by the bed to control of of the lighting so you didn't have to get out of bed but the rest were in terrible spots. It was a struggle to get to the bathroom at night.
- Although they gave us toiletries, even bath salts, they did not provide lotion.
- Like I have mentioned before, the mini fridge was not nearly cold enough. It would keep things cool but not cold.
- They had a laundry room, communal kitchen, water room, and gym but they were all really small with not much. Their gym was a sad two cycle bike with maybe a spot to stretch and that was it. Their water room was just ice and a venting machine. The kitchen was probably the largest but all it had was a large table, some microwaves, oven and fridge. I guess it had the basics but do not expect anything crazy.
Overall, we would come back and stay here again. It was perfect for what we needed and wanted.