The Black Beaver

Warning: This hotel was last visited in May 2006, and their website is down - it may not be open any longer!!!  Google Street View shows another love hotel in its place - "Hotel For You."  Send us an email if you visit!

Based on our visit, the Black Beaver is not much to write home about.  However, it is really, really cheap.  I think we spent 5,000 yen for the night. The hotel proprietress recognized that we are gaijin and was friendly and accommodating.  The rooms were tiny but we still found the traditional love hotel amenities- pajamas, toothbrushes, face wash, hair dryer and hair products.

Outside

There is a small door off the street and a sign above it.  You walk through a narrow graffiti-filled hallway to access the room selection foyer.

Lobby

There is a light-up wall of photographs showing all of the rooms in the Black Beaver.  You can tell which rooms are available because they will be lit up- taken rooms will have dimly lit photographs.  Each photograph had a room number and a price for resting and staying.

Farther down the lobby is a counter where you announce which room you want.  You cannot see the hotel proprietress but her hands are visible in the little money exchange window.  She will tell you the cost for your room and you pay.  You’ll need to say the room number (in Japanese) and tell them you plan to stay.  When the money is squared away (don't expect a receipt, and plan to pay in cash), you can take the tiny elevator to your room. (As you'd expect, room 305 is on the 3rd floor).  There will be a flashing light above the door indicating your room.

Inside

First of all, our room was TINY.  The lighting was a bit dismal and we had no windows.  Now, it's not uncommon for love hotel rooms to go without windows (privacy is king, after all), but combined with the poor lighting, it made this room feel extra special cramped.  With our luggage there was hardly room to walk around.  The bedroom felt a bit dingy, but the bathroom and shower areas were well lit and looked clean.

To the right of the genkkan was a toilet room and a sink just outside of it with the requiste beauty supplies.  The shower was behind the sink area and greatly resembled a business hotel or dorm room bathroom (i.e. very efficient and tiny).

The bed was around the corner from the bathroom area, tucked in between three walls.  Our room had mirrors on the walls and ceiling and a Mickey and Minnie Mouse theme.  There was a small refridgerator-esque vending machine with panties, vibrators, and beer.  In the bedroom area was a tea set, tiny TV, a clock, and a radio.  The mattress was pretty uncomfortable, but the bed was long enough for both of us.  In the morning, we received a phone call to see if we’d made any room charges.  This is a pretty standard conversation: you answer, they say some greeting and ask if you have purchased anything in the room that now you need to pay for.  You say no.  They say thank you, you say thank you, voila.  We packed up and left the room by 10am.  The phone call is an indication that it is time to go.

Leaving

We went out the same way we came in.  This hotel seemed to know it was on the cheaper end of Osaka love hotels and they didn’t seem too concerned about secrecy.