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Presenting: Traditional Japanese Onsen Hotels… in Taiwan 【Giant Photo Gallery】

Presenting: Traditional Japanese Onsen Hotels… in Taiwan 【Giant Photo Gallery】

When we first caught sight of these images, we wondered whether we ought to go back and update our recent unusual hot spring resort article. Checking the location of these hot spa resort hotels, though, we soon learned that – despite looking unmistakably Japanese in every way – these hotels are actually situated in none other than Taiwan. And I always thought the British dull for seeking out an English pub as soon as they arrive abroad…

Enormous photo dump after the jump!

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North Korea’s High Class International Hotel! Our Reporter Mustered Up His Courage and Checked it Out First Hand.

North Korea’s High Class International Hotel! Our Reporter Mustered Up His Courage and Checked it Out First Hand.

In recent years, North Korea has received attention for its provocative behavior towards neighboring countries and its desire to prove itself on the technologically and militarily scale, increasingly pushing itself ‘emerging nation’. Last year’s infamous set of failed Windows XP-powered missile launches didn’t help.

More recently, there has been a clear shift towards North Korea presenting itself not as a country of restriction and famine, but one of rising social and cultural prosperity. A prime example of this would be the public release of pictures of fully-fledged amusement parks and public amenities. Just what North Korea’s intentions behind all of this are remain a bit of a mystery, but one cannot help wonder exactly what type of facilities are on offer and how they compare to the rest of the world in terms of quality and convenience.

In 2012 our reporter, Kuzo, stayed in North Korea’s Yanggakdo International Hotel in Pyongyan. Read about his impressions of the hotel and the room he stayed in below!

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Delicious Food and Sleuthing for Women, Provided by “Closed Restaurant”

Delicious Food and Sleuthing for Women, Provided by “Closed Restaurant”

If you think “Closed Restaurant: Jewels of the Lady” sounds more like a mystery novel than an eating establishment, you’d actually be half right.

Early next year, the Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo will be offering patrons the chance to participate in a unique dining experience that mixes good food with a riddle-solving treasure hunt. The event is aimed at young women and requires participants to apply in teams of two, with one of the members a female.

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Public Toilet Transformed into a Hotel, Opposite Side Remains a Public Toilet

Public Toilet Transformed into a Hotel, Opposite Side Remains a Public Toilet

For a limited time only, one side of a public restroom in Osaka’s Nakanoshima Park has been turned into a one-room hotel.

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26 Amazing Things About Japanese Budget Hotels

26 Amazing Things About Japanese Budget Hotels

Having a hard time deciding the accommodation for your holiday in Japan? Tight on budget, but don’t want to sacrifice comfort? Don’t worry, because Japanese budget hotels are cheap (usually about 3000yen or US$38 per person, per night) and yet provide top-notch service! You probably won’t find anything that is more value for money than this in other countries.

Here we bring you 26 reasons why Japanese budget hotels are so amazing!

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Horror Hotel: Man Impales Self on Shower

Horror Hotel: Man Impales Self on Shower

Think about the worst experience you ever had in a hotel.  Perhaps you found a cockroach or the water pressure was really bad.  Whatever it was, this harrowing experience of a man staying in a hotel in Jinhua, China is sure to trump it.

The following story is a bizarre and grisly accident that left even the emergency workers on the scene visibly shaken.

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We Check Into the Cheapest Hotel in Japan, US$6 a Night

We Check Into the Cheapest Hotel in Japan, US$6 a Night

Located near the center of Osaka City is an area called Kamagasaki which was once known to be a gathering place for day laborers.  Now, it’s a rather charming place where street cars run that kind of takes you back half a century.  On the other hand, beneath the surface runs some violent energy as this area is often ground zero for riots and other acts of civil disobedience.

It’s here that I went in search of the cheapest hotel in Japan, The Kimiya, where it is said one could spend the night for a mere 500 yen (US$6).

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Six Business Hotels in Tokyo You Can Spend the Night in For Under 3,500 Yen

Six Business Hotels in Tokyo You Can Spend the Night in For Under 3,500 Yen

When deciding to travel in Japan we are faced with a rather large assortment of hotels that don’t exist in our home countries, one of which is the “business hotel”. The label of business hotel may conjure up images of the infamous “capsule hotels” for some, while for other’s it may have the sense of a dank, narrow, room that was occupied by the cast of Mad Men. I suspected such things at first until, in an effort to save money, I bit the bullet and tried a few out.

I can now confidently say that despite their label, business hotels are actually rather comfy – some of them downright elegant!

These hotels don’t skimp on the amenities. For instance, it wouldn’t be hard to find a business hotel that offers air conditioning, humidifier, or even an air purifier. Most have fairly spacious bathrooms and offer a complimentary breakfast. Even if you are just looking for a place to have a brief romantic rendezvous, a business hotel can be a cheaper alternative to a dingy motel or robotic love hotel.

Let’s take a look at 6 prime business hotels that can be found in the Tokyo area. All hotels charge rates less than 3,500 yen (US$44.80) per person when two people are staying in the room at a rate of 7,000 yen total ($89.60).

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