What a wonderful hotel! From the great location to the quirky design, to the free soft drinks and coffee in the lobby, to the massage chairs thatI regret that I never managed to enjoy, it was all top notch. But what really set it apart was its wonderfully friendly staff.
Due to a minor injury, I decided to take advantage of Japan's famously efficient luggage forwarding service (which really is fantastic) to send my bags to the Kyoto hotel I would be staying the following day, so that I did not have to lug it around with me. The front desk staff at Hotel 88 not only helped me fill out the paperwork but found a big cardboard box, which they expertly cut down in size to perfectly fit my two bags. (It was actually quite impressive how they did this.) Putting my two bags snugly into a single box saved me a lot of money, as the forwarding service charges per bag (or box), not by weight. The 88 Shinsaibashi team then professionally taped up the box and I left it with them as I went exploring. When I arrived at my Kyoto hotel the following day, the box was waiting in my room. What a country!
And what a hotel 88 Shinsaibashi is! I would definitely stay there again. In fact, I wish I could stay there again TOMORROW! One of my favorite hotel experiences ever.