The Centurion Sauna Rest & Stay Sapporo Male Only

Convenient check-in: Very convenient, close to Susukino subway station with a FamilyMart downstairs. Safety: The entire hotel spans from the 3rd to 8th floor. You'll need to check in at the front desk on the 8th floor, then transfer to an internal elevator to access rooms on other floors. Facilities: All facilities are very comprehensive, including a restaurant, public bath, entertainment, and a library. Hygiene: Clean and tidy, with private areas. I recommend booking a room type with a private space.

I initially thought that staying in a hostel/capsule hotel like this would be a terrible experience, but it turned out to be surprisingly good. Of course, I booked it because it was cheap. During the peak season of the Snow Festival, it was significantly cheaper, even half the price of other regular hotels. So, even if the experience was bad, I could tolerate it, but it actually wasn't. Plus, I got to experience the local (northern) sauna culture, which was quite new for me, a southerner. First, let's talk about the location. It's a straight five-minute walk from Susukino Station, and there's also a city tram stop right outside, so transportation is very convenient. Personally, I recommend taking the airport bus because you don't have to drag your luggage so far. In Susukino, it's naturally convenient for dining and shopping. There's a convenience store just across the street downstairs, basically solving most of your needs. There are 4.5 floors of hotel accommodation, with over a hundred beds on each floor. When I went, it was the peak season of the Snow Festival, but the occupancy rate seemed to be only about half, so there weren't that many people near your bed. There might be occasional noise, but guests from all over the world are generally well-behaved and consciously control their volume during quiet hours. So, staying here is pretty much like a school dorm. If you can accept a school dorm, then this place should be fine too. After staying, I realized that this place is essentially a three-in-one: accommodation is capsule (hostel) + internet cafe. You buy a bed, and the public area provides basic entertainment like comics. Showering is in a Japanese public bathhouse, which also has hot spring pools and a sauna area. I recommend that those who haven't been before should learn about the customs and etiquette in advance. The dining area is similar to an izakaya, operating from evening until 1 AM, offering basic staple foods and some drinks. The overall facilities and services are quite comprehensive, and I didn't feel any inconvenience during my four or five-day stay. If you think the bed is expensive, there's a sneaky trick (prerequisite: you need to understand Japanese and the billing rules). You can use it like a Japanese public bathhouse, just like the locals do. Go in and select the 'day trip' (日帰り) option on the machine. Sometimes, the final bill will be cheaper than booking a bed. However, the downside is that you won't have a bed, and you'll have to find a place to spend the night in the dining area or public lounge on the 7th floor. If there are too many people, you might not find a place to rest. So, judge for yourselves. This trick is recommended for those who are more familiar with Japan. Before staying, I saw some reviews mentioning two concerns, and now I'll address them based on my actual experience: First, female staff passing through the changing area outside the bathhouse. I did encounter this two or three times. I guess the front desk and dining staff took the stairs to the dining area to save elevator waiting time. They also tried to keep their heads down and avoid looking, so I personally don't mind. If you do, then I suggest you consider not staying here. Second, the air conditioning is kept at 18-20 degrees Celsius (64-68°F), which was perfect for me. After all, it's below zero outdoors, and too large a temperature difference can be uncomfortable.

The hotel's location is great, about a 10-minute walk from Susukino subway station. The front desk is on the 8th floor. There's a strange smell in the elevator and on the 8th floor near the reception, possibly because guests have to take off their shoes, which might contribute to an unpleasant odor. Every night before bed, I enjoyed a hot spring bath, which was absolutely wonderful! Thumbs up!

Service was satisfactory. The bathhouse was a bit small but comfortable, with both cold and hot spring pools. The hotel restaurant was slightly cheaper than outside options. The bed was larger than what you'd find in a capsule hotel.

Environment: I really can't understand why the air-conditioned lounge area is set to 18 degrees Celsius in the dead of winter. It was freezing cold, and I kept waking up cold early the next morning. Why set it so cold?? Service: As a male-only hostel, isn't it inappropriate to have female staff present in the large public bath? When I reported this via email afterwards, I was told it was impossible for such a situation to occur. Am I making it up? Furthermore, after checking out on the last day, they wouldn't even let guests use the bathhouse to wash their faces. That's incredibly petty. 👎🏻