apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Sweet Jesus! Well, I think I could get frisky on a Carousel pony but I'd trouble getting it on in a cage.

Do I see a "Smallest Cruelest" Contest in AT's future?!

I can't wait to seek this book out - I have many fond memories of the love hotels;) when I lived in Japan.

They were the most fun, most creative, and most affordable places to stay overnight. And you couldn't make a reservation, only show up and hope there was a room.

The other interesting thing was that they would only let you rent a room if you were with someone. They consider what they do as providing a very necessary service to a population that has no privacy.

Once I was stuck in Kyoto at night and needed a place to stay (and was low on cash). I tried to get a room in the love hotel 'district' but was turned away. One woman smiled and said that if I could go out and find someone they would be happy to provide a room...needless to say (and happily, for my wife) I moved on and found a regular hotel with a vacancy and watched silly game shows all night.

haha.. my bro and sister-in-law lived in Japan for three years and stayed at one of these for fun and to see what they were like. it's completely private, the person you get the room key from doesn't see you and you don't see them. you push a button on which room you want and then give them your money without saying a word. they said it was interesting.

When I lived in Japan, they had love hotels in all sorts of shapes and sizes in the suburbs outside Tokyo - Castles, Cruiseships, Swiss Chalets, etc...

...and the signs out front would have prices: one price for "Rest" and another for "Stay"

These certainly make the other bedrooms we see on AT look a tad...tame.

Oh man, I would jump at the chance for access to a library-themed love hotel room. Seriously. (c.f. that scene in Atonement...!)

Haha I was always so tempted to check out the love hotels on Love Hotel Hill (yes! it's really called that) in Tokyo to see what it was like on the inside... unfortunately, paying 4000¥ for one hour of curiosity was a little steep. Thus they were forever shrouded in mystery...

LIP MA STOCKING!!!!

... if i ever get to japan i will deff be checking out the love hotels.

They have "fringe" over the entrances to thier underground garages to hide the car plates.

I notice shackles as a common theme in each room.

My husband and I stayed in a love hotel in Sapporo on our honeymoon to save $. I've never felt so dirty in my life - the buzzing neon lights of the sex-toy vending machine kept me awake most of the night and cheesy Japanese porn was on every channel. What bothered me the most is that the room door was locked, and would not open until we paid for however long we'd been inside, making it so one can't leave until you check out. It was seedy AND prison-esque, and nowhere near as interesting as the ones above.

it sounds fun and exciting but i think there is enough "stuff" on the sheets of everyday hotels- i dread to take a blacklight to see what is all over these places! well, i hope that whom ever chooses to go really "enjoys"!!
haha!

I've stayed in one here in Hong Kong (we live in just as small spaces as in Japan here). A little more tame and more like a nicely done boutique hotel with different themed rooms (just with a 3 hour minimum room charge) but very interesting all the same. Over here, they will let you in alone so its a great place to crash for a couple of hours if you are partying until 6am and need to get into work the next day.

Just found my next bedroom theme! Thanks AT!!!