Review: Decoh Prefecture

I have to say that, aside from three things, I really liked this place.  The first occurred when I arrived as it appears that all of the staff isn't savvy to the specials being ran online and the guy at the front desk was very insistent that the price the paperwork showed was for ONE night and not TWO nights.  I had a copy of my booking.com reservation confirmation and was equally insistent that the reservation clearly showed two nights for that price (as did their own paperwork charging me 40 Euros).  I read another review talking about the same issue, so my suggestion is to stand your ground about the price you booked at.  Along the same lines, the guy sent me to the wrong building about 6 blocks away with all of my luggage, which was unpleasant.  The confusion seemed to be around the fact that I had booked a "garden view" unit and they only have 2 garden view units at the building he sent me to.  It would appear that, in a pinch, they call this a "garden view" unit:

 

But, along the lines of my usual criteria for reviewing a place, the bed was comfortable and I slept well while I was there . . . by using ear plugs.  This brings me to the 2nd thing I didn't particularly mind, but is worth noting - sound REALLY echoes in the entryway, so if you aren't wearing ear plugs, it is likely that every time the front building door shuts or people converse loudly in the hall, you will be woken up.  I sleep heavily and it woke me up the first night before I put ear plugs in.

At first I was wondering how these would work as student efficiency apartments with no storage space for clothes, but then I realized the mirror behind the table in the kitchen area was actually a closet sliding door and a full-size closet was available.

The flat I was in (5a) has a tiny, but typical bathroom for what I've seen in Western Europe.  It also has its own small water heater, so I never had an issue with a lack of warm water.  This brings me to the third thing that was an issue and really the most critical one.  The old plumbing must not have been designed with u-joints that trap water, which provides a barrier between your home and the sewer.  Consequently, the flat had an odd smell when  I arrived that I couldn't place until I leaned over to remove the rubber seal on the drain in the shower . . . and realized the drains were the source!  After that, I kept the bathroom door shut, which meant the rest of the flat smelled fine, but the bathroom smelled like warm sewer.  There has to be something people normally do to resolve this issue, but as I was only there for 2 days, I just kept the bathroom shut & was in & out of there as fast as possible.

 

Pros: Having a flat means you can live like a local (which I love!), great location - really close to the metro & just 5 min ride to the Old Port (while still being in a normal neighborhood without tourist prices), comfortable bed, great individual WiFi connection.  REALLY good breakfast at the main hotel if you're willing to pay 10 Euro and eat a lot (otherwise just grab a pastry and coffee at a local bakery)

Cons: Rooms are not as advertised (I did not have a garden view), staff seems unaware of pricing specials, you will need earplugs to sleep (at least on the ground floor), there is a plumbing issue that should be addressed - while it wasn't a big deal for one weekend, I wouldn't have been cool with a bathroom that smells like sewer for a longer stay