If you’re searching for a peaceful oasis away from the city noise but still close enough to experience all that Sapporo has to offer, Guest House Waya is the perfect budget-friendly choice. With hotel prices soaring during the Snow Festival, finding affordable accommodation in Sapporo can feel daunting. When planning my solo trip, I wasn’t sure where to stay, but luckily, I found good reviews of Guest House Waya on TripAdvisor
Planning your first trip to Sapporo? Check out my Sapporo Itinerary for First-Time Visitors for all the must-see spots, local tips, and travel hacks to make the most of your adventure in this vibrant city.
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About Guest House Waya
With a Certificate of Excellence award from TripAdvisor, Guest House Waya has that youthful and friendly atmosphere. Located just a few minutes from Sapporo Station (just 2-3 stops by subway), it offers a budget-friendly accommodation without going far from Central Sapporo. The annex, where I stayed for three days, is located just a short walk from the main guesthouse.
Accommodation Options
Guest House Waya (main) offers two mixed dormitories, two female dormitories and 1 private room with an en-suite toilet. There is a small kitchen where you can cook your own food, a laundry corner, two shower rooms, and a living room where you can meet travelers from around the world. Annex is equally equipped and comfortable. Its living room is quite bigger than the main guest house and is equipped with an old school electric heater.
Fuss-free Check in and Welcoming Staff
I arrived at around 8:30 PM at Guest House Waya (main). I was hesitant to enter because it seemed like there was a party going on. At the ground floor, there were locals hanging out with their drinks on hand. At the other side of the room, it seemed like a group of young men gathered for a drinking session. That sight doesn’t really look like the usual Japanese hostel.
Rio, one of the staff, welcomed me. I was shy to enter at first but all of them were smiling so I instantly felt at ease. While he was scanning my passport, he asked if I’ve been to a lot of places in Sapporo already. He also explained a few things about the guesthouse like it could get noisy at night because the guesthouse is also a favorite hangout place of locals and foreign travelers. Rio spoke excellent English so this is certainly a plus for English speakers.
My Private Room Accommodation
After check-in, Rio told me that my private room is located at the annex, which was 2-minutes away from the main guest house. I found my room on the second floor and quickly dropped all my stuff on the floor. As you can see, it’s a typical Japanese-style room with minimalist furnishings and tatami style bed, which I really loved. This might not be the most modern room but it was very spacious, something that isn’t very common in Japanese hostels.
Free Light Breakfast
Overall Experience
Overall, I enjoyed my three-day stay at Guest House Waya. With shared lounge, relatively cheap dorm rooms and private rooms, it is definitely one of the best budget hostels in Sapporo. I was travelling solo but meeting the friendly staff and other foreign travelers made me feel welcomed. Although its location is not anywhere near Odori Park, the surrounding area of the hostel was interesting to explore. I also loved the free high-speed WiFi, which helped me update my social media accounts and blog easily. I will definitely recommend Guest House Waya to anyone travelling in Sapporo!
Guest House Waya Sapporo
Address: 4 Chome-1-43 Toyohira 2 Jo, Toyohira Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Contact Number: +81-70-6607-0762
Email: [email protected]
Facebook Page: @waya.guesthouse
How about you? Have you been to Sapporo? Are you planning to visit during the Sapporo Snow Festival? If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, let’s chat down below!
