My Review of Centurion Cabin & Spa for Women (Akasaka, Tokyo)

There are quite a few Capsule hotels in Tokyo and in the rest of Japan but usually only available to men.. Traditionally capsule hotels were focused on catering men only, but I'd read that some hotels had floors for women only too. This is the first time that I was travelling alone and being on a budget, staying at Centurion Cabin & Spa for women only was perfect for me.  I paid around HK$230 (less than 20 GBP) per person per night. A hotel room would have been more than double that amount and with less facilities.

Here's my video tour of the capsule hotel! (I stayed here from 1st until the 5th September 2015)




My Pros & Cons

Pros

• Cheap, especially for sole travellers
• Women only
• Coin Laundry Machines
• Many restaurants nearby
• A few convenience stores situated around the corner

Cons

• Public bathing area (in the video, you will see the bathing facilities)
• Noisy travellers packing their suitcases/talking etc when you're sleeping

2nd floor- Reception area with shoe lockers. 

As you enter, you need to remove your shoes and store them in a locker. The receptionist speaks some English and it's not difficult to understand here. After checking in, you will receive a wristband with a numbered locker key attached. The number will not be the same as the shoe locker and you'll give the shoe locker key to the receptionist for safe keeping. As you walk to the elevator, the bathing facilities will be on the left hand side on the same floor. Next to the elevator is a Sauna for the travel weary to relax in. 

4th floor- Superior Cabins & 5th floor Standard Cabins 

As you exit the elevator, the locker room is on the left and cabins on the right. In your locker, you will find a basket bag with a bath towel, hand towel, pyjamas, toothbrush & toothpaste, cotton buds & hair tie. (I forgot to take a photo of this)

I chose a Standard cabin instead of a Superior cabin because I'd read that people could still see between gaps in the curtains in a Superior cabin. Also, there isn't a roof above these cabins so for those that need total darkness when sleeping, this isn't ideal. Neither are top cabins of Standard cabins, which I why I chose a bottom cabin. Bottom cabin tip: there will be a small gap between the curtain. I hooked the curtain a little further so that I could have total privacy.

Superior Cabin (courtesy of Priceline.com)

3rd floor- Lounge area, footbaths, Coin Laundry

I absolutely loved the lounge area. There was a massage chair and area for lying around and watching tv. Free drinks, hot or cold were also available, as well as a  microwave for warming food up. By the way, food is not allowed in the cabins and is only allowed here on the 3rd floor. There were many magazines for me to look at. Perfect for when I was using the heated foot baths filled with beads, which was great for my feet tired from walking all day! Another big plus for me was the coin laundry and tumble dryer, hidden away behind the lockers on 3rd floor. I packed as light as possible so it was wonderful for me to be able to wash my clothes. Remember to bring some detergent from home though! 

Centurion Cabin & Spa for women

Website: http://centurion-cabin.com/

Address: Japan, 〒107-0052 Tokyo, Minato, 赤坂4-2-4

Phone number: +81 3-6441-3381 

My directions: Located 5 minutes from Akasaka Mitsuke station, exit 10. Once on the ground floor and facing Bic Camera, turn right and exit building. Turn left  and walk ahead. There will a big slot machine arcade on the right.  Take the next right and walk up to the end of the road. Turn left and Centurion Cabin will be located further on the right.

Other reviews & different booking options can be found here:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1066451-d7789312-Reviews-Centurion_Cabin_Spa-Minato_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html

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Luke's Lobster Roll @ Harajuku, Tokyo

After seeing a Hong Kong presenter Helen To eating a Lobster's roll, I sought to find this infamous Luke's Lobster stall out when I was in Tokyo. On a rainy early evening and equipped with a leaky umbrella that dripped, it took a while to walk in the right direction! Google map does not work well in Japan and the compass was quite temperamental! Perhaps it was the weather that made it worse but eventually i found my way there after a few shakes on my phone.

Luke's Lobster @ on Cat Street in Harajuku, Tokyo

 I had heard that there would often be a long queue for this eatery but I think that the weather ensured that not many people would come or maybe it was the fact that it was 6pm and everyone would be having dinner and not a snack like this. Yeah, this was only a snack for me! I had decided to eat something else later on for dinner.

Me, standing outside waiting for my order.

Menu @ Luke's Lobster Tokyo

Apparently, Luke's Lobster only takes the knuckle and claw meat from a lobster to use because these parts are the sweetest and tenderest! I thought that the larger US sized Lobster Roll would be longer but the staff told me that it's the same size but more lobster. A regular size roll (costing 980 yen- HK$64/ GBP5.30) would have equivalent to 3 lobster's claws (that's 6), whereas the US size (costing 1580 yen-HK$103/GBP8.60) would have equivalent to 5 lobster claws (10 claws!). Guess what a lobster loving me would decide to have?  The US size of course! 

By the way, I forgot to mention that the lobsters used are all imported from Maine! Yeah, that's right! Luke's Lobster started in New York, has many restaurants in the US and has expanded it's business to Tokyo, Japan too! Lucky me!

How did it taste? The lobster meat was sweet and succulent! I'm salivating now as I am reminiscing! I wish they would expand their business to Hong Kong so I can have one now!

Here's the google map link, if you happen to be near Harajuku:

ルークス 表参道店

〒150-0001 東京都渋谷区 神宮前6-7-1

Luke's Lobster, Harajuku

Or... you can try to make it yourself! I found this recipe online but maybe it would be difficult to buy Maine lobster here!

Luke's Lobster Roll Recipe

Cook Time: N/A

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients

( Serves 4 )

5 pound live Maine lobster (yields 1 lb. of lobster meat)

4 whole Top-split New England-style hot dog buns

2 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/2 pound butter (unsalted)

1 whole lemon

3 pinch celery salt

3 pinch oregano

3 pinch black pepper

Directions

1. Steam the 5 pounds of lobster for 10-12 minutes, then pick lobster meat (should yield 1 pound of lobster meat).
2. Use top-split New England-style hot dog buns — butter sides of 4 rolls and grill until golden brown.
3. Line inside of hot dog bun with some mayonnaise.
4. Add 1/4 pound of prepared lobster meat, then drizzle a little melted butter on top of lobster.
5. Sprinkle a pinch of celery salt, pinch of oregano, and pinch of black pepper on top of lobster.
6. Squeeze a little fresh lemon over the lobster roll. Serve.

Recipe Credit to: Luke's Lobster Roll Recipe

If you're in the U.S., find your nearest Luke's Lobster on their website:
http://lukeslobster.com/

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