Question
I’m planning a trip to Tokyo with my partner and a friend mentioned that “love hotels” can be a cheaper option when regular hotels are full. I’ve seen the word on travel blogs but I’m not totally sure what it actually means or whether tourists like me can stay there. What is a love hotel in Japan?
Answer by Professional Japanese Teacher
ラブホテル（らぶほてる）
Rabu hoteru
Love hotel
The name sounds eye-catching in English, but a rabu hoteru is simply a short-stay hotel designed for couples who want privacy, and foreign visitors can use them too.
You usually pick between two rates: 休憩（きゅうけい）kyuukei, a short rest of a few hours, or 宿泊（しゅくはく）shukuhaku, an overnight stay that often starts later in the evening. Overnight rates can be a good deal compared with business hotels, and rooms tend to be roomier than a standard city room.
Check-in is low-contact — you pick a room from a panel of photos and pay at a small window or machine. Bring cash too, since some places still don’t take cards.
