TOKYO / ITABASHI
Serene Apartment Hotel Oyama, Itabashi
Serene apartment hotel Oyama Itabashi
Two 35㎡ rooms to choose by group size and bed type; self check-in, and breakfast left to your own plans.
Look at the beds first, then at each day’s route
- Three travelling together: room 101 is a double bed plus a sofa bed, so agree in advance who sleeps where.
- Want two proper beds: look at room 102’s two double beds; four people still means two sharing a bed.
- Self check-in from 16:00, no breakfast served: suits travellers happy to set their own pace.
If you want somewhere close to the station with more space than a compact business room, I would put Serene Apartment Hotel Oyama, Itabashi on the shortlist. It is about 3 minutes from Oyama Station, and both room types are 35㎡, so the choice comes down to bed type and group size.
The stay here is fairly self-directed: read the check-in information first, and arrange breakfast around your own plans. If you are happy to eat slowly around the Oyama neighbourhood and then take the Tobu Tojo Line out, this rhythm will suit you well.
About 3 minutes from Oyama Station, with Ikebukuro as the transfer hub
Serene Apartment Hotel Oyama, Itabashi is at 7-6 Oyama-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, about 160 metres from Oyama Station, roughly a 3-minute walk. It suits anyone who wants to base themselves in the Oyama neighbourhood and travel out each day on the Tobu Tojo Line; if you will often head towards Ikebukuro, I would put this location on the shortlist first.
Oyama is a Tobu Tojo Line station, not the same station as JR Itabashi Station or the Toei Mita Line’s Itabashi-kuyakusho-mae Station. When planning routes, I would type in “Oyama Station” directly and make sure you recognise the Tobu line entrance on the way back, so you do not end up in a different rail system just because you remembered the name Itabashi.
Arriving with large suitcases, I would save the accommodation address and check-in instructions on my phone first, head straight to the room from the station to settle in, and then start exploring. Being close to the station is a plus, but you should still count transfers and walking time before setting out; if your first stop each day is at the other end of Tokyo, the minutes saved on foot may not make up for an extra transfer.
The lived-in feel of the Oyama shopping street, worth taking time to stroll
Happy Road Oyama shopping street, right by Oyama Station, is somewhere I would leave time to stroll. From the south exit you step straight into the covered shopping arcade, lined with restaurants, supermarkets, and everyday shops; you do not need to go to a big department store every day, and picking up something you fancy before heading back to the room adds a bit of neighbourhood life to the trip.
I would split the day in two: go to Ikebukuro for shopping or to connect to other Tokyo plans during the day, then come back to Oyama in the evening and pick a restaurant to suit that night’s appetite. If your companions do not want a long walk every evening, eating near the accommodation also makes it easier to keep rest time. Shops keep different days off, so if you have a particular place in mind, check that day’s opening arrangements before you go out.
For just one night, the shopping street works as a small outing after arrival; for two or three nights, you could come back early one day and stay in Ikebukuro for dinner another. This way of staying is not about being right in the middle of the sights every day, but about having a base close to the station where the pace feels simpler once you return.
Both 35㎡: for rooms 101 and 102, look at how everyone sleeps first
There are two guest rooms here, 101 and 102, both 35㎡, on the ground floor, with windows and non-smoking. When choosing, I would not start by asking which is bigger, since the size is the same; what really affects travelling together is how many beds you share, and who sleeps on the sofa bed.
| Room type | Size and bed type | How to choose |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | 35㎡; 1 double bed + 1 sofa bed; listed as sleeping 3 | Three travelling together, where one person is fine with the sofa bed |
| 102 | 35㎡; 2 double beds; listed as sleeping 4 | Two couples, a family, or friends happy for two to share a bed |
For three adults choosing 101, I would agree in advance who gets the sofa bed rather than sorting it out after entering the room. If you want two proper beds, compare 102; for four friends staying together, accept that two people share one double bed, which sleeps very differently from four single beds.
For two guests, the 35㎡ gives you choice: pick by the bed type you prefer, and do not assume that room 102, because it sleeps four, only suits groups of four. With a lot of luggage, I would keep the cases together in one area and leave clear space by the beds and the entrance, so you do not have to keep moving things when you come back at night.
The accommodation does not provide extra beds or baby cots, so group size and the existing beds need to be settled from the start. With children, the full number of adults and children should go on the booking; that toddlers may share the existing beds under the bed policy does not mean another small bed can be set up on site.
Self check-in: save the arrival steps before you get there
Check-in starts at 16:00 and check-out is by 11:00, and the stay uses self check-in, with check-in information provided after booking. I would read through the entry method before departure, confirm that the contact details on the booking can receive messages, and save the necessary steps offline. Searching for an email at the door is awkward for someone just off a flight with a low phone battery.
If you arrive in Tokyo fairly early in the afternoon, I would first arrange a meal or a city outing, and treat 16:00 as the time to enter and rest, rather than assuming you can use the room the moment you reach Oyama. On check-out day, pack the day before, and leave a little time in the morning to check your belongings, instead of packing while rushing for a train.
No breakfast served: keep your mornings on your own schedule
This accommodation does not serve breakfast, so I would plan directly around “eating out” or “preparing something simple the night before” rather than fitting the day around a hotel breakfast slot. If you want an early start, buy something easy to carry the night before; if you prefer a slow morning, plan breakfast near Oyama or at that day’s first destination.
For a longer stay, I would instead split breakfast across days: eat something simple and head out one day, and eat in Ikebukuro another day. This flexibility suits companions who wake at different times, but it also means buying food and finding places to eat are part of your own itinerary, so remember to leave a little time for them.
One night, focus on arrival; for several nights, think the daily routine through
For just one night, I would prioritise three things: whether Oyama Station fits that day’s route, whether you can arrive comfortably after 16:00, and whether your companions accept the chosen bed type. If all three fit, a short stay does not need much time spent on moving luggage or reallocating beds.
For two or three nights, the benefits of 35㎡ and a fixed base become easier to use: head out during the day and return to the same room at night without packing every day. Two people can choose 101 or 102 by sleeping habits; with three or four, staggering bathing, packing, and leaving times will feel easier than everyone getting ready at once.
I would recommend it to anyone happy to arrange their own mornings, who likes small-scale accommodation, and who can read the check-in information in advance. If you are used to being shown each step by a front desk on arrival, or you definitely need a baby cot, the self-service approach and the lack of cots become very practical trade-offs when choosing.
Pros and trade-offs: close to the station and 35㎡, but the beds and self-service rhythm have to suit you
| Aspect | Worth considering | Trade-off to accept |
|---|---|---|
| Location | About 160 metres from Oyama Station, about a 3-minute walk | Getting to other parts of Tokyo still means counting the transfers |
| Space | Rooms 101 and 102 are both 35㎡, so choose by bed type rather than size | As the group grows, luggage and daily routines need to work around each other |
| Beds | Room 101: double bed plus sofa bed; room 102: two double beds | Not one separate bed per person, and no extra bed can be added |
| Check-in | Self check-in following the instructions provided after booking | Check-in from 16:00; read the steps before arrival |
| Breakfast | You can set your own time for heading out | No breakfast served; meals need your own planning |
| Children | Toddlers can be arranged around the existing beds | No baby cot provided; you cannot solve it with an on-site extra bed |
Choose the sleeping arrangement first, then decide whether to stay in Oyama
If you want a 35㎡ room close to the station and are happy to arrange breakfast and the check-in steps yourself, Serene Apartment Hotel Oyama, Itabashi is worth putting on your list. Room 101 suits three people who accept the sofa bed, while 102 suits those who want two double beds. Getting everyone’s sleeping arrangement comfortable first, then planning Oyama and Ikebukuro as a smooth route, makes choosing easier than just looking at how many people a room sleeps.
Fact-check date: 2026-10-25