APA Hotel Kawagoe Ekimae
by the TopOfHotel team
The cheapest room you will find next to the main station — good location, low price, ideal for a one-night stopover.
The cheapest room you will find next to the main station — good location, low price, ideal for a one-night stopover.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
APA Hotel Kawagoe Ekimae is a textbook example of the APA chain that has spread across Japan — the whole pitch is good location, low price, and a clean room, with no extras layered on top. Rooms run around 15 sqm, the APA standard: small but genuinely usable, with a work desk, storage, a flat TV, and a compact unit bathroom. The bed linens are fresh every night, and cleanliness holds to the steady level the chain is known for.
Food and amenities
There is no free breakfast built into the room rate, but you can add one for a reasonable price — roughly $10 to $13 per person. The move most guests make instead is grabbing breakfast from one of the convenience stores around the station, which are cheaper and more varied. The building has vending machines and a coin laundry for anyone staying several nights, and the free Wi-Fi is fast enough to actually work on.
Location and getting there
The real strength here is the location next to the main station — a 3-minute walk to the North Exit of Kawagoe Station, which carries both the JR Kawagoe Line and the Tobu Tojo Line, so you can come in from Tokyo on either. The Kurazukuri warehouse street is about 15 minutes on foot, or you can take the Koedo Loop Bus from in front of the station and get off at the Ichibangai stop. The area around the station is packed with restaurants and convenience stores, so eating cheap is never a problem.
Things to know before booking
The rooms are small — around 15 sqm — which gets cramped for two people traveling with big suitcases. There is no free breakfast, only a paid add-on or the convenience-store route. And the service is deliberately minimal in the APA style: this is a place built around price, not hospitality, so do not expect hand-holding.
Our take
This is the best pick when what you want is the lowest price next to the main station. It suits backpackers and solo travelers who only need a bed, and business travelers wanting a cheap stopover before moving on. If you are squeezing the budget hard and can live with a small room, it is the strongest option in the price bracket.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- From $54 a night — the lowest rate among the branded hotels next to the main station.
- The consistent APA chain standard: clean, safe, and dependable wherever you find one.
- A 3-minute walk to Kawagoe Station, which carries both the JR and Tobu lines.
- Free Wi-Fi that is genuinely fast.
- Automatic check-in and check-out, so there is no queue at the counter.
- Rooms are very small, around 15 sqm — cramped for two people with large suitcases.
- No free breakfast, though you can buy it as an add-on.
- Minimal service, the APA way — the model is built around price, not hospitality.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Kawagoe
Day tours, attraction tickets and experiences around Kawagoe — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
See activities in KawagoeAffiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Insider Tips
- Book 2 or more weeks ahead — the entry-level rooms at $54 tend to sell out fast.
- The ground-floor vending machines stock both Japanese beer and mineral water, handy to grab before heading up.
- For two people, the Standard Twin has more usable floor space than the Single and costs only a little more.