Despite the cons, they make a huge effort in making this an exceptional hostel. That effort alone deserves 9 stars. They recruit the kind of staffers who are sociable as well as respect & care about their jobs. So that’s why guests feel welcome whenever they come visit, because all staff members can give you the same welcome feeling. Also they’ve managed to attract a certain type of guests, who like talking & sharing stories. So by now it’s almost guaranteed you won’t feel lonely here, because you’ll be surrounded by those people. The hostel gives out an intangible, cozy& relaxing atmosphere while encouraging spontaneous social interactions. That is not an easy job to do in Japan, and kudos to them to manage to pull it off.

As others have said, it’s VERY close to the train line. Luckily the trains don’t run at night, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to get a sleep. But you may be waken up earlier than expected. The walls are paper thin, so you can perfectly hear others walking around & others talking as if they’re in your room. If your neighbours are having sex you wouldn’t be able to sleep too. However, you won’t hear the conversations in the lounge, which is a plus. The house is old, but they do take a good care of it, so it DOESN’T look rundown. The toilets don’t flush smoothly, because the water isn’t strong enough, so you might see others’ “remains” if you’re unlucky.

I had a wonderful stay at this quirky little guest house! The staff member, Sakura, was incredibly friendly and went out of their way to make my stay comfortable, providing maps and even free guest passes to Mt. Maya (though these go fast, so grab one early!) The location is close to JR Nada Station, which is super convenient yet in a quieter area of Kobe, giving you the best of both worlds. The bathrooms and rooms were spotless, and I loved the atmosphere—other travelers were respectful and happy to chat, making it feel very welcoming. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a cozy, social spot!

The location is near a train line, so you do hear some noise, but it didn’t bother me personally at all but could be an issue for light sleepers. Floors have a bit of a creak, adding to the charm but could bother some guests.

I like how this hostel is kind of known within the local community around the area - when I went to the Nice Bar which was 600 meters away, a bartender just knew I stay there and I learnt how the owner of this hostel is the first to establish a hostel around the Nada area and brought foreigners around here. I really had such a nice evening at that bar chatting with local people and thus I have fond memory for this hostel too. Staff is very friendly in recommending many things around the area; was very helpful when I lock my key inside of the room; kindly waited for me for 10 min when I arrived at the place for check in beyond 9pm

I was just very scared to make noise at night because the floor and the steps to climb up to the bed easily makes sound

I had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The location is excellent—just a short walk from the subway station, which made getting around the city very convenient. It's also close to a lovely park, providing a peaceful and relaxing environment. The hotel staff, especially the front desk team, were very welcoming and helpful throughout my stay.

That said, there are a couple of minor drawbacks. Since the hotel is close to the subway, you can hear the trains passing by, which can be a bit noisy at times, though still within an acceptable range. Also, the staircase is quite narrow, which makes carrying large suitcases up and down a bit inconvenient.

Very rarely will you fall in love with a place, but one of the most wonderful things about travelling and living is those rare moments, the beautiful ones that you find without even thinking about it. I didn't expect to come here, but the it is one of the best places and I always wonder about when I will be coming back. The staff here are lovely people, every one of them so wonderful to get to know. I reminisce about this hostel and the good times we had here!

Nothing. There was this weird girl called Lolo

The staff treated us with courtesy and paid attention to every detail. Sometimes they even anticipated our needs. The common dining and activity area is cozy and homely. The toilets, sheets towels were clean as can be. The kitchen is well equipped and well used (theres usually a queue). Toilet seats have warmers in them. Being next to a train track didnt bother me much because i sleep after train services stop and wake up same time they start the next day. Its situated nicely between 2 railway lines (JR and regional). Within walking distance to many local breakfast venues amd a shopping street as well.

If anyone is above 180cm in height, definitely have to be careful of the door frames and beams. But this is a small inconvenience compared to all the other advantages!

I'll tell you what. This guesthouse oozes personality. The hosts are amazing, every single one of them. You could say they made it feel like home, but back home you don't get nearly as much warmness and kindness as they provide. The interior is full of character, it's all DIY, everything looks handmade by the people who run the guesthouse. Anyhow, the beds/sheets/showers and all the important things are super clean, the hosts take care of you and you can have a very nice coffee. I would not have stayed as long as i did in Kobe if it were not for guesthouse Maya. Thank you to all the staff, you were able to change my mood for the better for the length of the stay and most likely until i visit again in a year or a few. ❤️

Beware, this is not a hotel. You can hear other people, even if you stay in a private room. It is an old building, after all. Then again, that's what attracts sociable people, so you will be hard-pressed to not find atleast someone to make connections with.

One of the best hostels I’ve been to. Everything seems to be thought of ahead. The cabin locker is at great location and very convenient. Beds are specious, and include a silent mini fan which was fantastic. Rooms are locked, bathrooms are great. Great communal area. The overall location is good, I wouldn’t found that cool shopping street and area if it wasn’t for this hostel. Super friendly and helpful staff with great english. 10/10.

They offer free rides in the cable cart up mount Maya which is great - but apparently the cable-cart is closed on Tuesday, and on Wednesday when I wanted to go apparently there’s a limited tickets per day and they didn’t have one for me. Not so bad, just heads up on this if you want to visit mount Maya.

I like Kobe Maya Guesthouse with its well situated location from 5-7mins walkable from Nada Station. Surroundings are quiet, but if you mind the train sound in the night time, please choose the other guesthouses (which I do not have any issue with this). Well maintain and everything needed are provided. Check-in is relatively easy. Maya is very thoughtful, if you're traveler and wanted to go Mountain Maya, you may check with them for the complimentary pass. They will guide you through and it's penniless for the absolutely beautiful scenic view on top of Mount. Maya! Thank you, Maya! Would like to be back soon~

I was able to make my own breakfast. Since I am studying Japanese, the staff were also very friendly giving me instructions in Japanese of how to use things as well as giving me ideas for buying miyages or even places to eat. I also had great opportunity to talk with other japanese guests.

I wasn't sure but I had a phone call in the room at 10 o'clock I really hope I didn't bother anyone else even though I kept very quiet.