[coldtea]

From the part that mentions that they are "international hotels that cater to foreigners" -- so not some local cockroach hotel for junkies and poor people (not to mention the fact that they need to have enough money to travel to an expensive country like Japan in the first place -- 2/3rds of the world couldn't even afford the tickets with a year's salary).

And from the other part that mentions "business hotels" and especially ones that "explicitly discourage foreigners". Except if those are the rare kind of business hotels for poor destitute businessmen.

[jackvalentine]

I think maybe we have a mismatch of cultural expectations. When I traveled in America I saw a lot of those junkie hotels - they're simply not really even thought of as viable hotels in my country. When you drive America you see America is poor.

An actual example from two of the categories I've actually stayed in.

ANA Crowne Plaza Okayama - $116AU a night. Not shockingly cheap, but cheap nonetheless.

PRINCE something something, in Osaka. 6000JPY a night on a public holiday.

No matter your definition of cheap, they're not 'expensive' hotels.