Dormy Inn Abashiri Natural Hot Spring

Our corner room, Room 705, was tiny because of the building’s layout, and we later noticed it lacked the humidifier found in other rooms. Avoid the x05 rooms if minimalist living isn’t your thing. Still, the river view was gorgeous. Dormy Inn Abashiri stands beside a picturesque river and, at nine storeys, feels like the Burj Khalifa of this quiet town. The hotel is opposite a 7-11, Japan’s unofficial Michelin-star restaurant. With breakfast and the free late-night ramen, hunger isn’t much of a concern. Breakfast is a feast of sashimi, fresh tofu, vegetables, local clam soup, freshly fried tempura, and lots of tea and coffee. Ramen is served from 9:30pm-11pm. If you miss it, the always-polite reception staff will give you a pack of the hotel’s instant noodles like it’s treasure. The 9th-floor onsen is compact but has an indoor bath, a small outdoor balcony bath, a cold plunge and sauna. There’s a manga lounge outside the common room. Free ice cream is available in the evenings and Yakult in the mornings. Laundry is also upstairs: washing machines and detergent are free, dryers cost ¥100 p/20min, and our whole load came to ¥200. Parking was easy. The outdoor spaces tend to fill after 5pm, but the multi-storey car lift keeps your car safely for ¥800 a day. Despite the small room, Dormy Inn Abashiri is good value. We paid about A$150 for breakfast, onsen, ramen, convenient parking and all that ice cream. A definite gem in Abashiri!