Hotel Yamacho

The bath takes some planning. It's generally private and used by guests in turns, with no morning reservations, so it's first come, first served. If you end up being the only one using it, it can feel hellish. At night it's filled with water, but in the morning only the shower is available. The shower flow is disappointing and stressful, with the volume significantly reduced. Turning the head clockwise or counterclockwise changes the flow, but not the amount. I took the head apart and put it back together easily to look inside, and it seemed the filter was restricting the water a lot. The booking page has warnings about the bath and checking in by around 6 PM, details business hotel guests should notice. Reception didn't explain much, especially about the bath, so read the information in the room. The room itself was spacious and Japanese style, but had a table with no low chairs or other place to sit. Mine had no working Wi-Fi. There was a free Wi-Fi sign, but I couldn't connect, so don't count on it. There were three smart speakers, which seemed excessive, but only one worked. The two speaker lamps seemed to recognize what they were, according to the simple instructions, but the instructions only described using them as lamps. They didn't give the Bluetooth device name. The Amazon speaker worked, but there was no manual and the hotel didn't seem able to explain it. I figured it out roughly, but was still a little unsatisfied. The drawers under the TV stand were labeled for amenities and glasses, and hangers. The first held what I expected. The hanger drawer had a broken flashlight, one of the speaker lamps, and what looked like a broken ozone generator. It was puzzling to find those things there. It's minor, but I kept getting bothered by little things. There were only three hangers on the wall, very few for a room that size. By reception there were two unfamiliar smart vending machines about three meters apart. I downloaded and registered the app for the discount campaign, then followed the buying instructions, but got a device error and couldn't purchase anything. The other machine seemed to work, but I didn't like the selection, so I didn't buy anything. This place seems best for several people sharing a room, and apparently some rooms have kitchens. It may feel inconvenient if you expect a typical hotel. I'd recommend it to someone who sees these quirks as part of the fun of traveling.

It may be one of the cheapest hotels in Ako, and the room was fairly average, not small, but nothing special. The air conditioning was a little loud, and the hallways and lobby felt hot in summer. Still, there are handy extras like private baths and free laundry and drying. I was leaning toward a three-star rating for the value, but the breakfast changed that. There was a broad selection, and everything was delicious and filling. It's worth staying here just for breakfast.

This is a Japanese-style inn near Ako Castle, on a street with lots of restaurants and other businesses. It was much cleaner than many privately run inns I've stayed in, with every corner well maintained. The rooms' industrial-sized air conditioners were quite loud, which was a shame. The bath is small and private, and guests take turns, so you may need to wait if someone else is in there. I only used one bath this time, though it seems there may be two when there are more guests. The place appears to run with a small staff. When I arrived to check in at 5:30 PM, nobody was at reception and I had to call someone, which felt a bit unsettling. It's not a luxury inn, but I found it a very comfortable stay.

The noisy heater made it hard to fall asleep, and I couldn't send my luggage because they didn't offer a box service. The nearest convenience store was also a bit far. I had expected more because the inn is run by a descendant of the Ako Forty-Seven Ronin, so seeing the receptionist in a hat with “New York” on it was a real letdown. The exterior was nice, the room had a great feel, and I enjoyed the artificial hot spring.