New Miyako Hotel Annex

I didn't book a room, but I had a few nice drinks with my best friend at Oyster Bar Cafe. It’s right by the station, with an open rooftop deck and a good view of the area near Watarase River. The food was good too. Give it a try if you're near Ashikaga-shi Station. It's on the 4th Floor of New Miyako Hotel.

The rooftop courtyard is in front of the wedding chapel on the 4th floor, and from 6-9pm it turns into a beer garden with fairy lights. When I visited, rain had left the courtyard seats wet, but four tables beneath the chapel's eaves made a romantic little private beer garden. The 9th-floor restaurant has a panoramic view of the river and the city across it, set against the mountains. The hotel is only ten steps from the train station, and the rates are business-hotel prices. Single rooms for business travelers are a little larger than comparable ones in Tokyo; the twin room works for a couple, and the triple for a family. I saw only one other foreigner during my seven-day stay. The event rooms on the 3rd and 4th floors were booked for local civic events every day of the week.

Good value, with a great spot next to the main station and nice views of the bridge and hills. The rooftop beer garden is well worth checking out in summer.

The view from the 9th-floor restaurant was good. The menu was poor, the dishes were cold, and the service lacked smiles.