Relax Resort Hotel

The view from the balcony was lovely, and the room itself was spacious, but I came away very disappointed. I don't usually review hotels and tend to be forgiving, yet at 42K a night for a Standard Twin Room on what seemed like a low occupancy weekend, the price felt far too high for what I got. I'm not sure why the hotel has so many strong reviews. There are practical problems getting there. The approach is a very steep, narrow slope with a tunnel, and walking up with luggage seems impossible. I was glad I took a taxi on arrival. Going down at night felt dangerous, with cars speeding up and down, so take a flashlight if you walk. A tuktuk service for the slope would make sense. The hotel is also above the Shinkansen tunnel, so you hear a low vibration whenever a train passes. You get used to it, but should know about it. Inside, the lobby smelled old and musty, and its coffee machine didn't work. The front desk was almost always unattended, even in the daytime, so you had to ring for someone. The room had carpet stains by the entrance, and the air conditioning wouldn't go low enough, leaving me hot at night. The hot tub was nice. Bugs were another issue. I saw a cockroach during my first hour, though it ran back out the door. An hour later, a flying insect was over my bed. When I reported it, the staff member climbed onto the nightstand and squashed it against the wall, then wiped the spot. The napkin he used fell on my bed by the pillow. He left without apologizing. Service wasn't good. Front desk and room service staff came into the room wearing their outdoor shoes. An older man at reception would scowl at me without saying anything as I came and went. One evening I asked for coffee or snacks through room service and was told they couldn't provide them. The room guide mentioned a lounge with afternoon tea and cocktails, but when I asked where it was, staff said there was no lounge. Breakfast tasted good, though I wanted more food. The onsen was small and ordinary, and I've had a much better one at a Dormy Inn.