Hotel Il Credo Gifu

The location is great, less than a five-minute walk from JR Gifu Station and right across from Meitetsu Gifu station. The elevator is around the back by the parking area, with directions posted by the stairs, so you don't have to haul your bags up stairs from the street. I booked the most basic room. It's clean and the bed is comfortable, but the space is tiny, so don't bring huge luggage if you're staying more than one night. It uses old-fashioned physical keys, not key cards. There's a little shelf sticking out right beside the bed where you can put your phone, so watch out for bumping into it. The walls are THIN!!!!! I could hear the person next door moving, and they could probably hear me too. The bathroom faucets are old style as well, with separate hot and cold knobs that you have to turn to get the temperature right.

The location is hard to beat if you're visiting Gifu City, and the price was very reasonable. My boyfriend and I stayed a few nights. We could order food, and they brought it to us in the lobby. I arrived with two huge bags, and the staff helped get them to my room. The bathroom was pretty small, but the bed was on the larger side for a full or queen in Japan. There was also a nice little couch-like seat in the corner. I had a great experience.

I moved to another hotel after just one night. The room was tiny, had no view except a concrete wall, and smelled awful. The toilet reeked of old urine, the room was stuffy and musty like it hadn't been aired, and even the sheets smelled. The broken window wouldn't open, so there was no way to air it out, and outside was just concrete anyway. It felt more like a cheap motel than a hotel. The room condition was terrible.

The staff were polite and helpful, and the room was very clean and big enough to open a large suitcase without getting in the way. It's a little dated, but the bath products are from Pola, one of the best. The location is probably the most convenient in this area, about a three-minute walk to both JR and Meitetsu Gifu stations. Noise was one downside, though it's common in Japanese buildings because of how they're built. The low pillow was a bigger problem for me. In Japan I've only found good pillows at larger hotel chains that put more effort into pillows and mattresses. One extra pillow would've been enough. For that, I took off a star. For this price, I think it's the best option around here.