Hotel Route-Inn Shin Gotenba Inter

There aren’t many hotels right by the station. As the name suggests, this is a route inn that’s easy to stop at along the road, and the parking lot had plenty of cars with plates from other prefectures. Breakfast came with the stay, and I was very satisfied. They serve a good, filling meal without cutting corners.

A clean, reasonably quiet room that’s small in the usual Japanese business hotel way. The bed is on the hard side, but the shower pressure is outstanding. The cable had a pay-movie channel, though it may have been a special weekend and I’m not sure whether the hotel paid for it. Breakfast on a holiday weekend had a line through the lobby. Luckily there’s a McDonald's next door, along with plenty of other places to eat. The outlet mall is about a 10-minute drive away. I’ve stayed here several times before and chose to come back. If you get a room over the entrance, there’s a spectacular view of Mt. Fuji.

The location is a long trek from Gotemba Eki, going up the high street and past cainz, and since I can’t drive, I had to rely on public transport. I might not stay again for that reason. Still, the view from floor 5 was amazing, with Mount Fuji visible day and night. As a tourist, I couldn’t have hoped for more. The room was compact but workable for most situations, with a double bed. The bed was pretty firm and the pillows were just okay. The electrical setup was good, though I wish there were more outlets by the bed for charging. The hot water onsen, which I don’t think was natural, was a nice extra and made the stay more enjoyable.

Some rooms have an impressive view of Mt. Fuji, and breakfast was good. The hotel has a hot spring public bath on the ground floor. The lift is small, and stairs aren’t available for accessing the floors. It’s a typical Japanese business hotel.