Hagi Royal Intelligent Hotel

Good value, with a clean, modern room of a decent size, plenty of free parking, and a nice Japanese breakfast included. You'll need Japanese.

It's a budget hotel, and they make that clear on a sheet when you arrive, so I'm not sure what some people expect. The room was clean and roomy, with a great view over the river as it heads to the sea. Breakfast is simple, but you can eat and drink as much as you like, and there's a laundry room. The location is fantastic, about ten seconds from the bus stop and train station, and an easy walk into town. You get what you pay for, but here I felt I got more.

Don't book here if you need a non-smoking room. I reserved one a week ahead, but at check-in staff said only smoking rooms were left and offered no alternative. That felt like a clear breach of the booking agreement. Reviews on other platforms make it seem as though the hotel may be deliberately overbooking its non-smoking rooms. If you have asthma, I'd avoid it; the floors smell strongly of smoke. The free parking and new shower cabins each earn a star.

The location is very handy, right beside the bus and train station. Our room was large, with a big bed and an amazing view. We also liked finding a newspaper clipped beside our door when we got back. There was lots of information and plenty of books in the room, and some can be bought at the souvenir shop on the third floor. Service felt awkward. Reception was just a basic hello and key handoff, with little sense of Japanese hospitality. It was an old-fashioned hotel, and the decor was kitschy, with artworks that didn't seem to go together. The staff made us feel as if they disliked their jobs and found guests a nuisance. Breakfast was uncomfortable, too. It felt like being in the army: plastic gloves on, then line up, with no choice beyond what was being served. There was a tiny salad, a small Japanese side dish, miso soup, sausage, prepared onigiri with furikake, and two slices of takuan. We waited a long time for bread, but the cabinet wasn't refilled while we were there. Other guests from South Korea took the rolls, three each. Drinks came from a vending machine, with coffee and tea. The woman overseeing the hall was busy stacking used plates and cutlery, and the clatter was loud and distracting. We left as soon as we'd eaten because the atmosphere was unpleasant. I'd recommend the hotel for its location, room size, bed, and view, if poor service and a dull breakfast don't bother you.