Okura Act City Hotel Hamamatsu

The facilities didn’t match what was advertised. The receptionists said hotels commonly use old photos of things like the Onsen and gyms, even when those facilities aren’t available, because this hotel hasn’t been open for long. They acted as though there was no reason to provide those services once I’d booked and paid.

The mattress was the one thing I really didn’t like. The “airweave” is a Japanese brand mattress designed to be firm, and sleeping on it felt like sleeping on a traditional floor futon. That’s exactly why I prefer business hotels to ryokans in Japan, and we all woke up with aching backs. The rooms are spacious, though a little dated, and the kind service makes up for that. This luxury hotel occupies the top floors of Hamamatsu’s tallest building, so the views are lovely. Even-numbered rooms have a more scenic view than odd-numbered ones.

The food was wonderful, and breakfast had a very good range of items. The room service was great too. From the second floor of the hotel, you can go straight to the railway station for the Shinkansen and other lines, and the bus station is within walking distance. It’s a top-class hotel with a very spacious room and amazing views. As the tallest building in the city, it gives you a view across the whole city, and you can even see Mount Fuji.

The service was good, and the views are lovely. A footbridge on the second floor connects the hotel to the nearby mall and station, which is very convenient. I’d feel safer if guests had to tap their room card to reach the guest floors. I’ll definitely stay here again when I come to Hamamatsu.