GRAND BASE Hiroshima Ekimae

We really liked the room setup. It was spacious, with a microwave, induction cooktop, washing machine and detergent. You could hang clothes in the bathroom and use the dryer setting, and the sink was separate from the toilet. The hair dryer was just average. Getting around wasn’t as convenient: I found only one convenience store, Lawson, about a five-minute walk away, and there weren’t many restaurants open nearby in the evening. The area felt like a mix of homes and businesses. If you’re driving, watch for the one-way street ahead. It was also hard to figure out where to park, probably because there weren’t many staff around.

For the price, it’s a good deal, especially with Hiroshima Station nearby and a kitchen, dishes, washing machine and dryer. The rooms are more spacious than the usual Japanese hotel room, and we could buy groceries and cook for ourselves. Just keep in mind it’s unmanned: you need to get check-in instructions by email, and there’s no umbrella rental, luggage storage after checkout, restocking of amenities during your stay, or cleaning.

The four-person room had loads of space, even with all our luggage spread out, and the facilities were so clean they may have been cleaner than my own home. There were plenty of electrical outlets, too. A few things could be better: the bathroom mirror was horizontal, so I had to bend down to see myself, and I would have liked a chair there. The room had a washing machine but no hangers or clothespins. There is an elevator, but it’s a standard household-sized one, and four people with suitcases went over its weight limit. We stayed one night.

We stayed as a family and felt right at home. The separate bathroom, washing machine, roomy kitchen and big TV made it easy to relax, and I’d happily stay again. Hiroshima Station is a bit of a walk, but there’s a supermarket on the way, so you can shop before settling in.