Hotel Kyowa

The room was roomy and comfortable, with a big TV, and even though I was in a smoking room, there was no smell. The kitchen, bed, bathroom, and toilet were all pretty standard, and the toilet had what seemed to be a recently installed bidet. There's a convenience store close by and parking right in front, so getting around was easy. Sakurao Whiskey Distillery is nearby too, which was handy for picking up a souvenir. It's a typical monthly apartment, and the price is about what you'd expect, but I thought it was good value. Just keep in mind there's no elevator, and the outside stairs and corridors could make a fourth-floor room a bit of a climb. Mine was on the second floor, so it wasn't an issue.

I stayed for almost a month on a long business trip after I couldn't find a place in Iwakuni city. At 3800 yen per day including tax for a monthly stay, it's a lot cheaper than nearby business hotels and monthly apartments. Even a single night is 5500 yen including tax, which seems reasonable. The location is roughly between Hiroshima city and Miyajima, and there are convenience stores, restaurants, and supermarkets nearby. The tradeoffs became more noticeable over a longer stay. Cleaning and linen changes happen only once a week, though a week's supply of bath and face towels is left in the room. Pillowcases, sheets, and loungewear are also changed weekly. There's a coin laundry on site if that doesn't work for you, at 200 yen to wash and 100 yen per 30 minutes to dry. The fridge is the usual small size, really only enough for drinks, and there aren't many outlets or convenient places to plug things in. Parking was another hassle: three spaces are by the entrance, and about six more are a two to three minute walk away. It seemed that people staying multiple nights were put in the farther lot, which made luggage awkward to carry. The stairs are narrow too, and there's no elevator. If price is the main thing you're choosing on, this is a good option. If little inconveniences bother you, I'd pay a bit more and stay somewhere else.

For an easy weekend, I'd soak at Rakurakuen Honoyu, get tempura and hot sake at Kappa Sushi, then grab beer and snacks from a convenience store. Tsutaya is right across the street for a DVD to watch back in the room. It's a dependable setup for that kind of getaway. This is a weekly apartment with the household appliances provided. The floors are clean and smooth, the air conditioner doesn't smell, and there's an air purifier. There are two coin washers with dryers in the first-floor entrance hall. The toilet doesn't have a heated seat, and rental bikes have to be returned within an hour. The built-in TV has no HDMI port, so an Amazon Fire TV stick won't work, but the DVD player and nearby Tsutaya rental shop are useful. One small snag: the TV remote batteries were weak, so it wouldn't change channels. I borrowed batteries from the air conditioner remote to get it working. I forgot to bring them back this time, but carrying spare AA alkaline batteries would be a good idea.

I've stayed here plenty of times. There's lots of food around, plus a convenience store and drugstore nearby, and parking costs 500 yen a day. It's a good location if all you need is somewhere to sleep. For a business trip of about a month, the rate is much lower, though rooms get cleaned less often.