Randor Hotel Hiroshima Prestige

We chose this place partly because it had a washer in the bathroom. Our clothes dried overnight on the rack, and the microwave was handy for heating food from 7-11. I just wish there were more hangers. The modern bathroom had a separate shower room, though it needed more shelves, and the room was by far the largest we had during our 11 days in Japan. Even with all that space, the layout didn’t work very well. The kitchenette had no drying rack or bowls, which made eating soup from a shallow dish awkward. Two large beds side by side felt wasteful for just the two of us, there was no desk for laptop work, and storage amounted to two open shelves and a tiny hanging rod. Housekeeping cost extra. We didn’t need it for two nights, but I can imagine that fee being a problem for a longer stay. The front desk staff were fine, but it felt impersonal when they directed us to the check-in kiosk even though we were the only guests there. They also couldn’t exchange large bills for smaller ones. Location was an issue too. Although it’s near the train station, it took us 7-10 minutes to walk there because of a long traffic light and construction outside the station that sent us through the underground path. The Peace Park and city center were far away, and the streetcar stop was about a six-minute walk. We’d rather stay right by the station or in the city center next time. The similarly priced hotel we had just stayed at in Osaka had half the room size but more amenities, including full-size facial cleansing bottles and a foot massager.

It feels more like a three-star apartment hotel than a five-star hotel. There’s no service or daily cleaning, or anything like that. The bathroom is nice, but smelled of sewage. The location is handy if you need to be near the station; otherwise, there isn’t much to do nearby.

The good parts were the location, friendly staff, and a nice bathroom with a lovely shower. It’s not far from the station, and the rooms are huge. Our second room for the family looked like the warm, cozy, spacious rooms shown online, but the first one was dark, dingy, cold, and felt like a dodgy movie set. The beds weren’t comfortable, and the heating and AC didn’t work in our room, so it was very cold. The price is cheap compared with most hotels, but we would have paid more to stay somewhere that felt nicer. We didn’t need to interact with the staff after checking in.

The room was enormous, the biggest I’ve had in three trips to Japan. For once, I could leave my luggage on the floor and still walk around easily. The bed and bathroom were huge too, and there was a washing machine and kitchenette. The front desk clerk spoke perfect English. I’d happily stay here again on a visit to Hiroshima, and recommend it if you want a cozy, roomy place. The outside isn’t much to look at, and the reception area is tiny.