Toyoko Inn Hiroshima Heiwa Odori

The location was good, the staff were friendly, and breakfast was decent. But halfway through our stay we were told to switch rooms, and nobody mentioned that the new room was for smoking. I spent the night coughing. The front desk staff spoke little or no English, so maybe the room-change details got lost in translation.

For 1,500 yen you can join the Totoko membership program, book through their website up to six months ahead, and get member discounts: 5% on weekdays and 20% on Sundays and holidays. You earn one point per night; ten points can be exchanged for a free night in a single room. For another room type, you pay the difference. Choosing Eco, which means no room cleaning the next day but fresh towels are still provided, gets you 300 yen off. Breakfast is included and was about what you’d expect, neither much nor little. Overnight parking costs 500 yen, which is cheap. Just tell the staff when you check in. If you drive out and return during the day, though, that affects the parking arrangement.

A clean, pleasant hotel near lots of shops and markets. I loved it and would stay again.

I asked for a non-smoking room but got one that smelled of smoke. The beds were hard, too.