HOTEL R9 The Yard Hitachiota

It’s an easygoing place to stay, which is what I like about it. I’ve been here several times, and it doesn’t feel as formal as a full business hotel. On nights without a full cleaning, you can sleep in instead of having to leave by 10 a.m. If you’re working multiple nights, put the sticker on the door and you can rest comfortably. The staff are generally happy to explain things, and it’s much quieter than around Rokukoku and 349 Naka, where car noise is constant. There are snacks and parking. Nearby food options include Uobei, Sukiya, Kourakuen, and McDonald's. Benimaru, Kawaneya, Kasumi, Daiso, Tsuruha, Kawachi, Cosmos, and Seven-Eleven are all within a 10-minute drive, as are K's Denki and Yellow Hat. The laundry costs 600-700 yen with drying included, and you enter a PIN. It handles a decent load, so I find it better than using a separate laundromat. During full cleaning, be careful where you leave your luggage. There are 50 rooms and the part-time staff work hard, so please follow the luggage rules. If you really can’t keep your bags with you, ask the staff and they’ll help. I attached a photo for reference. A new TSUTAYA and Starbucks are expected to open around the end of Golden Week, so I imagine the place will get busier.

The receptionist explained everything clearly and was very kind, and I liked the location for visiting Oiwa Shrine. This was my first time at a container hotel, but the price was reasonable and I was very happy with it. The frozen breakfast meal tasted good, too. My bed was a Simmons, and I slept comfortably. In my opinion, it was better soundproofed than a regular hotel.

The room itself was clean and new, and the frozen breakfast box was small but surprisingly tasty. Still, I wouldn’t call this a quiet place, and it felt expensive for what it is. Each room is basically its own shipping container, separate from the others, but that didn’t stop noise carrying. People were talking outside late at night, with only one door between us, so I could hear everything. Then, before 6 AM, guests started heading to work. Most rooms sit several tens of centimeters above the ground, with iron steps outside, and the footsteps echoed around the hotel. I’d stayed the night to rest before work and got woken up early. I noticed earplugs at reception and wondered about that, given the claims of quiet. But the front desk closes at 11 PM, as does the coffee service, so you can’t go back for earplugs later. The amenities are different from a standard business hotel. There was no luggage rack, so I had to open my bag on the floor, which I didn’t like. No drinking glasses or coffee cups either, just plastic cups in the bathroom. There was no room clock, and I couldn’t find any Wi-Fi information. This seems more like a nicer blue-collar lodging than a place for typical business travelers.

The room was compact and clean, with hot water always available in the bathroom, free Wi-Fi, and no bothersome noise at night. There are stairs to reach the rooms, so it may be hard for anyone with mobility issues. Supermarkets, restaurants, and shopping centers are about a five-minute drive away, and there’s a police station right next door. We paid 10,200 yen for two adults, with no extra charge for the children. The bed felt cramped for four, though, and we had a hard time falling asleep, which made the next day rough. I wouldn’t choose it for a family, but it could suit a solo traveler or couple looking for a room without meals. My husband liked the container house and said he’d stay again if we didn’t have the kids with us. Smoking is banned in rooms, with a 50,000 yen charge for lingering smells. There seemed to be an air purifier, and the air conditioner was a Daikin. The kettle only had a spot on the floor, which worried me a little with the children moving around in the small room. There was just one chair; an extra small one for two people would help. A folding mirror was provided. Cotton swabs, toothbrushes, earplugs, combs, pajamas, and other items are self-service at reception. There’s also a coin laundry, vending machines, and an outdoor smoking area. A lunch box is provided free, but since there was no charge for the children, we didn’t get one for them. I wasn’t expecting much, but it was tasty, especially the mapo eggplant one. There are large beds, various other services, and a play area for children at the hotel, so that seems a better choice for a family trip.