Hotel Trend Iwakuni

The breakfast buffet was tasty, filling, and just 500 yen, and the station is only about a five minute walk away. My room was comfortable and clean, with its own bathroom. For the price, this was the best value hotel I’ve stayed at in Japan. I’d happily come back if I’m in the area again.

I paid 32,000 yen for two nights, and the place was disgusting. The carpeting was filthy, the floors creaked, and the furniture felt cheap and wobbly. It felt like a shelter for homeless people. There was no internet at all, so using a laptop for work or watching TV was out of the question. They even sell 500ml bottles of water at the front desk. I’m attaching pictures because this really is a nasty, terrible cesspool. Unbelievable.

The main hassle was having nowhere to store our things and no table, so everything ended up in piles on the floor. Still, the room with two double beds gave us and our child plenty of space. The hotel is old but clean, and the Japanese buffet breakfast was really good for ¥500. The staff were all kind and helpful.

The staff were absolutely top notch, and the room suited what I needed, even though it was smaller than I’m used to. I’m a bigger American guy and usually stay in penthouse rooms at Hilton's and embassy suites, so I came in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. At this price, it’s hard to beat. My one big complaint is the no-guests-in-rooms rule. Being a man, you can probably guess what I mean. Aside from that, it’s a great place.