Minshuku New Otani

Tucked down an alley, this guesthouse has a distinctive feel. Iwami Town seems to be a hub for Free! anime fans, and the place is full of merchandise. The owner is very service-minded, and breakfast comes free. You may prefer ordinary toast to the tuna and pineapple hot sandwich.

I came by motorcycle while traveling around Japan, just after Golden Week in 2011. I was the only guest, but they went to the trouble of heating their famous golden bath, apparently painted gold in-house, and made me feel welcome. The owner, who reminded me of Takashi Sasano in his overall vibe, was friendly and made the stay relaxing. I had only planned to stay overnight, so I was grateful they served breakfast too.

I picked the place because the accommodation fee was low, and was pleasantly surprised that breakfast was included. They said I could take my time after eating, so I went back to sleep and left whenever I was ready. There were only a few other guests, which made it easy to relax. Seems like a pretty good option if you're traveling on your own.

There was nobody around when I tried to check in, so I was confused. I called on my cell, but Rakuten Mobile had no signal. When I finally found the owner, he was a nice guy. Breakfast wasn't included, but he encouraged me to have some anyway. For a guesthouse, I thought the rooms and service were good. The problem was a loud karaoke-like sound that went on until the middle of the night. I was only there to sleep and couldn't sleep at all. Maybe it was just bad luck, but the noise made the stay impossible for me, so I won't come back.