Accommo Inn Kesennuma

Everything feels fresh and new in this recently built hotel, and the room was excellent. They also have rental washing machines and vending machines.

The staff were helpful from check-in through checkout, and they readily let me leave my car in the hotel parking lot in the morning for personal reasons. I could also use the restroom to change. My main concern was the Wi-Fi: I had a corner room and it barely worked. It was okay for a personal trip, but I'd hesitate to stay here for work unless that gets better. I first expected to have a room-only booking, since I paid 3,000 yen with the prefectural resident discount, but dinner and breakfast were included. The meals are served in a dining hall that reminded me of a youth center. Dinner was one main dish plus a buffet of sides, rice, and miso soup. The main dish was beef, and after working out I appreciated being able to eat plenty from the buffet. This isn't a place for local seafood dishes, so for that I'd choose a traditional inn or go into town. Breakfast was a decent, typical business hotel buffet. It's a newer hotel aimed at longer stays. The rooms aren't especially spacious, but the basic amenities make it suitable for business travelers. There's a large public bath too, though I didn't try it, so I can't rate it.

The large public bath was a bright spot. It had seven washing stations and a spacious tub, and despite my expectation that it would be full of construction workers, it was empty. The rest of the stay left me unhappy. I was on a two-day business trip and paid out of pocket because the hotel was inexpensive, but I wouldn't choose it again, even if paying myself. The walls are thin, so noises from the next room carry through. Dinner was the biggest problem: infection control seemed inadequate, with no acrylic panels at dinner or breakfast. Guests were told to eat quietly, but a group in the dining room was having a loud party, with bottles on standby. They appeared to be construction workers staying for several nights. Kitchen staff were carefully training younger employees, but seemed not to notice the inebriated party. For breakfast, I wanted sausages, bacon, and yogurt, but milk was the only drink available. I also thought the two women at the front desk should pay more attention to their appearance. Both had unnaturally brown hair, and I felt they needed to learn the basics of customer service.

I've stayed here since the earthquake because the prices were low, and it's quiet now with fewer guests. But the low cost has come with service cuts: unless you book at least five nights, they don't clean the room, and fresh towels and laundry detergent cost extra. The front desk service, on the other hand, has always been excellent. Check-in and checkout leave me glad I stayed. The hotel is due to close at the end of June.