Classe inn Kikonai

The rooms were nice, the staff friendly, and the price was good, so I’d have given it five stars if the Wi-Fi had worked better. The connection was slow and kept resetting.

I was surprised to see a bear warning sign here, even though the mountains are a little way off. Nagaoka was the last place where I remember being warned about bears. The location is really convenient, close to the station and a convenience store, with a police station just to the north. I also enjoyed the large public bath on the first floor. I went in during the evening and could relax in the small bathroom.

The light breakfast includes bread from Kitajima, a local area. Kikonai town also produces Fukkurinko rice and Hakodate Wagyu beef, and since the hotel seems to have a proper kitchen, I think breakfast could be improved by having a local mother prepare it. I stayed in a twin room at this new, clean hotel. It had everything I needed, including a refrigerator, individual air conditioning, and an electric kettle. The sink is just outside the spacious bathroom and toilet, and the room has a bit of a Dormy Hotel feel. The large public bath is an artificial hot spring, with four washing stations and a tub that fits about five people. You have to lie down a little to get the water up to your shoulders. There are Coke ON compatible and beer vending machines at the bath entrance.

The breakfast is simple, just bread, boiled eggs, and a drink. The bread from the local bakery is tasty, and I like boiled eggs, so it works for me. I only wish there were mayonnaise for the eggs. When I come to Kikonai for work, I stay at the Classe Inn often. The rooms are clean, spacious, and relaxing, with a clothes and luggage shelf and a single-seater chair as well as the usual desk or table. That makes it comfortable even on longer stays with lots of bags. I do think towel changes being excluded from the multi-night eco plan is a bit strict, though I’m fine reusing a towel. The bathroom is small, with four washbasins and one tub, but the water temperature suits me and I really like it. That may be because I use the women’s bath on weekdays when it’s quiet. Last year the changing room air conditioning was too hot for drying my hair, but this year it felt just right. Once, I was the only woman there that day and was told the women’s bath was closed, so they gave me a bath additive to use in my room instead. It was disappointing, but these things happen. There’s a pub nearby that I really like, and I look forward to going there when I stay. I’ve tried many business hotels in Hokkaido, and this is one of my favorites.