Hotel Minatoya

I found the service better than standard Japanese service. The staff greeted every guest as they came through the door and did their best to provide information. Their English was limited, but they were happy to use Google Translate to make sure I understood. My single room was unusually small for this kind of business hotel, though it had the standard amenities. The location isn't the very closest to the JR station, but it's still only a five-minute walk. That distance made it quiet at night. There's also a supermarket a block to the east, and Lawson and 7-11 beside the tram stop to the west.

I was really disappointed with the value. I paid 15,xxx ¥ on a Saturday night, when hotel prices are usually high, but the quality was very poor. The room was tiny and in bad shape, with lots of stains on the carpet, an old smell, and a very small bath and toilet room. It's also far from everything. They said I had to check out before 9:00 a.m., while the Trip.com app said 10:00 a.m. They eventually agreed to let me stay until 10:00, but having to argue about it annoyed me a lot. I've traveled in Japan for many years, and this was the worst hotel for price performance.

We asked for a non-smoking room, but ours had a strong cigarette smell. Water was also leaking onto the toilet floor. When I asked about parking, the staff were rude and told me to use a lot more than 1km away at a high rate. They said there was no nearby parking, but I found at least one closer to the hotel that cost less.

There isn't an elevator, but staff helped carry our luggage upstairs. I loved the massage chair and bath, and the Japanese breakfast was great.