Koga Central Hotel

The walls and windows are thin, so sound carries easily. I could hear the neighbors snoring and breathing. A frog would have been better (;;) Breakfast was a simple buffet with a generous choice of vegetables. I didn’t see rice balls, and two side dishes changed daily, which was great. The second floor has manga, a microwave, and a washing machine. The public bath is nice to have, but lots of people get in without washing first. It ends up being used to wash off people’s body grime and poop while they still have it stuck to their bottoms. Maybe that’s why they call it a large public bath. The unit bath in the room is tiny, which was disappointing. The facilities are a little old, though there’s a USB port beside the bed and the room itself is spacious. The unit bath could have been bigger. There aren’t many amenities specifically for women, and the bath seems more geared toward men.

The breakfast was the best part of my stay. I wasn’t expecting much since it was free, but after the rice I thought I’d get miso soup and found pork soup instead. There were also the usual small dishes, many homemade by the kitchen staff, who seemed like local mothers. That day they had fried chikuwa with seaweed, mapo tofu, spinach with sesame dressing, and more. Everything was delicious. I was moved enough to tell the kitchen staff, and it made me happy to have such a warm exchange. I ended up in Koga for work, didn’t know the area, and made a tentative reservation. The hotel’s exterior looked like a typical, slightly older rural business hotel. At check-in, the receptionist came around from behind the counter and explained things in detail. Maybe she wasn’t familiar with the area yet, or maybe the reception equipment had only just been installed. Since I’d paid in advance, check-in itself was smooth. I wanted a spacious room, so I booked a twin. It was roomier and more comfortable than I expected. I’d be glad to stay here again if I get the chance.

The shared bath let me stretch out my arms and legs, which was nice. It was shared by men and women, though, and when women were using it, the door could only be locked from the inside, so I couldn’t really relax. The hotel was reasonably priced and close to the shop I wanted to visit. Breakfast was satisfying too.

The location was great, and the room was super comfortable. I stayed here while traveling from Tochigi to Ibaraki, and having breakfast included made it perfect.