Business Hotel Saiki

I was able to borrow a bottle opener when I realized I’d forgotten one for the beer I’d bought earlier. I called the hotel, and someone brought it right to my room, which was a big help. The free parking lot was fairly spacious, and the washing machine was a nice extra. I’d booked a single room and, for the price, it felt less cramped than many budget business hotels I’ve stayed in. I’d read about noise in the reviews and expected some, but my stay was quiet and comfortable. The lot seemed large enough that it probably wouldn’t fill up at a good time of year.

The biggest drawback for me was the smoking-friendly feel of the place, so non-smokers may want to think twice. Ashtrays are kept in the hallway with manga and other things. There’s no elevator, and even with some soundproofing, footsteps carry quite a bit. My twin room was spacious, though the TV looked surprisingly small in the rather nostalgic room. The unit bath was a little small, but the water pressure was great. The toilets have been renovated and Wi-Fi worked very well. You can pick up groceries at the supermarket across the street. It seemed popular with business travelers and tradespeople, and having traveled a lot for work myself, I felt at ease. I was on a motorcycle tour and arrived in pouring rain, so the covered parking was a huge help. Even though I got there around 2 PM, they kindly let me check in early. You can reach the front desk from either the main entrance or the parking lot side, which meant I could stay out of the rain.

There’s no food provided, but there’s a coin laundry and supermarket close by. Wi-Fi is available, and the hotel has a washing machine, though you may want to bring detergent. It’s clearly set up for business travelers. The design is dated, but the place is clean and I had no issues. Noise from the neighboring room wasn’t a problem, although I could hear sounds through the door. Maybe nobody was staying next door at the time. I’d be happier if the price were a little lower.

The walls are so thin that you can hear noise even when you’re not doing anything unusual. Bugs were another awful problem. There were so many stink bugs around the entrance that it looked as if they were being kept there, and somehow they got into my room even though I left the windows closed. One morning I woke up and saw one stuck to the ceiling right in front of me. I also found it really unpleasant that my luggage was sometimes moved or rearranged. I can’t say whether anyone touched it while handling the room, but nothing was stolen. When staff collected the trash, they took the contents but left the bins with the old bags, and often left the bins on the desk afterward. They only came each day to change towels and deal with the trash. It felt dirty. The only good thing was being close to a supermarket and bus stop. I’m never coming back.