Toyoko Inn Marugame Ekimae

Parking was the only real hassle. You can reserve a space only by calling in Japanese, which could be a headache if you don't have friends or relatives in Japan. I wish they had an email option for overseas visitors. Otherwise, this was a very clean, convenient, nice hotel, and I'm glad we chose it over staying in central Takamatsu. The complimentary udon, served until 20:00, was delicious and our first Japanese meal after arriving.

The noise made it impossible for me to sleep. Our room was beside the lift, and with the thin walls I could clearly hear it every time it arrived on our floor, along with people talking in the corridor. I asked to move rooms, but communicating took a long time because the staff couldn't speak English. They said every room of our type was beside the lift, though the floor plan we checked showed that wasn't true. We were willing to take a smaller room, but they wanted to charge us for the change. I'm extremely disappointed that the hotel wouldn't move us for free when the noise was a problem with our room. The whole experience was horrible, and we won't come back. Think twice before booking.

It's a quiet, peaceful town, so this worked well as a base for visiting nearby cities and sights, and we could come back for a good rest after a long day. The hotel feels welcoming and almost like home, with great service and very clean rooms. It's quite new and sits right across from the train station. They serve complimentary udon soup from 6 pm to 8:30 pm, a nice touch in Marugame, which is famous for udon. There's a very good, inexpensive supermarket at the station, though not many restaurants near the hotel.

A handy spot for exploring on foot: the hotel is steps from the station, close to the well-known local chicken restaurant, and an easy walk from the castle and a craft brewery. There’s limited paid parking onsite, but if it’s full the hotel provides a voucher for the underground lot across from the station. Rooms are a decent size, with bedside light controls and a USB charging port. The bathroom has a rain shower and a good-sized bath. Breakfast is free for all guests, and they offer free udon in the evening too. A great business hotel.