BASE LAYER HOTEL Nagoya Nishiki

After 24 hours of travel, I was glad to find friendly front desk staff and a super comfortable bed at Base Layer Hotel. The room was small, but had what I needed: slippers, a pajama set, toiletries, and soaps. It felt cozy tucked into the alcove, and everything was spotless and seemed brand new. The modern design still had personality. Blackout blinds helped while I adjusted to jet lag, and I loved being able to open the window from bed in the morning. Breakfast came with the stay and was delicious. I liked it so much I ordered the same thing twice! Shopping, food, sights, and public transit were all within walking distance. They kept my luggage after checkout, and the front desk helped me figure out how to reserve seats on the shinkansen. I had a great time exploring Nagoya, and this was a perfect base.

We used the hotel as a base for the Grand Prix weekend, though in hindsight it was a little far out for Suzuka. Lots of other guests were there for F1 too. We didn't see Nagoya itself. Fushimi metro station is very close, and it's one stop from Nagoya station. We arrived early and left our luggage until check-in. Check-in was quick and easy, with a digital code for the room. It was very clean, compact as expected, and fine for three nights, but would have felt cramped for longer, especially with limited luggage space. Since the bed is against a wall, getting out in the middle of the night without disturbing your partner is impossible. Rooms aren't cleaned for stays of three nights or less. Breakfast was included, but we were out before 7am on the first days, so only tried it on our last morning. It was tasty, with savoury crepes or a couple of other options. I'd recommend it for a short stay.

The room's lighting was set quite dim for a relaxing feel, but I would've liked the option to make it brighter. The hotel is a little away from central Nagoya, though still walkable, and close to Fushimi station, so it was convenient and quiet. The facilities were useful, high-end, and of a high standard. We enjoyed our stay :)

The location, design, and room amenities were quite nice, but the cleanliness was a real red flag. When I entered the room, I found an opened condom package under the bed and hair on the table and floor. I checked in late during a busy F1 GP week, so I didn't report it right away and tried cleaning the areas that bothered me myself. The hotel encourages guests to be independent. You have to check in at the counter yourself, and the staff behind it didn't seem willing to help even when I asked about an issue. Be prepared for that. I believe the cleanliness problem may have been a one-off, and I still recommend it as a convenient, nice place to stay in Nagoya.