APA Hotel Naha Matsuyama

It had been 13 years since our last trip to Okinawa, and with the yen still weak, we finally got to visit and see our in-laws. We usually book Apa Hotel when we come to Japan because it’s affordable and convenient. This one is close to Kokusai Dori. Our in-laws later pointed out that the hotel is surrounded by host clubs and nightclubs, which can get noisy at night. We’d asked ahead for a quiet room, though, and most of our stay was peaceful. The staff were friendly, check-in and check-out were easy, and express checkout was available. The room was quiet and spacious, with storage under the bed for luggage. There are several elevators, coin laundry, a bathtub, nearby convenience stores, strong wifi, and a good variety of TV shows and movies. The laundry setup could be better: there’s just one coin laundry in the ladies’ room, while the men’s room has three. It’s an old-style machine, and the dryer takes more than an hour. Elevator and hallway circulation is awkward, and there’s a nicotine smell throughout those areas.

The room was small, but cozy and comfortable, and the staff were lovely. We had trouble reaching Dominos, so a staff member came up and helped us place a pizza order from the room. There’s an onsen for relaxing, and 711 and family mart are both less than a minute away. Easy to recommend.

Naha is a great base, with shops, restaurants, a park, and nightlife all within walking distance. The price is good, too, so despite my wifi problems I’d consider staying here again. This APA location is older than some of the newer ones, and it shows: the room was dirty along the baseboards and needed more cleaning. The washroom was smaller than in newer APA hotels, and the toilet bidet didn’t work. The wifi never worked during my trip. A prompt appeared in the middle of the TV screen, but with no signal I couldn’t acknowledge or remove it. APA is a familiar name in Japan, and this hotel still offers good value for its location and price.

The onsen at 8pm was a perfect way to wind down, and breakfast was yummy. Great location, too. It’s less than a ten-minute taxi ride from the airport, and I’d recommend taking a taxi instead of public transport.