Roco Inn Matsuyama

The best thing about the hotel is how accessible it is to the city center, monorail, and bus stations. Staff were good, though I didn’t interact with them much. I stayed from August 28 to September 1, 2021, and paid about 2,800 JPY per night. For that price and by Japanese standards, it barely makes the cut. The room was small but just about okay for one person. The futon cover was extremely dirty, and the dust-blocking curtains had dust on them too. Wallpaper looked worn, and the plastic-cubicle bathroom was dim and dingy. The AC was weak, with no thermostat, just a knob by the bed marked “weak” and “strong.” I wouldn’t recommend staying here unless you absolutely have to.

The automated check-in was ridiculous. You have to enter all your information on an iPad. I understand that foreigners need to be verified by showing a passport, and the hotel could photocopy it. But here they wanted me to hold my passport for a photo and record a video saying my name. It felt demeaning and unnecessary, like an interrogation, or as if I were being held hostage. Be careful, since the AI technology is so advanced and you have no control over what they might do with your image or video, especially when they already have all your personal data. I refused to make a video and asked for a sign-in sheet instead.

Good service and a good hotel for a reasonable price. The room is a little small, but fine for one or two nights. There’s a small fridge, and English-language service is available at reception.

Everything was within about a 15-minute walk in Naha, and the hotel was spotless and well organized. The breakfast was delicious too. I’d definitely book here again.