Dormy Inn Niigata Natural Hot Spring

The room was a decent size, and I appreciated the large parking lot. The hotel springs were hot enough.

The men’s baths on the top floor were excellent, with a large indoor bath, a smaller one outdoors, two private soaking tubs outside, and an indoor steam room. The baths are separated by sex and on different floors. I can’t speak for the women’s bath on 2F, though I understand it’s less impressive. The staff were great and the customer service exceptional. My room was clean and comfortable, with enough space and facilities for me. The building has an unusual layout: rooms open onto a central area with an open roof, so it feels more like an apartment block than a hotel. Dormy Inn in Niigata is a bit farther from the station than I’d usually want, but still an easy enough walk. There are anime shops right next door, plus plenty of shops, bars, and restaurants around it, making it a convenient base for a Niigata visit. I love staying at the Dormy Inn chain, and this one was a fantastic choice for the price. I had a great time and fully recommend it to anyone visiting Niigata in an all-male group.

The staff were polite and handled the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake well. While the building was shaking, they checked guests in and provided water and shelter to others. I do wish there had been an English recorded warning or even an in-room notice for emergencies. We were left unsure what to do during the earthquake and tsunami alert on TV. The hotel is about a 10-minute walk from Niigata Station, and everything else was quite good by Dormy Inn standards. My room was different from other Dormy Inn rooms I’ve stayed in, but still nice. The women’s onsen is on the 2nd floor and the men’s on the 10th. I liked the free coffee, late-night half ramen, ice pops and probiotic drinks, as well as the onsen. Toothbrushes, razors, combs, and cotton buds are in the lobby.

This may be the shabbiest business hotel I’ve stayed in in Japan, which feels fitting for Niigata, the shabbiest town in Japan.