Hotel Nikko Niigata

The room was small but had enough space, and the staff were very polite and helpful. I use a non-Japanese plug, and they lent me a power adapter. At breakfast there was a broad choice of Japanese and Western food. The umeboshi stood out, it was big and fruity. I was there for two nights on business. Taxis usually wait by the entrance between Toki Messe and Niigata station, though you may prefer to call one.

The room was clean and comfortable, with what I thought was the best view in town. The staff were excellent, and breakfast was good. It was the first time I’d seen steam coming from a coffee pot in Japan. Finding the place by car was extremely difficult as a non-Japanese speaker. A taxi or walking would have been fine, but there was almost no English signage. The small sign at the car park entrance said “Convention Centre/Hotel,” without saying which hotel. I took a ticket and drove around the many levels looking for signs, with no luck. After parking and searching on foot, I finally found a tiny English sign inside the lift lobby.

The view of the city from my room was lovely, and the price was reasonable. It’s quite far from the city center and from any convenience stores.

The view from the high floor was amazing, and the location was good. The hotel sells tickets for the local Niigata loop bus, and there’s a fun self-service sake bar in the lobby. You need to get coins for its machine at the front desk. They kindly upgraded our room, though honestly it still felt small.