Business Hotel Grandy

For the low price, I was glad to have a place to stay during the emergency, when city prices were often over tens of thousands of yen. It's fine as a business hotel, though getting around without a car is inconvenient. There's a supermarket nearby, and the unit bathroom was clean. The room had both air conditioning and a kerosene heater. The heater's switch was broken, and the sign saying to press it with a ballpoint pen tip made me laugh. They should repair it soon. There was a lingering cigarette smell, though it became less noticeable after a while, which made me think the cleaning was thorough.

I booked this place for a training seminar in Obihiro. Hotels near the venue were expensive over Golden Week, but this one was convenient to reach by a fairly straight drive, had free parking, and sat near a large shopping complex, supermarket, gas station, and an early-opening Starbucks. Meals weren't included, but that was fine for what I needed. I realized after booking that it was a smoking room. It wasn't as smelly as I'd expected and I slept comfortably, though the room looked generally yellowed. There were no air fresheners or disinfectants. The air conditioner and kerosene heater were both there, and the small room warmed up quickly. The workbench had enough space for my documents, and the old-looking lamp worked fine. The kettle had grime on the outside and water droplets inside, so I had to clean it. It should at least have been dried properly. I felt this was the manager's negligence. There was only a small mirror, and mine had no stand, so it had to lean against the wall and couldn't be used hands-free. A full-length mirror might be useful for women. The bathroom faucet was high enough that I didn't bump into it while washing, but the sink was small and inconvenient. It had two outlets, so you have to adjust the water temperature yourself. I managed, but it could be troublesome if you're not used to that setup. The surprising part was that the toilet had no bidet, so anyone who really needs one should know. There's a shared area for simple cooking with a microwave. It seemed to have what you'd need, but felt more like a storage room and didn't look used much, perhaps because there weren't long-term guests. I could hear footsteps in the hall, but even with the hotel fully booked, I heard nothing from the next room and had a quiet stay. Still, with no on-site manager, I didn't feel it was a good fit for women overall.

The courtyard view is a nice touch. Open the window and you can see lovely plants. Parking is available, and the hotel provided towels, a toothbrush, and the other basic amenities. Coffee or tea would have been welcome, but there's a vending machine by the entrance, so that was okay.

There is an FF stove, which is typical in Hokkaido, and it keeps the room very warm in winter. The refrigerator also has a compressor, which is a plus. Rates here are reasonable for a place a little outside the city, with room-only stays around 5000 yen as Obihiro hotel prices have gone up. Sometimes nobody is at reception when you arrive, so call the number posted at the front desk in that case. Keep your room key until checkout, then leave it in the return box in front of the desk. Hot water pressure in the unit bathroom can be inconsistent.