APA Hotel Ogaki Ekimae

The Japanese breakfast dishes were pretty good, but I found the Western choices poor for the discounted prepaid price of 1,500 yen per person. The coffee was basic brewed coffee too. We paid 19,000 for two with buffet breakfast, more than twice what we’d paid at the Toyoko Inn the night before, which is what I’m comparing it with. The room had plenty of hanging space and was fairly spacious, though its layout didn’t work as well as at Toyoko Inn. APA hotels often have large public baths, but I was disappointed this one didn’t have an outdoor bath for women.

The bed was surprisingly comfortable, and the onsen was clean with no chlorine smell. We also found the hotel peaceful, nicely decorated, and clean, and the staff spoke English well. We had a great stay and would recommend it. There’s also a great bar down the street called "Barrel." Searching for "bar" on Google brings it up. It made the stay feel special.

The spa was good, the staff were very kind, and the Wi-Fi worked well. The hotel is close to the station, with lots of options around. My only downside was that there weren’t many coin laundries. Staying with APA in different places around Japan has always been a good experience.

The rooms are small but tidy and clean, with good amenities. Check-in is quick: just show the QR code in the APA app to the machine, and checkout is as simple as dropping the key card in the box. It works well for a business trip when you want fast service and a good night’s sleep. For a vacation where you expect more from a hotel, I’d look elsewhere.