Hotel Okaya

Pretty good...

I liked the old-fashioned Showa-era character of the place, so it felt restful to me, though I can see it putting some people off. The single room was on the small side but comfortable enough, and the window looked out over Lake Suwa at night. The bathroom had a sewer smell even though it was clean, which made me wonder if the pipes are wearing out. I hope they can address it, though I know replacing pipes in a large building is hard. The neon sign was dim and blurry when we arrived at night, and my companion and I weren’t sure about the place at first. Inside, though, it was much brighter, and the staff member explained things kindly. Breakfast was a buffet with things like eggs, sausages, yakisoba, curry, miso soup, natto, bread, and rice. For a room around 6,200 yen, I thought it was enough. The dining room had the same nostalgic feel, and we could eat at an easy pace. The staff were attentive and greeted us warmly. Apart from the faint neon and the bathroom smell, I had a nice stay. Places with this much Showa-era atmosphere are a rare chance to enjoy a bit of nostalgia. I hope it stays open for years, and I’ll come back.

This was my first visit to Okaya, and I found out eel is one of the local specialties. I’d booked here for two nights after searching for somewhere available just before the first-ever 10-day holiday. At first the building looked a little eerie from a distance, but that feeling went away once I got inside. The reception area had shampoo, hair dryers, a body sponge, and a lotion set available, which was helpful. One elevator was being maintained, so the two-elevator setup was down to one and got congested. My room was a bit small, but clean, and the air conditioner seemed new. Breakfast being included was appreciated, although the rice was soft. I wondered if that’s just how it’s done in Nagano Prefecture. On the first night, a group of students seemed to be on the same floor and made a lot of noise from 10 PM to midnight. Talking is fine, but they kept talking in the hallway and knocking on doors, and I couldn’t sleep. I told the front desk later. They apologized, though I don’t think the hotel caused it. At least some extra notices or warnings would help. I’d still like to stay here again next time.

We were left waiting in the lobby for about two hours, with fans but no working air conditioning, and the man who seemed to be the manager was slow to respond. We had hoped to get our bags into the room by 3 PM so we could reach that day’s Lake Suwa fireworks as early as possible. Instead, we were told to wait until 4:30 PM because the hotel was supposedly full and cleaning wouldn’t be done in time. That may have been convenient for the hotel, but it was frustrating for us. I understand every industry is short-staffed, though I have concerns about how this was handled. If they can’t provide the service, they could do what they can, such as limiting bookings in advance. At checkout, nobody apologized or said anything about it. I’m giving the hotel a low rating.