Daiwa Roynet Hotel Okayama Ekimae

Getting to Okayama Station through the underpass was very easy, even with luggage, and the room was spacious. But the window only cracked open for air, with no outdoor view at all during our two-day stay, which made the room feel claustrophobic. The toilet was unusually high, and a high curb at the bathroom entrance made getting in and out difficult and potentially unsafe, especially for elderly guests. The hotel feels tired and poorly thought out. It needs an upgrade: the ceiling light instead of downlights did little for the room's coziness, and paint was peeling off the table. I wouldn't recommend staying unless bathroom access and comfort aren't priorities. The location is the only thing saving it.

The desk clerk's deliberately rude response when I asked for help moving my luggage spoiled the stay. It bordered on bullying, especially as no other guests were waiting. I wondered whether she'd have treated me differently if I were one of the many salarymen who stay there. Maybe I've watched too many j-dramas, but she was the exception to the other genuinely hard-working staff. In ten years of traveling in Japan, I'd never been treated this way, and it will keep me from using this hotel chain again. I stayed three nights. The location next to the station was super convenient, and I had wanted to like the place. I was ready to put up with the street noise from constantly chirping crosswalk signals, a person loudly speaking through a megaphone during the evening commute, and the video billboard flashing outside my window. The curtain had also fallen off its track, and the breakfast room was a bit grimy. To the hotel's credit, breakfast itself was quite decent, and the laundry machines were modern washer-dryer combos. I honestly don't understand why that clerk works in hospitality.

The room was spacious by Japanese standards, and the place was quiet and clean. Service was good, and it’s very close to the main train station. I stayed one night and would stay again.

The staff were really nice and helpful, but the rooms were the most sinister I’ve come across in all my travels. The bathroom reminded me of a camping trip. I’d booked three nights and left after just one.