Dormy Inn Okayama

The staff were friendly and helpful throughout, and complimentary drinks and ice cream at certain times were a lovely touch. The room felt quite humid. I’m sure the hotel does what it can to manage that, but the carpet flooring probably makes it harder. We were disappointed at first: we arrived at 1:30 pm, while check-in officially began at 3:00 pm. The room was already ready, but we were charged an early check-in fee of 2,000 yen per hour for the full two hours, although we’d arrived only 1.5 hours early. We’ve never encountered that in Europe, especially when the room was prepared. Still, it was a pleasant stay.

The onsen was super clean and had an outdoor section, and there was free laundry too. Breakfast was excellent. Fantastic value for the price, and I love Dormy!

The hotel was really convenient, a short walk from the station with plenty of restaurants nearby, and I enjoyed the stay overall despite the room being dated and cramped. The facilities are very kid-friendly. You can borrow kids' toilet seats and body wash for free, and they even have child-sized bath wear. The hot baths were nice and set up for children too, with little buckets and seats to keep them occupied. My kid loved the free evening ice cream or popsicles and the probiotic milk drinks in the morning. There’s also night ramen as a snack from 9-11pm if you’re hungry. We booked a moderate double for two adults and our four-year-old, who was included on the existing bedding. The room felt worn, with uncomfortable carpets and very little space to unpack a 105l suitcase. The bed is small, so expect a tight fit with kids, and the pillows were very hard.

They kept our luggage before check-in and after check-out. The fridge had free water ready at check-in, plus a tasty local treat. Breakfast was delicious and all locally sourced. The location worked well for Okayama Station and Aeon mall.