Hotel Maira

The extra time made a real difference: checkout was at 11 and check-in at 2, two hours better than the usual 10 and 3 in Japan. They also leave free refreshments in the lobby, and the fire alarm test happened mid-afternoon when guests were mostly out and I was just leaving for the day. I've spent five months in Japan, staying at a different hotel about every week, from Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Himeji, Fukuyama, and Hiroshima to Okayama. For the price, this is the best hotel I've stayed at. I smoke, but I always ask for a non-smoking room because I can't stand smoking in the room where I sleep. When I asked where I could smoke nearby, the front desk gave me an ashtray so I could smoke beside the hotel. That was a blessing. And they didn't force room cleaning after I'd been there a few days. They just asked me to tell the front desk when it suited me. It made a huge difference, and it was such an easy thing to do. I can't think how they could offer better service. Thanks for a great stay!

Being close to Okayama Station, restaurants, and shopping was a plus, and the staff were friendly and helpful. I could borrow a bike to get around. The bathroom was clean apart from the flies. The room and bathroom had tiny flies jumping around, and I found them on the bed too. A large crack in the window seal left the room exposed to outside, so I covered it with tape to keep mosquitoes from getting in. The carpet was filthy, the sheets were made of a strange scratchy material, and there was caked-on grime on high-touch spots like light switches and elevator buttons. I just couldn't relax or feel comfortable in the hotel.

I've stayed in plenty of hotels around Japan, and this one really stood out. It's about a 10-minute walk from Okayama Station, with lots of restaurants, bars, shops, and a Family Mart nearby. The service, location, and quality for the price are hard to beat. The front desk were so friendly and courteous, and the cleaning staff work hard. If you're after high-end, Hotel Maira probably isn't for you, but I felt I got every penny's worth. There was a pleasant surprise in the lobby: I actually met and chatted with other travellers, all foreign tourists. That doesn't usually happen to me, and I think people staying here are enjoying the attentive service and are generally easy-going. My room was spacious for one, with a big table to work at and enough room to open my 140cm suitcase. I agree with all the praise for the service and amenities: drinks are available 24 hours in the lobby, drinks and beer are 100 yen, chips are 10 yen, and there's free bread in the morning. You can also take all sorts of in-room amenities from the lobby. They sell their own souvenir too, and I bought one because I thought it was so thoughtful. The washing and drying service costs less than laundromats outside. There are even more little perks, but my only hiccup was having to leave my key at the front desk, which didn't bother me. I enjoyed my stay and hope to come back to Okayama.

The room was not as clean as it should've been. There was used toilet paper left unflushed in the toilet, and I found hairs on the bed and towels. The soundproofing was also poor. You can hear people talking in neighboring rooms if you're near the wall, and street-facing rooms pick up loud conversations from drunk people at nearby izakayas. Those were disappointing. Also, the TV has adult channels, so families with children should keep that in mind. On the plus side, it's about a seven-minute walk from Okayama Station and close to the city center. Okayama Castle and Korakuen Garden are about a 20-minute walk away, with plenty of well-known restaurants nearby. The staff are very friendly, and the hotel has lots of facilities: free drinks, coffee, ice pops, bath bombs, toothbrushes, and more. The hotel products are cute, and the beer and food in the vending machine cost even less than at convenience stores. Breakfast is free too, with about six kinds of bread to choose from, so it's good value.