Kokusai Onomichi Hotel

I almost decided against booking after seeing a few low ratings, but I’m glad I stayed. The hotel was clean, the staff friendly, and breakfast was good. Our room was a reasonable size for two beds. There are a few restaurants nearby and a Lawson right next door. The location is a bit out of the way if you’re not driving.

For a standard Japanese business hotel, it was good value and the room was decent. The fridge was far too noisy and kept us awake, and the walls were thin enough that we could hear the very loud drunks on both sides. There’s a decent bar on the 10th floor, though it could use more wine and spirits.

We got an upgrade without asking, and our room was large, clean, and had a partial waterfront view. There’s a restaurant inside the hotel, a convenience store right outside, and a few restaurants within a 10-minute walk. Onomichi station is a 15-minute walk away, though the hotel also runs a free scheduled shuttle. The staff were friendly.

We thought the location might be an issue because there are more centrally located hotels, but it really wasn’t too bad. Onomichi Station and Onomichi Port are both a 15-minute walk along a quiet harbor, which felt fine for the price. We stayed the night before I set off to cycle the Shimanami Kaido. The staff were very helpful and friendly, and the facilities were clean and comfortable.