Hotel Viora

A cold area is available if you’re feeling hot, and there are chairs where you can have snacks and tea. You can get free drinks in the lobby, and the washing machines don’t cost anything. The best part for me was that the TV had YouTube and Netflix. Hotel Viora is very good.

I’ve stayed here a few times on work trips to Owase and always found it comfortable. The buffet breakfast doesn’t have many choices, but it includes sea bream rice and freshly grilled pacific saury, which is a real treat if you like fish. The free laundry is another service that’s useful and not common at many hotels. And a little aside, Owase’s night sky is beautiful. I’d happily stay again if I get the chance.

The room faced the ocean and was clean and roomy, with a sofa, which was nice for a business stay. I appreciated the free drum washer that can dry clothes too, but a full wash and dry took about three hours. Sometimes I had to wait ages, and sometimes I couldn’t do laundry at all. They should consider restricting laundry when the hotel is busy. Breakfast comes down to personal taste, though I found the miso soup a bit bland.

I had a twin room this time, and it was bigger and cleaner than I expected, with a large TV, little fridge, closet, hair dryer, and several outlets. It’s a business hotel, and the bathroom is a unit bath. The curtain doesn’t attach to the wall with magnets, so some water splashes onto the sink despite being careful. It’s only a little and easy to wipe up, so that was fine. Shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and small and large towels were supplied. The hair dryer and a little folding mirror were on the TV stand. I wanted to use the dryer at the bathroom sink, but there wasn’t an outlet there. Other items were available at reception, including bathrobes, slippers, T-shaped razors, individually wrapped cotton swabs, toothbrushes, combs, and drink sticks. Besides the private bathroom in each room, there’s a toilet in the hallway. On the second floor there’s also a smoking room beside it, convenient for smokers who feel uncomfortable these days. I didn’t use the second-floor laundry room, but it seems handy for longer trips. There aren’t any convenience stores nearby, so stop somewhere beforehand if you need snacks or drinks. The hotel vending machines cost more than those at service areas or convenience stores. Each guest gets a welcome bottle of mineral water in the room, and hot coffee is available from the dining-room server until 10 PM. If you take breakfast, coffee is available in the morning too.