Sabae City Hotel

The location worked well, close to Sabae city station and Nishi Yama park. The rooms and breakfast buffet were pretty average.

It's there, and you can sleep there.

The location is really convenient, right below Nishiyama Park, which has a small zoo, with a supermarket and home improvement store nearby. There are a few free parking spots, and apparently discounted rates at some nearby city or paid lots. The hotel is quite run-down, though, and my single room felt very old. It was so dim that I gave up on doing desk work and went out instead. There wasn't much ceiling light, just wall and standing lamps, and no light by the floor. You can ask the front desk for another lamp. The shared unit bath is old-style, with the toilet in the same space. There was mold and dirt on the curtain and walls. The key-card system cuts power to the room, including the AC and fridge, so things in the fridge thawed and the heat turned off, leaving the room cold. The carpet was worn, and the semi-double bed springs had sagged. The amenities were mostly available at reception. The room had a hairdryer and Febreze, and I appreciated having a Tefal kettle. There was also a small laundry hanger in the bathroom, and humidifiers can be borrowed at the front desk. Breakfast is buffet-style and about what you'd expect for the price. There was no bread. They said the rice was Fukui-grown Koshihikari, and the miso soup was tasty. The dishes were mostly home-style stews. For little kids, it seemed like orange juice, sausages, and bacon were the main options. If you know what you're getting into, it can feel like good value.

The hotel is conveniently near the station and a park, but the free parking layout is awkward, with tight spaces between cars. Parking an SUV takes some thought, and the EV charging spot is cramped too. The first-floor izakaya was busy and pricey, but the food was only mediocre. Service dragged, the last dish took an hour, and we ended up with two bills. Extra drink orders were often missed or forgotten, so the meal was disappointing.