Sasebo Dai-Ichi Hotel

The pillows were hard, and I could hear road traffic from the main road as well as the person next door sneezing through the thin walls. Still, getting there from the station was decent, and breakfast included Nagasaki-style fried noodles. There’s also a small book corner, though the selection was only so-so. I was there for one business night, and it was fine, just nothing special.

For 9,000 yen, I was satisfied, and I’d pick this place over the To◯ Inn. The breakfast buffet had lots to choose from and tasted great. Its menu was pretty similar to the To◯ Inn’s, but there were some quality side dishes too, especially the excellent ginger pork. The guest rooms feel thoroughly updated, with modern facilities, a very clean interior, and comfortable beds. Even the amenities and toilet paper were good for the price. That was more than I expected from a hotel that looks so old, right down to its Showa-era logo. One older man at the front desk was polite. The younger man and woman were rude, though, so I took points off.

The free breakfast was good, and the station is close by, with supermarkets and shopping facilities nearby too. I had a comfortable stay in an old room that was cleaned well. The bath towels smelled like cigarettes, the shower pressure was weak, and highway noise bothered me a little. The station area is handy.

I could see the magnificent church next door from my window when I woke up. The breakfast buffet was excellent too. I used the hotel on a business trip, and Sasebo Station is only about a five-minute walk away, which was convenient.