Route-Inn Grantia Shiretoko Shariekimae

The hotel is very clean, and it has the toiletries you need, a spa, vending machines, a paid massage chair, and a Japanese-style breakfast buffet for 550 yen per person. Its location is handy too, right by the train station and a delicious pastry restaurant, with Shiretoko National Park a good distance away. But we barely slept during our three nights. The beds felt like sleeping on the ground, and this was the most expensive hotel we’d stayed at so far on our Hokkaido trip. The room’s A/c controls were very restrictive, so we slept with the window open to cool off and had to listen to the train station all night.

The rooms were clean, parking was free, the staff were kind, and it’s convenient for the train station, Shiretoko National Park, and local restaurants. But the mattress was incredibly hard, even by my standards. Room temperature control was also limited. They said that was to “help the environment,” but it seemed to me they were trying to save money. It was May, with warm and cold spells outside, and they wouldn’t let us turn on the a/c yet, so we had a couple of warm nights. The price was more than double what you’d pay for a much nicer room in Sapporo or Abashiri. If even moderate comfort matters to you, I’d stay in Abashiri and add a little to the drive. Good sleep is worth it.

There isn’t much outside the hotel, though there is a convenience store for basic supplies. The location itself is very handy, just steps from Shiretoko Station. Rooms and beds are clean and in good condition, and the small indoor and outdoor onsens use natural spring water. Worth a visit.

For a reasonably priced hotel, this may be the best option around Shiretoko. The location is good, with a few restaurants nearby. It takes about 40 minutes to drive from here to the Shiretoko area. The room was very clean and nice.