Yutaka Ryokan Ekimaekan

I’ve come back several times on business trips. It’s room-only, so I can’t say anything about the food. The bathroom is shared, but the toilet in the room is larger than what you usually get with a unit bath, and there’s also a sink. That makes the room comfortable. The sinks range from newer to older, and water pressure depends on which room you get. A bad room can also let in a lot of noise from next door. There’s often loud snoring too, which can cost you sleep. Still, having an early morning shower, even though the bath isn’t open then, helps me reset after work. The woman at reception (lol) is cheerful, so I think I’ll keep staying here.

I expected the place to look run-down from the outside, but my room was really clean, maybe because it had just been renovated, and it seemed well maintained. The outlets were positioned so you can charge your phone beside your pillow, which feels like a modern touch. It was closer to the station than Google Maps made it look, and I’m pretty sure I could see it from the platform. There’s a Yamazaki on the walk from the station, but it seemed more like a private shop than a convenience store, and I wasn’t sure when it would be open. If you want drinks to bring back, it’s safer to buy them elsewhere. The hotel has vending machines where you can get alcohol. I’d booked breakfast only. The dinner menu posted at the restaurant entrance looked tasty. I remember breakfast looking like a buffet, though maybe it was only partly buffet style. You serve yourself rice and miso soup, then take side dishes from what’s laid out, like in a school or employee cafeteria. It isn’t all-you-can-eat, but it was filling and delicious. I stayed here before the Aqua-Line Marathon. I paid the room rate at check-in, and they accepted credit cards.

There’s Wi-Fi throughout the hotel for sending and receiving email, plus a multifunction printer you can use for a fee. The food is better than I expected, and many guests seem to prefer eating here over going to nearby restaurants or izakayas. You can book breakfast alone or breakfast and dinner together. Breakfast is buffet style, while the dinner menu changes by day and week, so meals don’t get boring. It’s a business hotel near Nagaura Station, and many of the guests appear to be construction workers. Even though it’s right by the station, there’s a big parking lot, which is handy for work vehicles like vans and 2-4 ton trucks. I’d definitely stay here again if I have work nearby.

The meals are generous, with so many side dishes that I could easily eat three bowls of rice. Most guests are construction workers, so the inn’s hours, meals included, start early in the morning and end early at night. This was during my stay in April 2018, when about 90% of the guests were construction workers. There’s no bath in the room, but the large public bath has a sauna. Yukata, hand towels, bath towels, and toothbrushes are provided. Western-style rooms have bidet toilets, while Japanese-style rooms have standard ones, though I don’t know if that’s true of every room. You can borrow an iron, hair dryer, electric kettle, or hanger rack. There are around 10 free washing machines, but detergent and dryers cost 100 yen each. It’s best to bring your own detergent. They have Nikkei, Yomiuri, and sports newspapers.