Hotel High City Serente

The hospitality made a strong impression on me. They tried to get the smell out of my smoking room and even brought my luggage up before check-in, which felt like old-fashioned, sincere service. The building stands by itself in a quiet residential area, about an 8-10 minute walk from Hiratamachi Station. From the outside, I might have taken it for some kind of facility rather than a hotel. Inside, it has a retro Showa to early Heisei atmosphere, almost like stepping back in time. There’s no washlet, so that may bother people who care about that. The kettle is more like an induction cooktop.

I checked with Hotel High City Shirako and was told it had closed.

The large public bath is small enough for only a few people, but with so few guests it was almost like having it to myself. Used towel baskets were shared by men and women. The place does feel a little old, though the rates are affordable, so it should suit people who aren’t bothered by minor details.

For 1100 yen, the lunch buffet is an amazing deal. You get a main dish, unlimited buffet food and drinks, then dessert. It’s casual, budget-style food with no seafood. When it gets busy, the staff can fall behind on refilling things, but I could overlook that. They were warm and friendly, too.