Tochigi Grand Hotel

I’d been wanting to try glamping but hadn’t found a place that seemed right, so I picked this nearby spot since it looked easy to do without bringing anything. That worked out well: I could start right away with no special prep. It’s connected to a hotel, so I had drinks and access to the large public bath, and they gave me a proper room to sleep in at night. It was cold, but I had a great time and came away with a good memory.

I booked two nights, but the place was so disappointing that I spent the second night at another hotel. The rooms were extremely dusty, and the breakfast was just small portions on a plate, nothing like what the website showed. I’d been looking forward to the public bath too. I knew it was women-only, but it was still nothing like the website description, and somehow worse than the bath at home. I didn’t even want to get in. The gap between the advertising and the actual stay was so big I wondered why they advertised it that way. I should have checked the reviews first. I won’t stay here again.

The kids' space is handy if you're traveling with children, and I was surprised to see Edo-period Hina dolls on display. The building is old, though it has a nostalgic feel if you were born in the Showa era. It's diagonally across from Tochigi City Hall, and the free parking, welcome drink, large public bath, Japanese-style rooms, and breakfast make it a very reasonably priced option.

I liked being able to linger over coffee after the meal, and the lunch buffet runs continuously from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM. The dining space is wide open, almost like a wedding reception hall, so there was room to take my time choosing. There was Japanese, Western, and Chinese food, plus even some simple sashimi. The rice was Koshihikari from Tochigi Prefecture and really good. Doutor's Aroma Drip coffee was available at the drink bar, which was a nice bonus. Dessert was fun too. You serve soft ice cream into a teacup by pulling a lever, which made me laugh. For a short outing, I’d pair it with the nearby Iwashita New Ginger Museum or Mount Ohira. Parking was easy, with the hotel's lot and other lots very close by.