Business Hotel Tsukushi

There's ample parking, and lots of food nearby: family restaurants, conveyor belt sushi, McDonald's, gyudon places, and curry restaurants are all a few minutes' walk away. There's an indoor bath, plus a day-use public bathhouse within a short walk. The room is clean and has a TV and refrigerator. Good for a casual stay, though you can hear some road noise.

Dinner turned out to be a filling set meal, not the bento I was told to expect when booking. You can bring it to your room yourself. Breakfast runs until 9am, which is quite late, and there's enough choice. The public bath's washing area is small, the shower temperature was hard to adjust, and the water was lukewarm, around 38°C. The overall feel is a bit dated, but the prices are quite reasonable whether you book room-only or with two meals. If keeping costs down is your main concern, I think it's perfectly fine.

The road outside is a major one, and the bosozoku (motorcycle gangs) were pretty loud. Still, it was an exciting trip that gave me a real feel for Ibaraki. There are buses, so it may be best to take one to or from the station when possible. I took one on the way back, but fieldwork had worn me out on the way there, so I spent quite a bit on a taxi. It seems there are very few buses on weekends. There are plenty of places to eat along the so-called "National Athletic Meet Road," including sushi restaurants and McDonald's. Royal Host no longer runs 24 hours, and opens at 10:00 without serving breakfast. Since the hotel has a catering service, trying its food might be interesting. Apparently you need to reserve it. I climbed the old-fashioned piloti-like stairs to check in. The question, "Are you a night worker?" really shocked me. I said I was a university student doing fieldwork, and wondered if that's just the kind of place it is. The hotel seemed mostly male, and with two small baths that were a hassle, I gave up on using them.

The hotel has a Showa-era feel, but it's simple and easy to use. I expected the bath and toilet might be shared, but both were in my room. I also tried the large public bath, though the water pressure was awful and the tub was really lukewarm, lol. I stayed the day before a cycling event. Even with those bath issues, it was easy to get to, well maintained, and good value for money.