Urakawa Wellington Hotel

Urakawa made for a really satisfying night. It's quiet, but I could walk to restaurants and convenience stores, so I got dinner, bought some alcohol, and had a few more drinks back at the hotel. I was passing through on a dam-visiting trip in December 2019. I used to live in Hokkaido until about 20 years earlier, and though I'd been through Urakawa before, this was my first time staying there.

The rooms and facilities were surprisingly clean for a Showa-era style hotel. This was my first stay here. Dinner was tricky, though. It was a national holiday, so a lot of nearby places were closed, and the hotel's own restaurant was shut too. I even considered going to Secoma for Hot Chef, but they didn't have it.

I found the second-floor izakaya tasty, and its prices were clear, so I didn't feel ripped off. For what it costs, the hotel's facilities and service are very good. The in-room Wi-Fi is free and fast enough. The TV seems to be pay-per-view, but I don't watch TV, so that didn't bother me. I gave it four stars because the heating is a little weak and might take a while to warm the room in midwinter.

The room felt cold and not very relaxing because the lighting was bluish white and had very poor color rendering. The room itself was spacious. Getting around the hotel is awkward if you use a wheelchair or have wheeled luggage. There are about two parking spaces on the first floor, but they're reservation only, and the entrance has a step of around 5 cm, possibly intended for disabled visitors. From the multi-story garage, the entrance to the second floor has a 15-20 cm step. The parking is also hard to find: the garage entrance is at the top of the slope on the right, without turning in along the way. Directions are inside the first-floor automatic doors, which is an odd place to put them. This hotel seems best suited to energetic people with backpacks.