Hotel Route Inn Utsunomiya Miyukicho

The staff were nice.

I use this hotel often, so I'll stick to the problems. The cleaning is pretty lax, and I think the staff need retraining. The room bath was dirty even on the first day. When I filled the tub, grime from the previous guest floated up, and there was still dirt and hair on the walls. Since a lot of people use the public bath without washing first, I find it disgusting and end up cleaning the tub myself before I bathe. There's no detergent, so I have to use shampoo and body soap to clean it. On longer stays those run out quickly, and even if I leave the empty bottles outside the tub, they aren't replaced. Tissues and other supplies are often nearly gone or empty and rarely restocked. The humidifier often smells bad, probably because its filter hasn't been changed or it's moldy. Maybe the previous guest added detergent to the water dispenser to cover the smell. It can seem better at first because of the soapy scent, but after a few nights that wears off and the bad smell comes back.

December 2025 The breakfast had no local dishes, and the menu was pretty ordinary, which was a disappointing start to the morning. The rice looked shiny and sweet but was wet and clumpy, such a waste of rice that could have been delicious. The curry, though, was well seasoned and really tasty. I was surprised there wasn't a breakfast line, even though it opens at 6:30, something I often see at Route Inns. The women's bath has four sinks and a small tub. The water felt a little cool, so I stayed in longer than I normally do. The rooms themselves were clean and well kept, as you'd expect from a reliable Route Inn. The hotel sits along a busy national highway and can be a little tricky to enter. There are parking areas at both the front and back, but the rear lot is roomier, so it's easier to park there.

The complimentary lotion and moisturizer are a nice touch, but the comfort rooms themselves aren't anything special. The older men in the rooms above, below, and beside mine were unbelievably noisy. I couldn't make out voices, but the vibrations were irritating. There seem to be a lot of golf-focused guests. The front desk felt tense, and the young women weren't good at explaining things. The slightly older male staff were the best.