Unizo Inn Express Utsunomiya

I booked the Standard Single Room, non-smoking. The room was clean and new, the air conditioning worked well, and the bed was comfortable. I stayed on a weekday when there weren't many guests, so the hallway noise warning sign didn't bother me, though hallway conversations might carry into rooms. It's around a seven-minute walk from the east exit of Utsunomiya Station. You pass a building with a nightclub on the way, but the hotel itself is in a quiet area. Breakfast is included, with three kinds of freshly baked bread, coffee, juice, and a few other things. The bread was crisp and tasty, and the male staff in the breakfast area were kind and polite, making for a nice morning. The amenities are basic. The official website says there's a multi-type phone charger in the room, but mine didn't have one, so I'd suggest asking the front desk for it at check-in. There are no mugs or glasses either, so borrow those from the desk if you need them. Given the location, price, and facilities, I thought it was a good deal.

There are several convenience stores within walking distance, and breakfast is free. It only offers three kinds of bread, which were tasty, along with a wide range of drinks. Laundry is popular, though, and the wait for a machine can be long. The hotel is new, very clean, and the staff were friendly. The rooms seemed larger than those in a certain hotel chain. You can choose amenities beside the front desk, though some cost extra. The beds feel a bit cheap, but that seems part of keeping room rates down. If you don't mind that, the rooms are clean and perfectly fine. I appreciate the straightforward approach to keeping prices low. If the shampoo and conditioner don't suit you, you can bring your own. They don't leave your hair too squeaky. It's a bit of a walk from the station through a busy area, and I understand why some women have felt uneasy there. I saw quite a few negative reviews, but I had no problems myself and think there should be more hotels like this. I have no complaints, it's a great hotel.

The building is new, and the rooms were clean, but the bathtub was the smallest I've come across in a hotel. I kept knocking my hands against the wall while trying to wash. They also didn't provide coffee cups, glass cups, or bath towels, things most hotels have. I didn't use the laundry area, but it had few machines and was always backed up. It felt like they had cut costs too far.

The room was quiet, with no sound from neighboring rooms or the hallway. I stayed in a single, and there was plenty of room between the bed and the desk. The desk was spacious and comfortable for using my laptop, but the outlet was tucked behind the TV, so I needed the extension cord provided. The bathroom was small, which is understandable at this price. I filled the tub with hot water, but it wasn't big enough to fit my shoulders. The hotel opened in September 2021, so the building is new and clean. Amenities are minimal, but the price is reasonable. There are lots of restaurants nearby, a convenience store two minutes away, and what appears to be affiliated parking. Breakfast was just a few kinds of bread and coffee. I don't like a heavy breakfast, so the free food suited me. On the first floor, the coin laundry area also has a microwave and ice maker. There are soft drink vending machines, but no alcohol.