Hotel Plaza Annex Yokote

This was a great value stop on a road trip between Miyagi and Akita prefectures. The rooms are large, the hotel is new and clean, the service is friendly, and parking is free. The top-floor restaurant/cafe has a superb view of the city. Guests can get discounts at several restaurants and izakayas in the same building complex, as of Nov’19, so you don’t have to go out again if you’re tired. The restaurants are new, serve local ingredients, and have nice service. There are two big Onsens. The ground-floor one is larger but older; the top-floor one is tiny, though sufficient, and newer and cleaner. You can also book a hot bedrock bath with radium.

The onsen in the hotel was phenomenal, and the breakfast buffet was fantastic. The rest of the hotel was nice too, though the room itself was average for a moderate price. That filthy carpet in the room was the biggest turn-off.

Whenever I’m in Yokote, I check Annex Hotel’s availability first. It’s a good option for foreigners and business travelers, with a helpful front desk and spacious, quiet rooms less than a two-minute walk from the train station. There’s free WiFi, but it only works in the hotel lobby. Breakfast is served until 9am, which feels a little early. If you include it with your room, you’ll find traditional Japanese food as well as scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon if you want something more American, though the bacon is soggy rather than crispy. The onsens are nice and hot, with one on the first floor and another on the 7th floor. The dry sauna is kept at 88°C, so it’s properly hot.

A nice hotel with a good onsen and spa. It’s an easy three-minute walk from the train station.