ANA Crowne Plaza Yonago by IHG

The room was spacious, clean, and had all the amenities, but I honestly don’t think a single room without meals was worth 25,200 yen. That was as much as the fancy, stylish room I booked in naoshima, and double or more than all my other double-room stays on this trip. I’m staying at four hotels during my two-week trip to izumo, yonago, and tottori, and this one somehow cost the most, maybe because it was Saturday. It’s not near the JR station, so you need a taxi, and there was no standout service, chic interior, or techy facilities. I don’t think I’d come back if I had another option.

For the price, it’s not a bad hotel. It’s been partly renovated and was way better than ANA Matsuyama. The double room felt tight for two people, even the upgraded one, which was only 4 square metres bigger. But hey, this is Japan. The restaurant, cafe in the park, gave me the Diamond benefit I’d been promised and offered a free drink with dinner. The orange daifuku was amazing and under 300 yen, and breakfast had a decent range for a small hotel. The rib eye and grilled shrimp were tasty and on the cheaper side. The mala shrimp carpaccio, though, cost 1,800 yen for about three thin raw shrimp and wasn’t very good. I wouldn’t order it. There weren’t many English speakers, which was noticeable. Breakfast ends at 10 even on weekends, and dinner ends at 9. Both seemed too early.

From the street it looks new, but inside it feels quite old. I didn’t spot any vending machines or washing machines during my stay, unlike at most Japanese hotels. The room was nice, though very small, even by Japanese standards.

I used the hotel as a base to climb Mount Daisen, then drove to Izumo and Matsue the next day, stopping at places along the way. It’s well placed in the middle of the Shimane and Tottori coast, which made exploring convenient. The rooms were a good size for Japan and very clean. Great restaurants and service too. Awesome hotel.