Central Hotel Kamojima

I was grateful the hotel restaurant was open, since I was worn out from the simple meals on the ferry. I tried the local Awao chicken poêlé, and the seasoning was so good it perked me right up. There seemed to be several other restaurants nearby too. I chose this place because I needed an affordable business hotel near a Tokushima Line station before taking a bus tour to Iya Valley from Awa-Ikeda Station the day after arriving by ferry at Tokushima Station. It’s conveniently tucked behind Kamojima Station. Snacks are self-serve from check-in through the following morning, so it feels almost like breakfast is included with a room-only stay, and it’s great value. The room is definitely old, but clean, comfortable, and perfectly fine. The coin laundry was a big help. It’s a calm, pleasant place, with little impact from inbound tourism. I also found the relaxed Tokushima dialect soothing.

I really appreciated the free snacks. The room was clean and roomy, probably thanks to the renovation.

For the price, the location is good, and the lobby is nicely decorated. The free drinks and food were another plus. But the rooms felt very worn, with a strong 90s look, and the windows didn’t seal properly, so there was a creepy wheezing noise all night. The front desk service was just okay, and they forgot to give us the Wi-Fi password. On Sunday evening, nearby eateries were closed, so we ended up at 7-11, where there was barely anything left. The lift also had a strange smell every time we rode it. The area feels underdeveloped, and it seems hard for a hotel to operate properly here with so little business. The upkeep showed it. Decent for the price, but the rooms need a refresh and the service could be more attentive.

There are lots of tempting izakayas nearby, so dinner’s easy to find. I walked about five minutes to a yakitori place. The self-serve light breakfast with bread, juice, and yogurt was pretty good too.