Accommodations in Japan

Ryokan Ichinoyu Honkan

Situated on the banks of the Hayakawa River in Hakone is this old ryokan from 1630, Ichinoyu Honkan.

Ichinoyu Honkan has a total of 22 traditionally appointed rooms with tatami mats, which are classic Japanese mats made of rice straw. Tatami mats have a temperature element that makes them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The rooms also have traditional “shoji”, Japanese sliding doors made of rice paper on a wooden frame. The thinness of the rice paper allows light to flood into the room, but without you being able to see through it, preserving privacy.

When it’s time for bed, you will snuggle down on a traditional futon. The rooms are also equipped with Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a fridge, TV, an en suite bathroom and an electric kettle, so you can enjoy a cup of green matcha tea at the short-legged table.

This ryokan has gender-separated onset baths, a dining room as well as a souvenir shop selling local products. The breakfast and dinner, both of which are included in your stay, are served in the dining room.

In the morning or evening, you can slip into a traditional yukata kimono and visit the day spa, where you can enjoy a range of massages and facial treatments.

Read more about staying at ryokan here.

Hotel Vista Hiroshima

Hotel Vista Hiroshima sits at the heart of Hiroshima and is a good base for experiencing the city and its sights.

You can walk between the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and wartime memorials like the Genbaku Dome and the Children’s Peace Monument. You also have easy access to the rest of the city, as the tram stops 2 minutes away from the hotel.

The rooms are 18 m², with nice and simple interiors. All rooms feature Wi-Fi, air conditioning, TV, telephones, coffee machines, and even nightwear. The bathroom has a bathtub, complimentary toiletries, and a hair dryer.

A breakfast buffet is served in the hotel restaurant with both Japanese and western dishes.

Dormy Inn Hiroshima Annex

Dormy Inn Hiroshima Annex is attractively situated in the heart of Hiroshima. It is walking distance from the temples Myoei-ji and Choshoin on the other side of the Kyobashi River, where you can go for stroll in the shade of the loveliest of cherry trees. Shopping is also a possibility as 7-eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson are nearby.

The hotel’s 165 rooms are simply appointed with all mod cons, including air conditioning, a TV, telephone, an electric kettle for tea and coffee, a desk and a small seating area.

Dormy Inn Hiroshima Annex also has a restaurant and day spa offering both sauna and onsen baths.

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kanazawa

Mistui Garden Hotel sits at a fantastic location in Kanazawa with a walking distance to the city’s major attractions, such as Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en Garden, the Nagamachi samurai district, and the geisha quarters of Nishi Chaya and Higashi Chaya, where you can buy things like their renowned gold leaf ice cream.

The hotel is furnished in a modern Japanese style and features art made by local artists from Kanazawa. This style can be found throughout the hotel’s rooms, each of which features Wi-Fi, mini-fridges, air conditioning, a safe, an iron and ironing board, TV, bottled mineral water, coffee and tea facilities, nightwear, a bath robe, and slippers. The bathroom features a bathtub, complimentary toiletries, and a hair dryer.

The hotel restaurant, Noukabanzai Mantei, is open in the morning and evening. Food is prepared here following the traditional methods of the nearby regions of Kaga and Noto, which is also the source of the vegetables, meat, and spices they use. From the restaurant, you have a view of the lovely zen garden with its rocks, gravel, shrubs and trees.

After a day of adventures, you can use the public bath on the top floor, which offers a gorgeous view of the city.

Hotel Vista Kanazawa

Hotel Vista Kanazawa is located just 5 minutes from Kanazawa Station, which is really nice when you’re arriving and departing by train.

The city’s famous Omicho market is located around a 20-minute walk from the hotel, and it’s easy to take a short-cut through the station.

The hotel is modern and attractive with 213 rooms, all of which are well appointed and have all the amenities you need: a mini fridge, air conditioning, a safe, Wi-Fi and coffee and tea making facilities. The bathroom has a bathtub and shower as well as complimentary toiletries.

Hotel Vista also has an onsen bath, where it’s really nice to slip down into the warm water after walking around the city.

Japanese and western-style breakfast are served every day at the hotel’s restaurant, Vista Café, where you can sit and look out of the large windows and enjoy the beautiful colours of the trees depending on the season.

Oakwood Oike Kyoto

Hotel Oakwod Oike is situated at the heart of Kyoto and in walking distance from sights such as the Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle, and the Heian Jingu Shrine. Outside the hotel, you can find Family Mart, Lawson, and 7-Eleven, as well as small, cosy cafés.

Oakwood is built with a rustic and modern style. They have a total of 104 bright, well-decorated 18 m²-rooms, each of which comes with Wi-Fi, a safe, air conditioning, TV, mini-fridge, Nespresso coffee machine, and a bathroom with shower.

The hotel also has a cosy breakfast restaurant where you can enjoy traditional obanzai cuisine, a Kyoto speciality.

As a guest at Oakwood, you have the option to rent a bicycle, letting you explore Kyoto and its beautiful streets.

Mitsui Garden Hotel Okayama

Mitsui Garden Hotel Okayama enjoys a convenient location in Okayama, just a 2-minute walk from Okayama Station, with kiosks, eateries and shopping centres within walking distance. Sights such as Okayama Castle and Koraku-en Garden are 30 minutes away on foot.

The rooms are pleasant and simply appointed, all with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a mini fridge, a safe, a TV and a kettle so you can make yourself a cup of tea or coffee when you wake up. The bathroom offers a hair dryer, toiletries and a bathtub with shower.

The hotel has a nice breakfast restaurant, where the focus is on fresh, local produce, and both Japanese and Western dishes are served.

After a long day of walking, the hotel’s Onsen bath is the perfect place to relax, where you can look out into the beautiful garden, which changes with the seasons.

Shin-Osaka Esaka Tokyu REI

Shin-Osaka Esaka Tokyu Hotel is within relatively easy reach of metro and bus stations, making it easy to get around the city.

Restaurants and kiosks such as Lawson and 7-Eleven are also within walking distance of the hotel. The hotel is also located in the same building as the Tokyu Hands shopping centre, where you can buy everything plus the kitchen sink.

It is pleasantly appointed in a modern, rustic style. The rooms are bright and welcoming. They are simple but have everything you need: a mini fridge, a safe, air conditioning, tea and coffee making facilities and a bathroom with a bathtub, shower and toiletries.

Breakfast, consisting of both Japanese and western dishes, is served in the restaurant.

Shiba Park Hotel

Shiba Park Hotel is walking distance from Tokyo Tower, Zojoji temple and metro and train stations. You will also find 7-Eleven and FamilyMart just a few metres away.

There is a lot of focus on the local history and culture at this “library hotel”, where well-stocked bookshelves adorn the walls. The book collection is mainly about the city’s climate, people and history.

The hotel is decorated throughout in warm colours, which help to create a cosy atmosphere. The style is carried through into the hotel’s 199 rooms, which offer air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a TV, a mini fridge, a safe and kettle so you can start the day with a cup of tea or coffee. The bathroom has a bathtub with a shower, and you’ll also find a hair dryer as well as sustainable, organic toiletries.

The restaurant, The Dining, is open morning, noon and evening, and offers a choice of delicious Japanese, Chinese or Western dishes.

Shinjuku Washington Hotel

Shinjuku Washington Hotel sits at the heart of the Shinjuku district of Tokyo. The hotel sits at an ideal location with easy access to public transport, shops, restaurants, and tourist attractions like the Metropolitan Government Building, the Kabukicho entertainment district, and the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

The hotel is modern and beautiful, and offers a beautiful view of the vibrant city life of Shinjuku. With more than 1000 rooms across 25 floors, this is a large hotel. The rooms have simple interiors and are equipped with Wi-Fi, air conditioning, mini-fridges, TV, and telephones. You’ll find free toiletries and a hair dryer in the bathroom.

As a guest at the hotel, you have access to two dining venues. Café & Bar “Baron” serves breakfast consisting of Japanese and Western cuisine, while the pleasant restaurant Manhattan Table Grill & Dining serves a wide range of American barbecue dishes with a Japanese flair to enjoy to the view of the Tokyo skyline.