Earlier this year I got to go to Japan. It was my first time visiting an Asian country and, fortunately for me, the tour was put together by someone else. I was excited to get to go, but I would have had no idea how to book a hotel in another country while also making sure that I got both a nice place and a good deal. Planning a trip? Allow me to share with you the hotels in Japan that I visited to hopefully provide you with some travel inspiration.
6 Cool Hotels In Japan [That I’ve Actually Stayed In]
1. Dogo Prince Hotel [Matsuyama, Ehime]
What sets the Dogo Prince Hotel apart is that they allow you to choose between an Eastern or Western style room. All of the other hotels in Japan that I stayed in were pretty Western with perhaps a few Eastern details thrown in. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to live like an authentic Japanese person for the evening, so I chose an Eastern style room. I loved the sweet girl who came to my room to show me where the bedding was and she also gave me something to wear to dinner. Because of the language barrier, I did not realize that this garment was something to wear for dinner, but it’s optional anyway. But definitely do it if you stay here. Everyone who wore theirs looked really nice. I also really enjoyed the authentic geisha girl who performed for us for dinner. This hotel also features baths [public baths are very popular in Japan] so you can really get an authentic Japanese experience if you stay at the Dogo Prince Hotel.
2. Daiwa Roynet Hotel [Takamatsu, Kagawa]
What I loved most about the Daiwa Roynet Hotel is it’s location. If you are looking to shop and pick up souvenirs for your family and friends, this is a great hotel to stay at as it’s located in a huge mall! There are also tons of great restaurants in the vicinity. I remember that the bed was also very comfortable, one of the best of the entire trip, and the water pressure and shower head were fabulous. I never experienced what I would consider poor water pressure anywhere in Japan [as one often does in other countries], but this hotel shower offered a super, relaxing experience.
3. Sakaide Grand Hotel [Sakaide, Kagawa]
The Sakaide Grand Hotel is more of an older style hotel than the others that I stayed in on the trip. It reminded me of the house that the Golden Girls lived in, think Miami in the 80s. So, if you are into vintage or want a historical type tour of hotels on your Japanese vacation, you should definitely try this hotel out for at least one night.
4. ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama [Toyama, Toyama]
I see commercials for a Crowne Plaza in a nearby city pretty often but I don’t think that I have ever stayed in one until I went to Japan. The ANA Crowne Plaza is a very pretty hotel and I absolutely loved the entryway. It was nice, open, and well lit. I especially enjoyed the 2 separate lounge areas that offered a combination of both Western and Eastern style seating.
5. Dormy Inn [Izumo, Shimane]
My favorite part of the Dormy Inn was the restaurant because of my experience. I had the best conversation with a local who complimented me on my ability to use chopsticks. And I taught him how to say Phoenix and Sedona properly. Then he told me that I should try Matcha Warabi Mochi [pictured above] which I did and it was great. It tastes like a dessert [and perhaps it is] for all of you Americans reading this. I left Japan a huge fan of matcha in general. The hotel restaurant also serves Buckwheat noodles, which are an Izumo specialty, and one of my favorite foods that I tried while in Japan.
The Dormy Inn was located next door to a shopping center that was somewhat equivalent to an American fleamarket, which I love. I had not yet met my translator, Suki [who would be with me for the majority of the rest of the trip], so, while waiting to check into my room, I ordered food at a restaurant located at the “fleamarket” by pointing at a picture on the menu. It turns out that what I ordered was Katsudon and it was really quite good. I highly recommend that you try it if you one day get to visit Japan.
6. Royal Park Hotel [Minato-ku, Tokyo]
I actually stayed at the Royal Park Hotel twice. I flew from Chicago to Tokyo and spent the first night there before flying to Izumo the next day. About a week later, on the way home, I flew from Matsuyama back to Tokyo, spent the night at the Royal Park Hotel again, and then flew back to Chicago and finally home. The Royal Park Hotel is conveniently located at the Tokyo Haneda Airport so it’s a great place to stay after a long flight. What I loved most about my rooms was the bathroom [pictured above], which is located where a balcony might be located in an American style hotel room. You open the door, there’s the bed, and then the bathroom is at the other end, with a huge view of Tokyo!
A Few Differences Between American And Japanese Hotels
There are definitely differences between Japanese and American hotels that you might want to be aware of before visiting Japan. All of the hotel rooms that I stayed in while visiting Japan were smaller than what we experience in most American hotels. I think Japanese people live smaller in general, with smaller houses, too. Also, all of the hotel rooms that I stayed in had brushes and razors and other toiletries already in the bathrooms, things that aren’t often readily available in the room in American hotels, though you can often go get them at the front desk if needed. I don’t recall conditioner being in all the rooms in the Japanese hotels, though. But one room even had a makeup table stocked with tons of beauty supplies.
Check out the rest of my pictures from Japan on Flickr.