Okayama Hotels

Good for a budget hotel (under $100/night) Fairly kid-proof Allowed bed-sharing with kids, so we had a twin room for a family of four (kids aged 1.5 and 4) Coin-operated laundry facilities available was a bonus Public bath on floor 10 was nice to have Breakfast buffet was good (cost extra) Great location less than 5 min from train station. Walk 5-10 min to get to loads of shopping, restaurants (giant Aeon mall opening next door in Dec 2014), 20 min stroll down busy/fun street to Okayama Castle and Gardens. We travelled in November and it was hot, (22 C, around 70 F) but the A/C didn't work. I think they turn it off at a certain point in the year, so setting it at a low temp only blows air around the room. We had to crack the window but it only opens about 3-4 inches for safety reasons. The staff brought us a fan but then housekeeping took it away the next morning and we had to ask for it again. Minor issue but our Japanese was terrible so communication was slightly difficult.

Staff were very cooperative but language was sometimes a barrier. Very close to castle and garden. Good value for the money WiFi/Internet required some fiddling and language difficulties with staff made that more awkward. Staff were not really focused on travelers needs.

Hotel staff was excellent. Gave us a ride to the train because all taxis were busy and it was raining.

The hotel was close to everything! The service was great! The owner of the hotel was super nice! She escorted us to a nearby drugstore and helped us find what we needed. This was helpful since we could not read the packaging. She also surprised us with a gift of a matcha tea set! We were so touched by her generosity. We would have liked coffee in our room. There was tea but we had to go downstairs for coffee.