Yo we've been home for a while now, but for posterity we're gonna let you know where we stayed and what we thought of each place.
Osaka
Location:
You can't get much better than this. It's basically on the river, and just across the road from the Ebisu-bashi bridge. A super short walk to areas like Amerika-mura, Shinsaibashi Etc. There's a Lawson across the raod which is perfect for you beer/snack/milk needs. The hotel is really close to Namba station - but be warned if you're coming off the airport transfer (Rapi:t maybe) you'll be walking through the station to get to the right bit for ages. It's a big station.
Room / service:
One of the smallest, but very clean. Staff were nice. They have aircon you can adjust and CNN for free. You won't be spending much time there anywhere considering how close you are to everywhere else. Breakfast was also pretty good - standard buffet with Japanese & western options.
Naoshima
Benesse House
Y30,000 / double in the 'Park' section of the building.
Location:
Being that hotel is one of the main attaractions, the location is kind of moot. There's a shuttle bus that you can use to get around the island that comes like every 20 minutes.
Room / service:
Beautiful, big rooms. But, you get what you pay for. Views to die for and amazingly designed. If you're coming here you pretty much know what you're getting. Dinner and breakfast options were kind expensive (like Y6000 + for dinner), so we did it cheap (ie food we bought at the Co-Op on the island in the hotel room).
Takamatsu
Y7,000 / night
Location:
It doesn't look like much, tucked away on a back street off the main areas, but that's a good thing - it's a quiet area. But, the area it's in is actually really cool - lots of cool little vintage shops, record stores, streetwear stores and bars. We could've spent a week roaming around trying to get to everything. The little restaurant next door is worth hitting for the bukkake udon for like Y580. From the station, it's 2 streetcar stops and a bit of a hike. But, on a bike it's like a 5-10 minute ride on the beautiful wide footpaths with the bike lanes. If you've got packs, maybe get a cab from the station/ferry port?
Room / service:
Funny that the city we loved the most had the worst hotel we stayed in. It's cheap and a little bit nasty but he staff (who didn't speak a lot of English) were really nice. They messed up our booking - a double, non-smoking was a twin smoking - but eh, it's in a quiet street. We had breakfast once whilst there - Y600 from memory. It was good. We were late but it was good, but maybe (comparatively) not worth the outlay. Standard Japanese-Western selection which keeps you full until lunch (at least).
Matsuyama
Y11,500
Location:
Seeing as though one of the main reasons you go to Matsuyama is for the Dogo Onsen, this place couldn't be better located. It's literally 20m from the door. Getting to Matsuyama city center is a quick tram ride - they come quite often from just across the road. From the station you get on tram no. 5!!
Room / Service:
The rooms were big and clean. they provide fancy yukata and jackets to wear to the onsen (don't stress everyone wears these around the place like it aint no thing). It was really nice (esp. after the Takamatsu joint). Bed was quite big from memory too. Breakfast (Y1050) was really good value - a bento (a nice change from the buffet for sure). Filling and they even prepared a special vegetarian one for Lu. The site has a discount coupon as well (which we forgot to use!)
Hiroshima
Y7,500
Location:
Off the main street and a 10 minute tram ride from hiroshima Station, it's walking distance (like 5 minutes) to the main shopping area, and about 10 minutes walk through the back streets to the castle.
Room / service:
This is one of the best value hotels we stayed in. It's been renovated very recently and the rooms are quite sylish. There's a free coffee machine on each floor which we hit quite a few times Breakfast was standard buffet but with a good selection of onigiri. Whilst not the tastiest item this is where the smart money is. Have one or two of these and you're full all day. It gets busy, but it's OK.
Kyoto
Location:
As you'd guess it's in Gion - the tourist heart of Kyoto. We're talking temples on the door step close. It's a 5 minute walk Shijo Station on the Keihan line (there's another Shijo station on the other subway line. IT'S NOT THAT ONE. PROMISE). The street it's on (Shijo Dori) is jam packed with touristy shops, and chances are you'll see actual Geisha tottering around doing their thing. It's a 10 minute walk to the city center - you can hop a bus, but save your money and hit the Ginza Sweets outlet on the way for a puffy ice cream filled pastry.
Room / Service:
First up, the rooms were nice. Quite big. But they messed up our booking - same deal - the non smoking souble we ordered turned out to be a smoky twin. They did change us to a non-smoking room but they were full up so there was no chance of a double. Also, we were in quite a bad mood cos we got lost on the way, but eh, all in all it was good. The air con is centrally controlled and the windows don't open very far, so be warned! Also, there's no coin laundrette, and not any close to it either (that we could find). Beakfast was an above average buffet - one of the better ones. If you never thought fried chicken was a viable breakfast option, this place will change your mind. Like just about every place in Kyoto, you gotta book early. Believe us.
Tokyo
Y11,500
Location:
Hotel Excellent is opposite Ebisu Station - it's on the Yamamote line so you can pretty much get anywhere from there. There's heaps of good little bars in Ebisu and it's actually only a 20-minute drunken stumble from Shibuya if you miss the train (which is one station away). There's a Wendy's next door which is both a blessing and a curse. That Y99 menu is hard to resist.
Room / Service:
You're not going to stay here for the ambience, that's for sure. The rooms are OK and for the price and location they're quite good. Be warned though they don't have laundry facilities and they have any irons to loan out from reception, either. But being that you're inTokyo, it's probably a safe bet that you won't be spending much time in there anyway.
