Kobe, Japan Hotel Rooms at the Choice

This was a pleasant surprise- we were pleased with just about everything about the hotel. The rooms are bigger than the standard Japanese room; the price is extremely reasonable, it was clean and generally well maintained (only a very old fashioned alarm clock/radio thing in the nightstand looks old and out of place), and very quiet. There's coin laundry available and the usual vending machines with drinks. One thing some people won't like is that it isn't convenient if you have business in downtown Kobe- you have to ride the Portliner Monorail into town, and walk a block or so from Minatojima station to the hotel. Personally I didn't care, it was well worth it. Port Island is VERY quiet compared to downtown Kobe and I thought it was a great break from the crowds and congestion on the mainland. Note also that there aren't many places to eat near the hotel, we found a Big Boy restaurant (yes, like the American chain) in the "shopping center" on the next block- it had no English whatsoever on the menu but lots of pictures. There is a Family Mart right behind Minatojima station, and a Lawson just across the tracks from the hotel. The breakfast buffet wasn't that good, especially for 1000 yen, but it's better than nothing. Personally I would just wait and eat on the mainland.