Akaiwa Vacations from $2,155

The entire hotel feels worn and in need of an update. The area along the canal is nice enough and I felt safe at night, just wish I had chosen a better hotel.

Lovely room in a lovely boutique hotel. Clean, spacious, well appointed, and a great shower. 2-minute walk from the train station and a short walk to the historic quarter. Just be aware that they changed the checkout time to 10. (Some of their materials still say 11 and we had factored that into our plans.)

Outstanding. Likely the best feature of this property. It is highly convenient, especially if arriving from Okayama. For travelers with luggage, taking the Limited Express train is strongly recommended for ease of access. The room was spacious and very clean, making it ideal for families or those traveling with a lot of luggage. The only minor flaw was a slight layer of dust on the high ledge above the beds. Unmanned check-in was seamless, and the remote customer service team was quick and responsive. A washing machine and detergent are provided in the room, which is a fantastic bonus for longer stays. There is no dryer—plan to air-dry your clothes. The day before my check-in, I received an email allegedly from the hotel requesting my credit card details, threatening cancellation if I did not comply. I was exhausted angter 20-25 k steps from all say and, fearing cancellation at an unmanned hotel, I unfortunately provided the information. This turned out to be a sophisticated phishing scam. While thankfully nothing was charged to my card, I had to immediately cancel it, which caused a major inconvenience for the remaining three weeks of my month-long trip in Japan. While the hotel is not to be blamed the management should investigate how this leak occurred. Putting my experience here for causation for other travelers.

Big beds and enough space to get rest

The staff at the ryokan were excellent, super kind and helpful. However, also a bit disorganized. We were asked three times to fill out the registration card after we had already checked in. Most disturbingly, a staff member entered our room after 9 PM without knocking and, for some reason, demanded to see our key. When we then complained at the front desk, we got a very Japanese too-embarrassed answer rather than addressing our complaint. The dinners were superbly presented, but uneven in quality. The sashimi course on the first night was barely edible, and we love sashimi. But most of the rest of the meals were excellent. And a suggestion, take a room on the second floor. The walls are paper thin, of course, but so is the ceiling it seems, and we were kept awake by the movement of the guests above us. The ryokan is in a stellar location, and we enjoyed our stay, but there is room for improvement, for sure.