Melbourne time

Hello, こんにちは Kon'nichiwa

Well hello, Kon'nichiwa, or should I say こんにちは.....

This blog is about my trip to Japan later on this year. The countdown has begun, today is Easter Sunday, 27 March, I fly to Japan in 70 days, 5 hours and 10 minutes! I know three words in Japanese - hello, thank you and goodbye. I don't drink beer and I don't like raw fish. But I love meeting people, seeing new places, culture and history. I will only pass this way but once and I feel the need to try and see as much as I can in as little time as I have. .
Cheers. 乾杯

Click on Flag or Select Your Language to Translate

ArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchEnglishFrenchGermanHindiIndonesianItalianJapanesePortugueseRussianSpanishTurkishUrduBengaliNepali

Saturday 28 May 2016

18. Takayama Accommodation

Great Western Hotel

I had actually booked a double room here ages ago, and when I stopped smoking back in February, I had to contact the places I'd booked and ask to change my booking to a non-smoking room. Unfortunately all the non-smoking double rooms were booked, so I ended up cancelling. After having seen the cost of the double room at K's House hostel, I noticed this hotel had rooms for a similar price but much bigger of course and better appointed.



Above: Spa and wellness centre


Above: Twin room

Twin Room - Non-Smoking

Room size: 23 m²
Beds: 2 single beds

Soundproofed, air-conditioned room with a smoothly sophisticated decor. Each room includes a refrigerator, an en suite bathroom and flat-screen TV with video-on-demand movies available for purchase.

An extra bed can be accommodated at extra charge.

Room facilities: Air Conditioning, Desk, Heating, Interconnected room(s) available, Soundproofing, Shower, Bath, Hairdryer, Free toiletries, Toilet, Bathroom, Slippers, Pay-per-view Channels, Telephone, Radio, Flat-screen TV, Refrigerator, Electric kettle, Wake-up service, Alarm clock.

The hotel also has a Spa and wellness centre, including sauna, hot tub and massage.





K's House Takayama

This is a hostel on one of the main roads a few streets down from the railway station, and a three minute walk away.





Double Room
Room size: 6 m²

Simple room with a double bed, air conditioning, a flat-screen TV and an en suite bathroom.

Amenities like toothbrushes, yukata robes and shaving kits are not provided. They can be rented between 08:00 and 21:00.

Room facilities: Air Conditioning, Heating, Shower, Bath, Toilet, Satellite Channels, Flat-screen TV

Free WiFi is available in all rooms.


Hotel or Hostel?

I know I save $18 of I stay at the hostel, but $207 for a room that's 6 m² is over priced. The hotel room at $225 is 23 m². Do I save $18 ot "treat" myself to the larger room in a hotel? I like the idea of their wellness centre and I wouldn't mind having a massage. From what I've been reading, everything closes early in Takayama and by 8 o'clock, the streets are dark and empty. How boring, especially as it'll be summer when I'm there, it would be lovely strolling around in the evening. With this in mind, if I was staying in the hostel, I'd have company, meet other people in the common areas (lounge etc), listen to people's stories of their travels, perhaps get some advice etc.

I will have been staying in a 6 m² for my week in Kyoto, although that room has a single bed so it won't be as cramped, and in a four bed dorm for my night in Kanazawa, perhaps I might really look forward the the larger room. The hotel room in Tokyo where I spend my last four nights, is 14 m² - a single room. Hmm.... perhaps I will go for the hotel after all. I have to make a decision in the next few days - by next Saturday at the latest. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

No comments: