It’s a question I often ask myself: how crucial is my choice of hotel and how much do I need to spend on accommodation when I don’t envisage fully utilising it? I’ve always believed that if I’m in a new destination and plan to really explore the answer would be ‘not very’ and ‘not very much’. With this in mind, MARK HARADA checks into the Nikko Kanazawa.
I’ve heard the same thing from cruise travellers. Yes, a balcony suite would be lovely but a painted-on porthole in a shoebox-size cabin might suffice if I mostly intend to use it to sleep.
It’s especially the case when I’m somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit. So when it came to accommodation for my first trip to Kanazawa in Japan – a city I’d longed to see – my priorities were more or less: location, cost, cleanliness, comfort (standard and size), sustainability, service and amenities.
As it turns out, the Nikko Hotel Kanazawa pretty much fits the bill (and the bill).
Finding the hotel is a cinch. Exiting Kanazawa’s main train station, you walk under the famous station torii (traditional Japanese gate), cross the road, turn right, walk about 100 metres and your hotel is on the left. Its proximity to the main gateway into the city is especially convenient when it’s bucketing down like it is when I arrive.
Yes, the hotel could be a little closer to the city’s wonderful attractions – Iike the famed geisha and samurai districts – but the trade-off is having a swag of choices for dining and shopping thanks to the large mall area adjacent to the station.
It’s also super handy to have quick access to the city’s tourist bus service that transports anyone with a JR Pass, one of Japan’s popular rail passes, to most of Kanazawa’s major attractions which lie 3-4 kilometres away.
Tiny but tidy
When it comes to cleanliness, you usually can’t go wrong anywhere in Japan. And my “Double-bed room” (the lead-in category) at the Nikko Kanazawa is no different. While the abode for my two-night stay is a little aged and not super stylish – the room could probably do with a bit of a refurb or upgrade – it’s predictably clean and therefore pleasant enough. A perch on a high floor also means we’re afforded some lovely city views too.
Size-wise, the hotel room is not atypical of what you would expect of a mid-range property in Japan – ie, it’s small (approximately 20㎡ including the ensuite), with little room beyond the bed, an armchair in one corner and a small workspace in the other. But it still makes efficient use of the available space – like most things in Japan.
The room also features a humidifier, large TV, free and fast wi-fi, and your usual amenities like slippers, robes, bottled water and tea/coffee. Like in most Japanese hotels, the green tea (sencha) is very good too. And even though there’s a mini-fridge, there’s also an ice machine on my level (and presumably all levels) to chill drinks even more.
The bathroom makes good use of its small space, with a combined bath/shower, the usual hygiene and grooming amenities, and of course, a Japanese toilet (a highlight of any trip to Japan for this half-Japanese writer). It’s a little dated, but again, and most importantly, it’s clean.
Elsewhere, the hotel offers more modern “Stylish rooms”, “Deluxe rooms” and “Executive floor rooms”, which all offer more comfort for a higher budget.
On a green level, the hotel has several initiatives in place, including in-room checklists to encourage guests to reconsider daily changes of linen and towels, refillable soap and shampoo bottles and recycled plastic amenities. The hotel also boasts food waste reduction initiatives.
Solid service
The service at the Nikko, the few times I call upon it – at check-in, check-out, for a top-up of tea and a few times in between – is polite and professional. However, one incident makes a lasting impression. When I enquire about dining options with the concierge, I’m given detailed choices by a staff member who seems to genuinely care – and who takes pleasure in practising his English to help. As far as interactions go, this is an entirely pleasant one.
At another point, in search of an onsen (Japanese hot spring), I’m pointed to the nearest public baths (5 minutes’ walk in another hotel) and even given a voucher for a discount to the onsen.
While I don’t get to sample all of the hotel’s dining facilities, guests have no less than eight restaurants and bars from which to choose, from haute cuisine at the La Plage restaurant to Chinese fare at Toh Lee to multiple Japanese dining choices including teppanyaki at Icho and sushi at Benkay.
Breakfast is served at the all-day Garden House. And if that’s not enough, the hotel’s central location gives guests ample nearby choices, especially at the Kanazawa Forus Shopping Mall.
In terms of price, the Nikko Kanazawa would be hard to beat. I pay just $148 (AUD) per night, which I think is exceptional value. Even if you don’t use it a lot.
The writer was not sponsored and paid for his entire stay at the hotel.
(All images Mark Harada)
