Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori — Hotel in Aomori

We had a very pleasant 3-night stay at the Daiwa Roynet in Aomori. It’s an easy walk from the train station, less than 10 min with luggage, mostly under cover. The triple room housed us quite comfortably, and the presence of a closet was a nice addition that allowed us to have some bags open at the bottom while also being able to hang clothes and towels above. The bathroom was clean and spacious, with the water running nice and hot, with good pressure. There are sachets of scented (and coloured) bath salts available in the lobby, which was a nice touch. I would have liked some hooks and towel rails in the bathroom, but these seem to be in short supply in all the hotels we’ve stayed at so far in Japan. ||The beds were comfortable and quite firm, which suited me. The pillow did not offer much support, though, so I woke with a sore neck each day. It seems it’s possible to request another/a different pillow, but these seem to go quickly too. The nightshirt provided offered a welcome layer over my pyjamas when the air conditioner was on (I feel the cold easily), but the white fabric and button-down style made me feel as though I was wearing a lab coat, which did not set a very relaxing tone!||There are many restaurants nearby - check the side and back streets also. The hotel offers breakfast at the restaurant on the ground floor, but we were happy to grab some items from the Lawson next door, which also has an entrance connecting it to the hotel - make sure you have your room swipe card to exit Lawson that way. ||Our room was on the 9th floor, which was the same floor as the laundry, which worked out very well for us. A full wash and dry cycle lasts 2 hours, so we put a load on (max. 3kg for 600 yen) after we checked in and retrieved it after a little sightseeing in the area and before heading out for dinner. It turned out to be a wise move, as the 3 machines seemed to be in constant use after dinner and well into the night. A wash-only cycle (max. 6kg for 400 yen) lasts 35 min and spin dries your laundry, but the lack of a clothes line/rack rather limits the amount of clothes you can wash on this cycle. Careful placement of damp clothes on hangers around the room and bathroom ensured everything was dry by the next day. ||There is a channel on the tv in your room that is possibly the most avidly watched in the whole hotel, as it shows the time remaining on each washing machine. If wanting to use a machine during peak times, it’s best to go down a few minutes early to make sure you can grab one when it’s emptied by the previous user. The machines were typically not much used in the mornings and afternoons during our stay.||The hotel has a garage with 40 unreserved parking spots for 1000 yen per night - first come, first served. We made use of it on our last night there. Entrance is from the back street only. There are also numerous parking lots nearby if you’re unable to nab a spot at the hotel, and reception can provide a map detailing their...

I'm only reviewing on my experience of expectation vs reality.

There are always two sides to every story, but unfortunately, my experience at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori did not meet the expectations I had when booking. I chose to visit Aomori for the Nebuta Festival and, after reviewing several options, decided to treat myself by spending a bit more for a room with a city view at this hotel. The booking site showed nice images and reviews that led me to believe I’d be enjoying a nice cityview from my room.

However, upon check-in, my view was nothing much but a rooftop and concrete walls. It was unfortunate. I wouldn’t usually be one to care much about these things, but in this case, I genuinely felt that I paid extra for something that was misrepresented. Had I known, I would have stuck with my original, more affordable option, since the view would nothing, regardless.

In addition, when I inquired about the issue, I was told that a room with the view would cost even more and would also be a smoking room — something that doesn’t work for me. It felt frustrating to have already paid more and still be told that the room I expected was only available at a further cost, with a compromise I couldn’t accept.

I had higher expectations of this hotel, believing it to be among the better-rated options in Aomori. Sadly, my experience this time was disappointing. I sincerely hope the hotel revises its room descriptions and marketing to better reflect what guests will actually receive.

As for service, I’ve rated it as neutral. The staff were polite, but the language barrier made it difficult to communicate the details of my concern, which added to my...

My wife and I had a very comfortable stay here. We arrived a bit earlier than the check-in time and (without us asking) the very helpful desk staff were somehow able to arrange for us to have access to our room almost an hour ahead of check-in time! We stayed in one of the upper floor corner rooms with great views to the north and to the east. ||Our room was well equipped with lots of USB and regular two prong plug outlets. The large TV was available only in Japanese for regular programming and there is pay-per-view also available for movies. The hotel has laundry facilities and the TV allows you to monitor when machines are available, time remaining etc., so you don't have to keep leaving your room to check on machine availability. We asked for and received extra pillows within 10 minutes. ||The bathroom had the ever-present smart toilet and a very nice rain shower and soaking tub setup. The room heat was easy to adjust with the wall control. The bed was quite firm, which we prefer, however some might find it a bit too firm. Our room was incredibly quiet and the light blocking curtains and shades made it ideal for sleeping. ||The breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant is very good value and has a wide range of Japanese and western options. We also ended up having dinner at the restaurant the two nights that we were there and also found the food to be very well prepared, very good quality and the staff to be very helpful in sorting through the menu. Best side benefit is that it is spacious enough that you're not sitting shoulder to shoulder with...