Toyoko Inn Higashi-Hiroshima Ekimae — Hotel in Higashi Hiroshima

As other posters have noted, this place is very convenient if you have a suitable JR rail pass and want a more reasonably priced place for exploring Hiroshima.||||It takes 10 minutes each way on the shinkansen, but be aware that (a) commuting can get expensive if you don’t have a rail pass, (b) the service isn’t that frequent so check the times at hyperdia.com, and (c) as other posters have also noticed, you can’t come back late at night - you really need to watch the schedule for the last train.||||In Japan many, many hotels have “ekemae” as part of their names (“ekemae” means “in front of the railway station”), but in my more cynical moments I think “ekemae” is a vastly over-used word. Too many “ekemae” hotels are a long walk from the station. ||||This place is the real deal, though, it truly is "ekamae." When I came out of the railway station, I looked around and saw “Toyoko Inn” in large letters on top of the building. It was a short walk to reception. ||||I arrived at 3.20 pm but was told that check-in was only available at 4 - check in in most places in Japan are 3 pm. In fairness, I was given my room key at 3.40, so it wasn’t all that big a hardship.||||There’s a coin laundry on the ground floor - Y300 for the smallish washing machine, and Y100 for drying, from memory. There are reasonable costs, especially when compared to commercial coin laundries. ||||The room was typical of a Japanese business hotel, maybe a bit bigger than average for this type of place. I made a point of requesting a non-smoking room, and that wish was granted. ||||I couldn’t find anything on the TV besides hotel promotions, and video on demand (an extra Y500). That may be because I didn’t try figuring out the remote for long enough. As this place is a business hotel with a predominantly male clientele, I’m guessing video on demand is likely to be of the adult variety.||||If I had watched it, Toyoko Inns would have wanted me to feel virtuous - their advertising for video on demand states that a proportion of the proceeds goes to charitable work … ||||I went down for breakfast when it started at 630 - it’s a serve yourself buffet where your plate doubles as your tray, and the fare is OK basic - some salad, a kind of bread, sausages, and scrambled eggs, as well as miso soup. If you can’t master scrambled egg with chop sticks, bring your own fork. I wouldn’t say that the breakfast room’s ambience at 630 am matched the meal, but it probably ran close. Don’t expect too much and you won’t be disappointed, is what I’m trying to say. ||||Wifi worked fine in my room, not so well downstairs in reception, but amazingly was still working for me on the station platform the next morning. In fact, I later noticed that it was working at railway stations near other Toyoko Inns and I’m guessing that the one password works for every Toyoko inn.||||As other posters have noted, there’s not a lot going on in the neighbourhood - a handy 7/11, the railway station and not much else. I bought the makings of dinner in 7/11 and ate it in my room in the hotel. ||||I stayed only one night - next morning I checked out and took the shinkansen into Hiroshima. Finding a coin locker for bags in big stations such as Hiroshima can be a problem, so I went in early (arriving around 740 am) and had no problem.||||Staying in Higashi-Hiroshima gave me a flying start - far better than travelling from Kyoto or Osaka, in my opinion.||||Great price, great location if you have a rail pass, and comfortable enough. I would...

As other posters have noted, this place is very convenient if you have a suitable JR rail pass and want a more reasonably priced place for exploring Hiroshima.||||It takes 10 minutes each way on the shinkansen, but be aware that (a) commuting can get expensive if you don’t have a rail pass, (b) the service isn’t that frequent so check the times at hyperdia.com, and (c) as other posters have also noticed, you can’t come back late at night - you really need to watch the schedule for the last train.||||In Japan many, many hotels have “ekemae” as part of their names (“ekemae” means “in front of the railway station”), but in my more cynical moments I think “ekemae” is a vastly over-used word. Too many “ekemae” hotels are a long walk from the station. ||||This place is the real deal, though, it truly is "ekamae." When I came out of the railway station, I looked around and saw “Toyoko Inn” in large letters on top of the building. It was a short walk to reception. ||||I arrived at 3.20 pm but was told that check-in was only available at 4 - check in in most places in Japan are 3 pm. In fairness, I was given my room key at 3.40, so it wasn’t all that big a hardship.||||There’s a coin laundry on the ground floor - Y300 for the smallish washing machine, and Y100 for drying, from memory. There are reasonable costs, especially when compared to commercial coin laundries. ||||The room was typical of a Japanese business hotel, maybe a bit bigger than average for this type of place. I made a point of requesting a non-smoking room, and that wish was granted. ||||I couldn’t find anything on the TV besides hotel promotions, and video on demand (an extra Y500). That may be because I didn’t try figuring out the remote for long enough. As this place is a business hotel with a predominantly male clientele, I’m guessing video on demand is likely to be of the adult variety.||||If I had watched it, Toyoko Inns would have wanted me to feel virtuous - their advertising for video on demand states that a proportion of the proceeds goes to charitable work … ||||I went down for breakfast when it started at 630 - it’s a serve yourself buffet where your plate doubles as your tray, and the fare is OK basic - some salad, a kind of bread, sausages, and scrambled eggs, as well as miso soup. If you can’t master scrambled egg with chop sticks, bring your own fork. I wouldn’t say that the breakfast room’s ambience at 630 am matched the meal, but it probably ran close. Don’t expect too much and you won’t be disappointed, is what I’m trying to say. ||||Wifi worked fine in my room, not so well downstairs in reception, but amazingly was still working for me on the station platform the next morning. In fact, I later noticed that it was working at railway stations near other Toyoko Inns and I’m guessing that the one password works for every Toyoko inn.||||As other posters have noted, there’s not a lot going on in the neighbourhood - a handy 7/11, the railway station and not much else. I bought the makings of dinner in 7/11 and ate it in my room in the hotel. ||||I stayed only one night - next morning I checked out and took the shinkansen into Hiroshima. Finding a coin locker for bags in big stations such as Hiroshima can be a problem, so I went in early (arriving around 740 am) and had no problem.||||Staying in Higashi-Hiroshima gave me a flying start - far better than travelling from Kyoto or Osaka, in my opinion.||||Great price, great location if you have a rail pass, and comfortable enough. I would...

If you’re stuck for a hotel in Hiroshima this could be an alternative as it is an 11 minute Shinkansen ride away and a 3 minute walk once you get to Higashi station. (Note: the Shinkansen really is the only option unless you want to get a bus into town to connect with the local train) The staff were hopeless in any language … in English they were bordering on rude. The rooms were OK – bed pushed up under the window - with safe, fridge, kettle and complimentary toiletries but a little tired and our chair was stained … as was the toilet bowl. The breakfast was geared for the Japanese so for us Westerners we ended having toast with a squirty margarine/butter (this to get around having to give you a knife) and a trip to the nearby 7-11 to find something we could eat. Internet was free and excellent. Ice machine, microwave and washer/dryers in the lobby. Cute tip: They’ve chosen a design of bed that stands higher off the ground so that you can put your suitcase under it. Brilliant idea given the “wardrobe” is 3 coat hangers and as per most Japanese hotels rooms there was very little space. Check in is at 4pm. We arrived at 3.37pm but were made to sit and wait for the outstanding 23 minutes to tick past before we were given our room key. Go to the station ticket office to get their little card that gives you the Shinkansen times.... no idea what the hotel print out meant. Good luck with trying to understand their shuttle bus service …. Finally got told that it was week days only so all our efforts to get on it were...