Via Inn Kanazawa — Hotel in Kanazawa

Stayed 4 nights in a semi-double room. Large hotel right inside train station so convenient for day trips. Lots of food options in the area, we particularly liked the restaurants in the FORUS shopping centre at the station. Most of the main sights can be reached by bus (bus station is at the train station) or on foot (around 20 minutes).||Front desk was fine but very little English spoken. Wifi and wired internet worked well.||There was an extra 200 yen/person tax which had to paid upon check-in. Room was very small, which is not unusual but when rooms are that small, it's important that they be as functional as possible (i.e. a small glass shelf in the bathroom or an extra hook to hang things would have helped maximize the small space). Towels were a bit on the threadbare side. ||We had this room at a good price but if I return to Kanazawa, I would not stay at this...

Best location in Kanazawa! Located right at the station, you have a supermarket right downstairs, as well as plenty of eateries and a 7-11. Best part is, you don't need to worry about the weather if you need to catch the shinkansen on the day you check out. I stayed during Feb-23 and on the day of checking out, it was sleeting outside and I was so glad I don't have to deal with the weather in order to catch the shinkansen to Tokyo.

Rooms are small but that's expected. I stayed in a single room and I only had a backpack with me - the space was just perfect. Room was very quiet too, with just some occasional slamming of hotel doors. I didn't hear much sound otherwise. I love the toothbrush that they provided at the amenity bar too - their bristles are soft! They also provide drip coffee at their amenity bar - and they are...

Staff were polite but their sense of customer service is deplorable. I mistakingly booked a smoking room and the smell of it and the linens were unbearable, unsuitable for someone who doesn't smoke. Subsequently, I went to kindly ask if they had a non-smoking room available for the night. They made no effort to try to switch rooms, offer a refund or anything remotely helpful, just repeating "no, sorry". I had then contacted Expedia and they were unable to get ahold of them to request a refund on my behalf after multiple attempts. This is completely inexcusable for a company operating in the "hospitality" industry. The money isn't the issue, it's the principle of the situation.

Will never book there again or any hotel operating with the Via Inn...