Toyoko Inn Kobe Sannomiya 1 — Hotel in Kobe

we are 3 Canadians in our late fifties (2 men, one lady) who travel several times a year for pleasure (either solo or with one of the other 2 friends). Toyokko inn is a budget price chain for business men and travellers who, like us, want a moderateley priced, clean, quiet room close to a railway station (in Europe and Japan trains are the easiest way to go around) |Toyoko-inn Sannomiya 2 meet all our requirements and more. The rooms are on the small side (which is ok as we never spend much time in our rooms) but the beds are comfortable (the single beds and the twins are only slightly narrower than a double). the rooms have true air conditionning (cools or heat) and its remote is easy to operate even for one who doesn't read Japanese. there is a small empty fridge (there is a grocery store and several food stores around the corner.) a kettle etc. the bathrom is small but it has a toilet-bidet , a great feature. The hotel has free internet in the lobby (crowded at times) and the staff will set up the computer to the English language. there is also a washer /dryer off the lobby. The Japanese breakfast is free (we noticed that all the western tourists in the hotel were having that breakfast). Besides the very friendly staff (all women ) that hotel has the best location in Downtown Kobe. Within 5 minutes of the hotel one can find: Kobe Main station (JR rail), a subway station, 2 other railway stations (private railways), 2 department stores, a roofed-over pedestrian shopping street and an underground shopping mall. The area on the other side of the main station from the hotel has at least a hundred restaurants and bars. Besides Japanese cuisine one can find Italian, French, East Indian etc. |We didn't book that hotel in advance. We seldom do, unless we already know a hotel very well and they have a special deal. Usually when we plan a trip we check several hotels on the internet, favoring hotels that have photos of their rooms and maps of the neighbourhood. we take that documentation |with us and call from the airport. the 3 of us have quite a history of travelling on our own, or with friends or relatives, and we never had a problem finding hotels without prior reservation. |This a hotel for people who want to experience how local peope llive, who enjoy the opportunity to talk to guests from various other countries, and who want a change from their life back home ,which is the whole point of travelling abroad. |We hope that you will give Toyoko Inn Sannomiya 2 a chance!. | 3...

We were very lucky to have assistance from some Hospitality Trainee whom approached us at the JR station (obvious visitors with luggage looking at map) and lead us all the way to the hotel. No far but definitely not a direct route, with some twist and turns of corners and just more than 5 mins we reached. ||Excellent location with restaurants, coffee cafes, convenience stores & supermarket nearby. We have not stayed with the chain of Toyoko-Inn hotels before so no expectation. Only lament it has the latest check-in time of 3pm amongst our stays.||The room is smaller than we hope for, yet they are clean and well thought out use of space – high beds so that luggage can be placed underneath. Basic amenities of small fridge, chairs, hair dryer, free wifi etc. Toiletries are available at lobby side.||The stay comes with free breakfast but is not as good as we expected, one has to queue a single-line for servers cafeteria style and there is lesser variety in comparison. Only love the hot miso soup and self-toasting of bread. Return tray, including clearing of the food waste but it is okay. Good to be early as the tables/seats are not a lot.||Sannomiya is really a good base to other touristy locations at Kobe. We spent a night here and noted that there is definitely lots of Night Life, but no serious shopping. Still with Sannomiya Center Gai Shopping Street just nearby one can spend hours just moving around. ||Overall, good service...

The hotel is actually in a suburb so you have to get off the stop before in Sannomiya. If you make the mistake then it's a very expensive cab right to the hotel. The hotel is located 5 long blocks from the Sannomiya station approximately a 20 min walk. ||Twin room was clean but compact. No luggage rack or space so you have to stow it under the bed like all their hotels in this chain. Bathroom was compact and the shower controls work off the sink. You must flip a lever and it sends the water to the shower handle. There's a small fridge that works well and they also have a safe. All these hotels seen paranoid about safety even though it's one of the safest in the world and we never felt uneasy traveling around or walking at night.||Breakfast at this hotel was lacking in choices and the amount of items provided. Buns and coffee/tea is all that was it for continental fair. Rest was Japanese food but that lacked choices too. No restaurants close to hotel.||Washer dryer work but don't plan on doing a large load as they...