IROHA GRAND HOTEL MATSUMOTOEKIMAE — Hotel in Matsumoto

As a last-minute booking, I had no idea what to expect besides the location. My surprise on walking into a centrally located, neat and easy-to-find hotel was pleasant. The check-in service was excellent with the friendly staff let us access the room 30 minutes before the mandatory 3:00 p.m. check-in that is so rigidly enforced in Japan. Also welcome was the many cosmetic options at the reception, including face mask, toner, cleanser, hand cream, bath salts and the usual shaver, hair brush and emery board. The room was adequate, with a view over the city and distant mountains. The carpet was soft underfoot, with a comfortable bed and spacious bathroom. The room contained a coffee machine (not instant sachets), a writing desk and a mini-fridge. The bath towels were large, fluffy and very clean, meaning they must have been new. On the second floor can be found the washing and drying machines, an ice maker and vending machine selling soft drinks, coffee and beer. The breakfast buffet featured Western, Japanese and Asian cuisines with various drinks, including apple vinegar drinks. This tart, refreshing option really sets off the salivary glands! The food was fresh and tasty with a large range of vegetables and fruits. The location is excellent. We went for a walk around town and couldn't leave the city centre as it has busy streets lined with pubs and restaurants. Around the corner, we stumbled across a street market serving one-litre beers out of many different stalls, along with myriad food options. Surrounding the square are dozens of restaurants selling a huge array of Japanese food. Walking back to the hotel we passed numerous entertainment venues, that we didn't explore and a 7-11 that we did explore. ATMs are nearby and a department store is at the bottom of the street. It's a 5-minute walk from the station to the hotel with staff able to explain in English when the next train to...

Great hotel, I will stay here again on my next trip to Matsumoto! I stayed on a premier room with a double bed, 8th floor. Entry is card operated, and after 11:50pm-6:00am or so you will need your card for the hotel door to open. The hotel is around 7 minutes walking distance from JR Matsumoto station and there are a TON of restaurants, bars and a convenience store nearby. The staff was great, I had an issue that held me from being there at check-in time but they were very helpful and helped my significant other to do the check in for us even when the reservation was on my name. Rooms were big enough to rest comfortably, maybe not enough to spend a whole day in but with the amount of things to see in this city you'll hardly want to. The bathrooms are surprisingly spacious, seats and water are heated (you will appreciate it if you come during the colder months), the room itself came with amenities and freebies like coffee, tea, a fridge with bottled water (complimentary), big TV, sleeping robes, lighting options were very nice, you can store your luggage under the bed and there were two spots for hanging your coats/clothes. A long mirror near the door so you can check your fit before going outside and the beds were really comfortable to sleep in, temperature was pretty much set by us as you have full control of the AC/heater unit. There are 2 smoking booths in the hotel, and there's a laundry service as well! The first floor has a restaurant were you can also catch your buffet breakfast but I will say I found the price for it to be expensive. But you can easily go out and catch something more budget friendly very close so it wasn't a big deal. The 2nd floor also has vending machines in case you crave something sweet to drink. Overall I loved my stay and I would recommend Iroha Hotel to anyone going...

Room ok, clean and no issues. Breakfast OK, but for those other reviews which rave about it - I do think it it is pretty normal and standard. But the chicken is crispy. :)

However, I cannot recommend this place for my experience at check in. According to Japanese law, only foreign tourists are to have their passport both presented to and copied by staff.

As a resident of Japan, the check in staff (which seemed unfriendly to me) insisted both to see my residence card and to take a photo copy. Normally I am happy to show my card as a courtesy, to verify my booking etc. However, staff insisted to make a copy.

In addition to this, instead of copying it right then and there as he did for my traveling companion, he took my card into the back room and closed the door. This was uncomfortable and concerning as this card has much personal information, so it is a an issue of data privacy. I explained Japanese law, and it appeared that the staff didn’t care. No apology, no explanation, no nothing.

If this is a hotel policy then I would recommend you revisit this as it is not in line with current Japanese hotel laws. For this experience alone, I could not recommend this place. I would like a full apology from the hotel for this breach of law, as it made me feel...