Hotel Okura Niigata — Hotel in Niigata

I wheeled up on my bicycle and two staff members quickly took my panniers and showed me the best place to park the bike. They were great, you might have thought that I rolled up in a Bentley! It was obvious right away that this hotel differentiates itself on service.||After a very warm welcome at check- in, I went to Room 1104 and was pleased to find that it was very large for Japan. Okura hotels are an old, well- established brand at the high end. This one, accordingly, sported bird’s eye maple furniture with lots of surface area and lots of drawers. The closet was huge.||The bathroom comprised three separate rooms for the main sink, the tub / shower and the toilet. The toilet room and the tub / shower room also had sinks, that makes three in all. The styling in the bathroom is a bit dated, but it’s in good condition, spotlessly clean and everything functions well.||The minibar was stocked, which is becoming a rarity these days.||The bedding was very comfortable, and included a memory foam pillow, a big plus in my book.||Breakfast was excellent. There was a wide variety, and the food quality was very good. The restaurant area got the morning sun and overlooked the Shinano River and Bandai, across the river.||Room 1124 looks east, across the Shinano river to the Bandai section of town. It’s 1.25km to the train station, very walkable in most weather. There are some good restaurants on the Okura side of the river, but most are nearer the station. Rooms across the hall (west- facing) would see the Nihonkai if they are high enough.||The best river walk is on the Okura side and it goes a full 10km without interruption. There are cherry trees the whole way, and a number of public rest rooms, too. It’s a beautiful walk.||I was so impressed with the Hotel Okura staff and the service. It’s the fourth hotel I’ve stayed at in Niigata and gets...

I wheeled up on my bicycle and two staff members quickly took my panniers and showed me the best place to park the bike. They were great, you might have thought that I rolled up in a Bentley! It was obvious right away that this hotel differentiates itself on service.||After a very warm welcome at check- in, I went to Room 1104 and was pleased to find that it was very large for Japan. Okura hotels are an old, well- established brand at the high end. This one, accordingly, sported bird’s eye maple furniture with lots of surface area and lots of drawers. The closet was huge.||The bathroom comprised three separate rooms for the main sink, the tub / shower and the toilet. The toilet room and the tub / shower room also had sinks, that makes three in all. The styling in the bathroom is a bit dated, but it’s in good condition, spotlessly clean and everything functions well.||The minibar was stocked, which is becoming a rarity these days.||The bedding was very comfortable, and included a memory foam pillow, a big plus in my book.||Breakfast was excellent. There was a wide variety, and the food quality was very good. The restaurant area got the morning sun and overlooked the Shinano River and Bandai, across the river.||Room 1124 looks east, across the Shinano river to the Bandai section of town. It’s 1.25km to the train station, very walkable in most weather. There are some good restaurants on the Okura side of the river, but most are nearer the station. Rooms across the hall (west- facing) would see the Nihonkai if they are high enough.||The best river walk is on the Okura side and it goes a full 10km without interruption. There are cherry trees the whole way, and a number of public rest rooms, too. It’s a beautiful walk.||I was so impressed with the Hotel Okura staff and the service. It’s the fourth hotel I’ve stayed at in Niigata and gets...

A highlight of my two-night stay was a really great river view which I much enjoyed. The hotel is riverside, and there was a lovely walk along there among blossoming cherry trees. There are shops and eateries nearby, and a walk across the nearby Bandai Bridge leads to more. The JR Station is about a 20 minute walk, and many sights are also within walking distance. For instance, the fabulous Saito Villa is around 20 minutes walk, the Niigata City Art Museum about the same, and the West Coast Park by the sea about 30.||My deluxe double room had a lot going for it as well as the view - heaps of space, attractive wood, many drawers, a big desk with chair, heaps of bench space in both the bedroom/living room and the bathroom, nice slanted mirrors, big wardrobe, a safe, tv and coffee machine (yay!). The bed was comfortable and by the window there was a 2-seater lounge with a small table and lounge chair. The fridge contained a mini bar and there was complimentary water as well as two types of teabags. ||There was a large bath and complimentary shampoo, conditioner and body wash (small bottles), and a huge sink. The toilet had a separate space rather than being squeezed between the bath and sink. ||A mistake I made was choosing the wrong type of cleaning - I chose "simple" not realising it meant cups and glasses wouldn't be replaced...not ideal as there wasn't detergent for washing them up. And seemingly, it also meant toilet paper wasn't replaced, although that may have been an oversight. Towels were on the thin side, and the bathroom light could've been brighter. There weren't many power sockets. ||Breakfast was good, and the staff were great. This is a grand old hotel, a bit faded in places but that, and the minor niggles I've mentioned, didn't much matter.....I'd be happy...