Hotel Torifito Otaru Canal — Hotel in Otaru

My family and I had a wonderful one-night stay on a Sunday in this hotel in our 10-day self-drive vacation. We chose this hotel because it is very near to the Otaru Canal, has in-house onsen “Kumaji no Yu” with painting and within 30 minutes walking to several restaurants and shops (e.g. LeTAO) ||Getting to hotel & parking: we reached the hotel in our rental car from Cape Kamui using Google Map and Apple Map on the Apple Car Play at 4:45pm. Hotel provides on-site parking for guests at ¥1500; the car park lots are subjected to a first-come-first-served basis and cannot be reserved. As we were driving to into the hotel car park where I saw several empty lots, a hotel staff outside the hotel car park provided a map of the nearby car parks and directed us to the nearby Times car park. We unloaded our luggage and I went to park at the Times car park which we eventually paid ¥1200 before exit the next day but it was about 200 meters or within 6 minutes’ walk away from the hotel. |For those who are taking the train, this hotel is about 670 meters or about 15 minutes’ walk from the JR Otaru Station (S15) – exit the station, walk along Chuodori Street for 500 meters, turn right into Ironaiodori Street and the hotel is on the left. To get to Otaru Canal (about 210 metres from hotel), turn right after exiting the hotel, walk along Ironaiodori Street, turn right onto Chuodori Street at the cross road traffic light junction and finally cross the busy Rinkosen at the traffic light junction and you reach what many considered to be the most scenic part of Otaru Canal within 6 minutes.||Hotel staff: this hotel is very popular - there was a queue during check in. Nevertheless, the lady receptionist still welcomed us with a smile and patiently explained to us in English about the check out, Wi-Fi password, breakfast venue and opening time from 6:30am to 10am, onsen “protocol” and opening time of 6am to 10am and 3pm to 1am as well as presence on the second floor of microwave oven, ice making machine, drink vending machine, washing machine and dryer (both use only ¥100 coins) on the second floor. There is no gymnasium and no swimming pool. Regarding the breakfast, the lady receptionist explained that due to limited seats at the restaurant, we had to choose the half hour slot; so we chose 8am and it was entered into the system. The receptionists were also helpful in granting us a late checkout at 2pm, otherwise we have to pay ¥1000 per hour after 11am. Whenever we walked past any hotel staff including those at the reception, they would greet us. ||Hotel room: When we entered our 24 square meters Superior Twin Room with 3 single beds on the fifth floor, the first impression was that it was large and of modern contemporary design. On the left are the restroom and bathroom with a bath tub and sink. On the right are the open wardrobe with several hangers and slippers below. The bedroom comprises 3 single beds with the black pyjamas placed on the bed, a long dressing table with drawers, cups, kettle and green tea packets, a LCD TV, an interesting circular mirror placed in the center of a ship helm (steering wheel) above the dressing table and interestingly a large barrel containing refrigerator inside. There is also a large barrier with a refrigerator and a power socket above. The lighting control knobs and sockets are stylishly found on the board between two beds. The entire room is covered with a carpet filled with coloured rectangles. The bathroom has a bath tub, shower and sink.|We liked the following about the room:|(1) The beds were comfortable such that we had a good night sleep|(2) The room is very clean and well maintained |(3) The room was very quiet due to good noise insulation|(4) Ceiling air-con was strong |(5) Complementary wi-fi access and connection speed was fast but occasionally was slow|(6) Every wall has a different wallpaper except the brick wall next to the window|(7) Pleasant brown color theme of the room with natural wood bed boards and furniture (there is no glass)|The first of two dislikes was that the view from the room window looked out into another building and the hotel car park lots; not much of a view. And because the adjacent building blocked much of the natural light and coupled with the dark brown and beige wallpapers, the room was dark. The second dislike was that the toilet is by itself which meant that we had to walk all the way to the bathroom to wash our hands.||Hotel restaurant: we enjoyed the breakfast buffet spread that was a great mix of Japanese and western cuisine – crab cream croquette, sausage, thick bacon, Japanese style pasta with mushroom, salted salmon, candied herring, sashimi, trout roe, rice, porridge, miso soup (add your own wheat bran, seaweed and leek), salad, cut oranges, tomatoes, local Hokkaido or Otaru gourmet (sautéed vegetables), buckwheat noodles, nagaimo tororo, bread, waffle with different sauces, soy milk and others. There is also a drink dispensing machine.||Overall, we had a great stay at the 3-star Torifito Otaru Canal, and will not hesitate to come back again the next time we...

My family and I had a wonderful one-night stay on a Sunday in this hotel in our 10-day self-drive vacation. We chose this hotel because it is very near to the Otaru Canal, has in-house onsen “Kumaji no Yu” with painting and within 30 minutes walking to several restaurants and shops (e.g. LeTAO) ||Getting to hotel & parking: we reached the hotel in our rental car from Cape Kamui using Google Map and Apple Map on the Apple Car Play at 4:45pm. Hotel provides on-site parking for guests at ¥1500; the car park lots are subjected to a first-come-first-served basis and cannot be reserved. As we were driving to into the hotel car park where I saw several empty lots, a hotel staff outside the hotel car park provided a map of the nearby car parks and directed us to the nearby Times car park. We unloaded our luggage and I went to park at the Times car park which we eventually paid ¥1200 before exit the next day but it was about 200 meters or within 6 minutes’ walk away from the hotel. |For those who are taking the train, this hotel is about 670 meters or about 15 minutes’ walk from the JR Otaru Station (S15) – exit the station, walk along Chuodori Street for 500 meters, turn right into Ironaiodori Street and the hotel is on the left. To get to Otaru Canal (about 210 metres from hotel), turn right after exiting the hotel, walk along Ironaiodori Street, turn right onto Chuodori Street at the cross road traffic light junction and finally cross the busy Rinkosen at the traffic light junction and you reach what many considered to be the most scenic part of Otaru Canal within 6 minutes.||Hotel staff: this hotel is very popular - there was a queue during check in. Nevertheless, the lady receptionist still welcomed us with a smile and patiently explained to us in English about the check out, Wi-Fi password, breakfast venue and opening time from 6:30am to 10am, onsen “protocol” and opening time of 6am to 10am and 3pm to 1am as well as presence on the second floor of microwave oven, ice making machine, drink vending machine, washing machine and dryer (both use only ¥100 coins) on the second floor. There is no gymnasium and no swimming pool. Regarding the breakfast, the lady receptionist explained that due to limited seats at the restaurant, we had to choose the half hour slot; so we chose 8am and it was entered into the system. The receptionists were also helpful in granting us a late checkout at 2pm, otherwise we have to pay ¥1000 per hour after 11am. Whenever we walked past any hotel staff including those at the reception, they would greet us. ||Hotel room: When we entered our 24 square meters Superior Twin Room with 3 single beds on the fifth floor, the first impression was that it was large and of modern contemporary design. On the left are the restroom and bathroom with a bath tub and sink. On the right are the open wardrobe with several hangers and slippers below. The bedroom comprises 3 single beds with the black pyjamas placed on the bed, a long dressing table with drawers, cups, kettle and green tea packets, a LCD TV, an interesting circular mirror placed in the center of a ship helm (steering wheel) above the dressing table and interestingly a large barrel containing refrigerator inside. There is also a large barrier with a refrigerator and a power socket above. The lighting control knobs and sockets are stylishly found on the board between two beds. The entire room is covered with a carpet filled with coloured rectangles. The bathroom has a bath tub, shower and sink.|We liked the following about the room:|(1) The beds were comfortable such that we had a good night sleep|(2) The room is very clean and well maintained |(3) The room was very quiet due to good noise insulation|(4) Ceiling air-con was strong |(5) Complementary wi-fi access and connection speed was fast but occasionally was slow|(6) Every wall has a different wallpaper except the brick wall next to the window|(7) Pleasant brown color theme of the room with natural wood bed boards and furniture (there is no glass)|The first of two dislikes was that the view from the room window looked out into another building and the hotel car park lots; not much of a view. And because the adjacent building blocked much of the natural light and coupled with the dark brown and beige wallpapers, the room was dark. The second dislike was that the toilet is by itself which meant that we had to walk all the way to the bathroom to wash our hands.||Hotel restaurant: we enjoyed the breakfast buffet spread that was a great mix of Japanese and western cuisine – crab cream croquette, sausage, thick bacon, Japanese style pasta with mushroom, salted salmon, candied herring, sashimi, trout roe, rice, porridge, miso soup (add your own wheat bran, seaweed and leek), salad, cut oranges, tomatoes, local Hokkaido or Otaru gourmet (sautéed vegetables), buckwheat noodles, nagaimo tororo, bread, waffle with different sauces, soy milk and others. There is also a drink dispensing machine.||Overall, we had a great stay at the 3-star Torifito Otaru Canal, and will not hesitate to come back again the next time we...

Title: Convenient Location with Room for Improvement Period of stay: Dec 10 to 12, 2023 Room Type: 1 X Family 4 persons (24 m²/258 ft² | Non-smoking | 1 bunk bed and 2 single beds)

My recent stay at Hotel Torifito Otaru Canal offered a mix of convenience and drawbacks, making it a reasonably satisfactory experience overall.

Pros:

Prime Location: The hotel's greatest asset is its convenient access to Otaru Canal, Sakaimachi Street, Sankaku Market, and other popular attractions. This made our exploration of the city seamless and enjoyable.

Onsen Availability: Although we didn't get the chance to enjoy it due to our packed travel itinerary, the presence of an onsen is a welcome feature for those seeking relaxation after a day of sightseeing.

Friendly Staff: The hotel staff were consistently warm and accommodating, contributing positively to our overall experience.

Easy Access: The hotel's accessibility was commendable, allowing for effortless travel arrangements and quick entry and exit.

Cons:

Cramped Rooms: One notable downside was the size of the rooms, particularly for a group of four with five 28" luggages. The limited space made it challenging to move around comfortably.

Inefficient Washing Facilities: The hotel's washing machines, although available, proved to be a disappointment. The machines were not industrial-grade, and after the wash and dry cycle, clothes remained damp. Additionally, the machines were dirty and poorly maintained, leading to long wait times due to the limited availability.

Charges for Parking: The hotel charged for parking, following a first-in, first-out (FIFO) system. While this might be standard, it's worth noting for travelers on a budget.

While the rooms may not be ideal for families with numerous luggages, the hotel's strategic location compensates for some of its shortcomings. The proximity to key attractions, friendly staff, and ease of access make Hotel Torifito Otaru Canal a viable option for those willing to compromise on certain amenities. However, improvements in room size and laundry facilities would significantly enhance the overall...