Dormy Inn Kawasaki Natural Hot Spring

The room was large enough (compared to what you may find in Tokyo) though the toilet/shower were a bit too small. The breakfast was good and there were lots of complimentary goods (Ramen after 9pm, the massage chairs, the ice cream after the hot spring..) The hotel is quite away from the center, which turned out to be a good thing - quiet, not many tourists, and lots of little restaurants, cafes and bars around. Staff was welcoming and helpful.

We used the hotel as a base to visit Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura etc. It is a 10 minutes walk from the train station and there is a 7-Eleven right at the hotel lobby. Lot of food option and also a Don Quijote within walking distance. There are free drinks, ice cream, and noodles daily included in the stay. Highly recommend getting their breakfast buffet at least once as the selection and taste is amazing! The bath is clean and comfortable and we look forward to visiting everyday. Washing machine is free but dryer costs 100 yen.

The Dormy Inn, a quintessential Japanese hotel chain, has a winning formula: allow guests to roam around the building in the provided pajamas and add an excellent Onsen (= hot springs), a rich breakfast, free soup in the evening, and a variety of other extras. The other good thing is that once you stayed in one Dormy Inn, it is easy to find your way around the next one. The hotel is also quite well situated, just about 10 minutes walking distance from the station. The drawback during our visit was its very popularity: Being completely booked led to lines almost everywhere, at the soup, in front of the elevators, and generally too much pressure on the central resources, which did not scale quite proportionally with the number of people. This leads to a feeling of "mass production" with disposable plastic plates and spoons, locks on drink dispensers at certain times, and so forth, which other Dormy Inns we stayed in (e.g., the Dormy Inn Express near Mount Fuji) did not have.

We chose this hotel for two reasons. Firstly, we wanted to visit friends in Tokyo, Yokohama, and Shonan, and Kawasaki seemed like a good centre for this, and it worked out well. Only a short and interesting walk from the stations. Secondly, we loved the idea of an onsen in the middle of a city. The onsen lived up to expectations. Some days I used it three times (I don't like saunas, so didn't use it). The Yakult and free ice-cream was a welcome treat. Never needed to use the room shower! And the washing machines were free, and ¥100 dried the clothes. As a result we returned to the UK with almost no dirty laundry! Room cleaning was at our discretion, and worked very well, as did towel and sheet replacement. The Superior Queen room was very comfortable for an extended stay. We didn't use the hotel breakfast, or free ramen, but appreciated the integrated 7-11 which allowed us to create our own breakfasts. There were even microwaves available if we'd wanted to use them to heat up food (we didn't). And many choices of places to eat around the hotel. The izakaya around the place offered a wonderful selection of food. Staff very helpful and cooperative, especially on the last day when we needed to use our room, and a taxi for a night flight from Haneda.

I spent an enjoyable couple of weeks at this hotel. The accessories provided and the facilities available are wonderful. The big plus for me are the hot public baths, indoor and outdoor, open through the night. You are not having to rush back to the hotel to avail of them. My double room was a very good size. I liked having the choice to opt for a slightly cheaper room with no daily cleaning. It allowed for an odd lie in in the morning, without the pressure of cleaners knocking on your door, as well as being good for the environment. My bed was very comfortable. Staff were helpful and considerate, although not all could speak English. As is with Dormy Inn hotels, the free extras are very well received. Ramen evening meal, drinks, ice-cream, yakult drinks, and free laundry. The buffet breakfast offers something for everyone with a large choice. A large hotel, it never felt crowded. A very good hotel with your every need catered for.