Hida Takayama Washington Hotel Plaza

My main reason for visiting Takayama was Shirakawa-go, and the hotel's location is excellent. It's right across the street from JR Takayama Station and the Takayama Nohi Bus Center. On the ground floor, there's a pharmacy where some items are cheaper than other stores, making it convenient to restock. Miyagawa Morning Market and Takayama Old Town are both within walking distance, and Maruaki Hida Beef restaurant is also very close. The hotel reception staff are friendly, and you can help yourself to coffee, tea bags, DHC skincare products, etc., from a dispenser in the lobby. The room hygiene is excellent. If you opt for an eco-friendly choice and don't need daily room cleaning, just hang the sign on your door, and the staff will reward you with two aluminum bottles of drinking water. My three-night stay was very pleasant.

This was my second stay at the Washington Hotel in Takayama, and I'll start with the pros. It's incredibly convenient, located directly across from Takayama Station and the Nohi Bus Center. From the platform, it's less than a 50-meter walk to the hotel lobby, which is super handy. For travelers catching early buses to Shirakawa-go, Kamikochi, or Furukawa (especially recommended during cherry blossom season), this location is a huge advantage. All the nearby attractions are within walking distance, and the drugstore, restaurants, and specialty shops next to the hotel are among the last to close in Takayama. This is a big deal because many restaurants and shops in Takayama are quite particular, operating only four or five hours (or even just two or three) a day and often closing three or four days a week. Some restaurants even stop taking customers by 6 or 7 PM. We joked that at night, Takayama is full of 'hungry ghosts' wandering around! The hotel's toothbrushes are still the 'old style' and are much better than those in many other hotels. The triple room layout was well-designed and felt spacious when organized properly. The shower had good pressure and was very comfortable. What needs improvement is the shower curtain – it's too thin, so the strong shower spray easily splashes outside the tub. The breakfast is only a Japanese set meal. I tried it one day, and the taste was just so-so. I skipped it the second day, and it was still the same on the third, so I decided not to eat it again. The breakfast options are too limited; it looks good but doesn't taste great. Other hotel services were still good. The triple room had two trash cans, which shows thoughtful attention to detail. The overall bathroom facilities felt a bit old, and the extractor fan wasn't very powerful... Oh, and the hotel offers a hot spring ♨️ with pretty long opening hours, but I didn't get to try it, so I can't comment. All in all, for this price, being able to stay in such an extremely convenient, central location near the station (and commercial center) is definitely worth it. On a side note, I'm not sure if it's due to an economic downturn or the off-season, but Shirakawa-go and Takayama were noticeably less fun, less interesting to explore, and had fewer good shopping and dining options than my previous two visits. 'Travel early!' is truly not an empty phrase.

I honestly can't give this guesthouse even a slightly bad review; it's a perfect 100 out of 100, no, make that 150 points! The staff, both the young man and the ladies, prepared breakfast for us early. At 7:27 AM, they politely called our room to let us know breakfast was ready (it was supposed to start at 8 AM, but they knew we had a bus to catch, so they prepared it ahead of time). And when we arrived at the bus station yesterday, the young man was already waiting for us there, helping us carry our luggage upstairs to the front desk. The emotional value they provided was off the charts, and breakfast and dinner were both perfect! There's truly nothing to pick apart. No wonder this guesthouse has no bad reviews; it would feel wrong to give it even 0.1 points less. It absolutely deserves full marks plus 50 points!

The hotel's location is excellent, right opposite the station. You take the escalator up to the 2nd floor for reception, where you pay the accommodation tax upon arrival – it was 400 JPY for 2 people for 2 nights. Next to the reception, you can help yourself to toiletries like toothpaste, toothbrushes, makeup remover, facial cleanser, skincare products, instant coffee, tea, and bath salts. The room is indeed small, and so is the bathroom. We booked a twin room, and we could barely open one 26-inch suitcase. My biggest complaint is that the two beds have different leg styles. The one against the wall is a folding bed with recessed legs, while the outer bed has four protruding legs. The hallway is already extremely narrow, and I kept stubbing my toes on those legs every time I walked by! Check-in is at 2 PM, and you can leave your luggage at the hotel beforehand. Check-out is at 10 AM. Regarding housekeeping, I told the front desk that we didn't need a full cleaning, just a towel change and trash removal.

The hotel is conveniently located right across the street from Takayama Station and the Nohi Bus Terminal. After checking out, I was able to store my luggage, which was really helpful since my bus wasn't until almost noon.