Mercure Hida Takayama

The facilities have a more European-American style, simple, clean, and brightly colored. There's an outdoor onsen, which, though not huge, is perfectly fine when it's not too crowded. The lounge is also nice, a great spot to rest your feet when it's really cold. Transportation: Extremely convenient. It's only a ten-minute walk to the station, even with luggage, which is incredibly important. You can reach Takayama Jinya and Hie Shrine within 25 minutes. Surrounding Amenities: There's a large 7-Eleven convenience store just a ten-minute walk away. And right downstairs is the best Hida beef restaurant in Takayama – it was so easy to grab a ticket early. Cleanliness: Decent, didn't look dirty. Service: I have to give a special shout-out to the front desk staff – they spoke the best English of any hotel we encountered on our Nagoya trip. Communication was so smooth and pleasant. My wife forgot her onsen password, and the front desk quickly resolved it. I can't imagine how cold it would have been if the front desk didn't speak English and she had to go down in her onsen attire on such a chilly day.

Takayama is a compact city, and this hotel boasts an unbeatable location right next to Takayama Station – literally a two-minute walk to the right after you exit. It's incredibly convenient for day trips to Shirakawa-go and Kamikochi. The local Hida beef is fantastic, and it seems there's also an on-site onsen. Highly recommended!