Hotels With Breakfast in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Staying in Kobe for a night, I booked this hotel after reading reviews that it's close to Sannomiya Station and relatively new. It was super convenient coming from Kansai Airport; I took the airport bus directly to the Sannomiya bus terminal, and after getting off, it was less than a 10-minute walk with Google Maps. Getting to JR Sannomiya Station from the hotel takes a maximum of 5 minutes, and the Hanshin Line is less than 10 minutes away – both are very close! There are plenty of dining options downstairs, and a 7-Eleven right next door. If you walk out the main hotel entrance and turn left, there's a cute dessert shop called Dorsia about five minutes away. Plus, it's not far from the Sannomiya shopping district, so you can easily walk there. I forgot to take pictures of the room, but in a double room, there was no problem opening a 26-inch suitcase.

The hotel is nestled in Meriken Park, offering truly stunning views; the hotel itself is a scenic spot. The room size and facilities met expectations. I had researched beforehand and booked an East-facing room. I made a mistake when booking and ended up with a non-refundable special offer room, which was slightly smaller. However, the bed faced the balcony, so if you're an early riser, you can actually catch the sunrise from this room. The only downside is that the hotel might have been open for a while and hasn't been maintained very well. The cleanliness wasn't ideal, especially for Japan. There was a lot of dust on the ceiling directly above the air conditioning vent, which looked a bit messy. I hope the hotel pays more attention to these details. I had read in guides that it's best to take the shuttle bus or a taxi to the hotel because it's uphill and inconvenient with luggage. However, there's an escalator to the left of the hotel, which is perfectly fine for carrying suitcases. Just be aware that it stops operating after a certain time at night, so keep that in mind when checking in. Due to a flight delay, we were supposed to arrive at 4 PM, but it got pushed to the evening. We landed quickly, took the airport bus to Sannomiya, and easily found the hotel shuttle pick-up point. We were lucky to catch the 10:30 PM hotel shuttle. Upon arrival, we also bought some food and drinks at the convenience store on the first floor of the hotel lobby. This is the only convenience store in the vicinity, and it closes at 11 PM. Overall, the highlight of this hotel is its scenery. You can take your time to fully appreciate the beauty of Kobe Port – it's an experience worth having. The drawback is that it's a bit far from Sannomiya's shopping centers, which can affect your subsequent plans.

This is my fourth time staying at this hotel. The location is super convenient; it's a quick walk from Sannomiya. It's also very close to the highway bus stop, which offers direct service to USJ, making it even more convenient than traveling from Osaka. Plus, you can easily catch the airport shuttle from here. So convenient!

While the hotel's location isn't as bustling as Kobe's Sannomiya commercial center, it offers excellent value for money, considering its convenient transportation, shopping, dining options, and the hotel's facilities. Opened in 2023, the hotel is very new. I booked a 21 sqm Superior Twin Room, and it didn't feel cramped at all. What I particularly liked was the separate wet and dry shower room, making for a very comfortable shower experience. The hotel elevator goes directly to the basement, where a left turn leads straight to the ticket gates for Hankyu and Hanshin Electric Railways. A right turn and a short walk through the underground shopping street takes you to Kobe JR Station. For major Kobe attractions, including Himeji Castle, you'll primarily use these three railway lines (there are also many subways and buses, but they're largely unnecessary). Day trips to downtown Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, and other places from this hotel are very convenient and affordable. Outside the hotel and in the underground mall, there are plenty of restaurants for dinner. What I loved most were the two large supermarkets downstairs: Life and KOHYO, which offer many delicious and safe Japanese snacks to satisfy any craving. Many fresh food items start getting discounts in the evening, including sashimi, sushi, and tasty bread, which you can buy to eat in your room. Microwaves are available on the 6th and 10th floors. The hotel service was very responsive to requests, for example, when I asked for an extra pillow or daily coffee packets. The hotel's drawbacks: the duvet was too thick, and although the air conditioning kept me cool, its noise affected my sleep; the refrigerator was also a bit noisy. As a side note, for those traveling independently, getting to the hotel from Kobe Airport: take the Port Liner (elevated light rail) for 18 minutes (340 yen) to Sannomiya Station, then transfer to Kobe JR, Hankyu, or Hanshin lines, and the hotel is just 2 or 3 stops away.

For muslim travellers, this hotel is just located near Kobe mosque (5-7 min walk) and Sannomiya stn, halal restaurants, and grocery stores. Room is nice, clean, and right size. Reception front desk staff are very polite and accommodative. You can borrow an umbrella if you need one. Looking fwd to stay here again.

The hotel's hygiene and service are excellent. It's conveniently located 100 meters from Dongpu Bus Terminal, making it easy to catch buses to attractions, though do note that bus frequencies are limited, so check the schedule in advance. On the first floor, there's a microwave, oven, and coffee machine available for guests. Right outside the hotel is a beach, but it seems uncleaned with some litter, and at night, the sea outside the window is pitch black. There's also an Aeon supermarket nearby, which is handy for buying food.

予約して行くと、とっても安かったです。 キレイな部屋ですし、 ドリンクもあり 朝食も豪華でした。 めちゃくちゃオススメです。 またご利用したいと思います

Compared to Kyoto, the Monterey in Kobe offers much better service. Sona is quite small, and lately, there's been too much of a Korean presence there. Although the hotel is a short walk from the station, it's still easy to find. There is indeed a red-light district nearby, making it a bit noisy and messy (though understandable). The room layout is reasonable, the TV supports screen mirroring, and the toiletries are generously provided, with the DHC lotion being particularly good. Don Quijote is just a short walk away, and it's very convenient to get to Sannomiya Station and Kitano Ijinkan (home to the famous 'Life Toast' and the 70-year-old coffee shop), all within walking distance. The breakfast selection is rich and delicious, with the bread being a pleasant surprise. On a side note, you should definitely avoid the Monterey in Kyoto. Their unfriendliness towards Chinese guests is blatant, especially from the middle-aged Japanese female receptionist! She denied us available rooms unless we insisted and argued on the spot. She also reneged on a promised room type change, even rolling her eyes when a colleague confirmed it with her.🙄

Stayed on a refurbished executive floor, but the 'refurbishment' was really just a change in decor; the crucial hardware facilities, like the bathroom, were still old. The breakfast was absolutely delightful – a great variety and quite refined. I especially loved the sea bream chazuke and the hand rolls. The curry rice was also good, and they even had ice cream at breakfast, which made the kids incredibly happy!

The room was clean overall and service was quite good. But my stay at the hotel ended on a low note. On my check-out day I decided to have breakfast at the hotel restaurant on the 2nd floor. The menu included a ”Continental Breakfast” (at 2000 yen), for which I could choose between toast/croissant/danish, different juices, and coffee or tea. I assumed that the above choices are breakfast items with options, and expected a normal ”Continental Breakfast” which usually includes an egg, bacon/sausage/ham, and some potato fries etc. It turns out that this continental breakfast includes *only* 3 pieces of toasted bread (they later gave me 2 additional pieces because the original 3 were too burned), along with juice and coffee, charging me 2000 yen just for these. I felt this is a rip-off even for a hotel breakfast, and misleading.