There are lots of gfantastich hotels in the world. Toyoko Inn is not one of them. Itfs a clean, quiet, professional, and cheap chain hotel. But itfs a budget hotel and thatfs all it is. To call it gfantastich is an insult to a lot of much finer establishments.
There are all kinds of travelers in this world. Not all of them are poor (though I am). Not all of them rush from town to town (though I often do). Not all of them want to check in late and check out early. Not all of them want their doors left open all day while the staff services the rooms. Not all of them value a couple of rice balls served on paper plates in the hotel lobby in the morning--if you can even call it a lobby--and not all of them like to drink their coffee out of a Styrofoam cup, sitting elbow to elbow with strangers on hard seats at aluminum tables. Not all of them would even call that a breakfast.
I use Toyoko Inn regularly, as Ifve said. In March I stayed in Toyoko Inn in Takamatsu for two nights, but was asked to stay away from my room till after four if at all possible. After those two days I went on to stay at a Toyoko Inn in Matsuyama for three nights. There I was asked the same thing. That was no problem for me, as Ifm not the type who likes to hang out in a hotel room anyway. But I understand that not all travelers are like me.
In fact, Ifm not always like me. When I go to my own country for a visit I generally stay for a few days and I like to relax. I donft necessarily want to stay at a budget hotel, and I would be miserable at Toyoko Inn.
Some travelers like comfort and can afford it. I donft think Toyoko Inn is for them. Some travelers are demanding hey ring the front desk over and over all day and all night.I donft necessarily think Toyoko Inn is for them. Some travelers rely on their hotel for detailed information and travel services. I donft think Toyoko Inn is for them. Some travelers donft even like to handle their own luggage. I know Toyoko Inn isnft for them.
Further, I donft know what travelers expect in the way of English services, either, but I do know itfs absurd to expect those travelers to be capable Japanese speakers. (I am one, by the way, but Ifm the exception. Ifve spent half my life here.) English is the world language. Right or wrong, itfs the language I expect to use when I travel to other Asian, European, or African countries. And I think itfs the language most travelers to Japan expect to use here. I have seenshould I say I have heardforeign travelers nearly screaming in English at a Toyoko Inn reception counter, possibly believing volume alone would help make their English more comprehensible. Some travelers are just not good at communicating with poor speakers of English. I donft think Toyoko Inn is for them.
Itfs a good budget hotel. But thatfs all it is. Itfs convenient because it has become so ubiquitous here over the past few years. It is easy to book, as somebody has said. And though it is not the only Budget hotel in Japan that fits that bill, it may be the cheapest.
And by the way, in at least one of those Shikoku Toyoko Inns where I stayed last spring, I had the curry. So itfs not just in Hokkaido. It wasnft bad curry either. Not for me. But a lot of people wouldnft even call it diner. Maybe those people like nice restaurants at their hotels. Toyoko Inn isnft for them either.
It isnft gfantastich. Rather itfs exactly what I said it was in my earlier post. Itfs efficient, convenient, quiet and clean. And itfs cheap.
I highly recommend it to any budget traveler who regards his room as a place to come to late, sleep well, and leave early. To anybody who likes to relax in his room or in his hotel, or to anybody who is accustomed to a hotel with the most basic concierge services, for example, I recommend finding another place.
To anybody whose not comfortable communicating with people who don't speak English well, I recommend finding another place.
I say all of this because I want all who come here to enjoy, admire and love this country as much as I have.
But first of all, I want them to have a good trip--the kind of trip that suits them, whatever that is.
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