Every autumn I go to Shizuoka city for the Daidogei Street Performance World Cup, pretty much my favourite event of the year. I like to stay somewhere central, comfortable and affordable, so I can pop in and out during the day, and all those boxes are ticked by Smile Hotel.
Because of a change in my plans I'd ended up with two separate reservations for consecutive nights in different room types: the helpful staff, who speak some English, offered without prompting a free upgrade, so I could have the same room for both nights. Now that's some good service!
So rather than an economy twin (basically a single with two beds), I was in a regular single room: cosy and comfortable, it was big enough for a solo traveler with little luggage (me), complete with the usual business hotel fittings of fridge, desk and TV. It was done out in soothing earth tones, and the bathroom was a cut above the usual business hotel molded plastic unit, with nice tiles and moderately fancy toiletries provided. Up on the 9th floor, I had a fairly nice view out over the hills to the east of the city, with Mount Fuji's snow-capped peak visible in the distance.
The spacious lobby has a few chairs to relax in, racks of maps and information, a vending machine, and a PC for guests to use, while there's Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. The lobby is also where the free breakfast is served: it's pretty simple fare, bread and pastries with juice and beverages, but hearty and filling enough, setting me up for a morning watching the shows.
It's well located for sights, shopping and eating: just round the corner is pleasant Keyo-in temple, and it's just a few minutes' walk from Hodai-ji temple, Sunpu Castle Park (venue for many of the street performance shows), Cenova shopping centre, and the Prefectural Office Building, with its 21st-floor observation room. Head away from the centre and you come to leafy Kiyomizuyama Park, home to Kiyomizu-dera temple, and the start of the gentle but scenic Yatsuyama hiking trail.
There are five kinds of rooms: single, semi-double, double, economy twin and deluxe twin. Rates depend on the kind of room and season, but you can expect to pay roughly ¥5000-¥7000 when traveling alone, less per head if you're sharing a twin or double. For the location and facilities, I'd say this definitely represents one of the best deals in the city, and I'll certainly be staying there again.
