4-Star Hotels in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

This hotel offers incredible value for money! The environment is lovely, and it's spotlessly clean. The staff are all so welcoming and enthusiastic. You can easily walk to both the beach and the shopping area. Plus, the rooms are really spacious. Definitely a highly recommended place!

The staff were all very friendly, and the view was also excellent with great facilities. The only downside was that the hotel room was too small; once you opened a suitcase, it was impossible to move around, especially with two suitcases, which was quite a hassle. Downstairs, there's a subway station and a shopping street, which is very convenient, but it can also be quite noisy due to the subway.

The hotel's location is absolutely fantastic, right in Sannomiya. It's just a short walk to Sannomiya Station, the airport bus, and Daimaru department store. Directly across from the hotel is a 24-hour Don Quijote, spanning four floors – I always end up buying so much there! They also offer late-night snacks. While the room isn't huge, the separate wet and dry areas in the bathroom are a rare and welcome feature for a Japanese hotel.

It's a bit of a walk from the station. The famous internet-famous church cafe is just a three-minute walk behind it. There's a Matsuya downstairs, perfect for breakfast. I stayed in a double room by myself and had plenty of space to open my suitcase. All the essential amenities were there, and the lighting was adjustable. I thought the service was great; the front desk always greeted me when I came and went.

The English proficiency of the local staff is appallingly bad. I went to drop off my luggage and was told I couldn't check-in yet as it was too early. After finally checking in, I discovered my room was right next to the elevator. When booking, I had specifically requested a room away from the elevator, quiet, and non-smoking. It's my fault for not reconfirming with them, so I had to drag my luggage back to the front desk to change rooms. The new room was still on the street side, right next to the elevated highway, and directly opposite Kobe Station – you can imagine how noisy it was. This is an old hotel that's been renovated. You don't need a key card for any of the elevators, so female travelers staying alone should definitely be mindful of their safety. The quality of the renovation can only be described with a 'heh,' the details are just dreadful. Forget the small details, the door wouldn't even close automatically; you had to manually push and pull it to make sure it latched properly. The mini-bar light switch had an intensely bright light that was dazzling at night. Amenities weren't replenished on the second day, not even the drinking water. The staff passage, which also serves as a fire escape, was left wide open until 8 PM, indicating a lapse in safety management. The water pressure and temperature in the shower were unstable – hot one moment, cold the next, and then the water flow would suddenly diminish. I don't even want to comment on the breakfast; it felt worse than what you'd get at a slightly better budget hotel. The only made-to-order hot dish was an omelet. Every single cup was endlessly covered in limescale and scratches.

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.🙄

Good location but poor amenities and services, no water was provided in my room and there wasn't coffee available in the morning too, the bedsheets were dirty! What's the point of paying for 4star hotel when I have to do everything myself? Coffee Machine in the lounge was also off n there was no hot water at the lounge too! After check out apart from luggage deposit there is no customer service afterwards they said no when I asked for hot water, in the middle of a snowing day!

This is my third time visiting Kobe, and the hotel's location is excellent. It's just a few minutes' walk from Motomachi Station, right next to Chinatown, and across from a 7-Eleven and Daimaru department store. There's also a 7-Eleven and Starbucks downstairs. Getting to Arima Onsen and Mount Rokko is very convenient with direct transport options. The breakfast is quite good too, offering a good selection of meat, eggs, and dairy, plus complimentary afternoon tea. The front desk is on the second floor. I'd definitely stay here again on my next visit!

I want to stay again

The entire apartment is equipped with brand new facilities, very neat and clean. The water pressure in the bathroom is excellent, and the space is ample, giving a good sense of openness. Self check-in was simple, convenient, and fast. There are cooking utensils and an extractor fan for cooking. The air conditioning is sufficient, and the toilet and shower are separated. Thumbs up. Downstairs, there are many restaurants and shops, making shopping and dining very convenient. The only downside is that towels are not provided and need to be rented for a fee.