Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Love Hotels
In addition to Japanese-style inns, Japan has another unique form of accom-
modations—so-called love hotels. Usually found close to entertainment dis-
tricts, such as Shinjuku and Shibuya, such hotels do not, as their name might
suggest, provide sexual services; rather, they offer rooms for rent by the hour
to lovers. Even married couples use love hotels, particularly if they share small
quarters with in-laws.
There are an estimated 35,000 such love hotels in Japan, often gaudy affairs
shaped like ocean liners or castles and offering such extras as rotating beds,
mirrored walls, video cameras, and fantasy-provoking decor. Love hotels are
usually clustered together. You'll know you've wandered into a love-hotel
district when you notice discreet entryways and—a dead giveaway—hourly
rates posted near the front door. Many have reasonable overnight rates as
well. I have friends who, finding themselves out too late and too far from
home, have checked into love hotels, solo.
pampered, you're then ready to pack your bags and pay your bill. Your hostess sees you
to the front gate, smiling and bowing as you set off for the rest of your travels.
Such is life at a good ryokan. Sadly, however, the number of upper-class ryokan dimin-
ishes each year. And, although ideally a ryokan is an old wooden structure that once
served traveling feudal lords or was perhaps the home of a wealthy merchant, today most
are actually modern concrete affairs with as many as 100 or more rooms, with meals
served in dining rooms. What they lack in intimacy and personal service, however, they
make up for with slightly cheaper prices and such amenities as modern bathing facilities
and perhaps a bar and outdoor recreational facilities. Most guest rooms are fitted with a
TV, telephone, safe for locking up valuables, and yukata, as well as amenities such as
soap, shampoo, razor, toothbrush, and toothpaste.
Rates
in a ryokan are always based on a per-person charge rather than a straight room
charge and include breakfast, dinner, and often service and tax. Thus, while ryokan rates
may seem high, they're actually competitive compared to what you'd pay for a hotel room
and comparable meals in a restaurant. Although rates can vary from ¥9,000 to an aston-
ishing ¥150,000 per person, the average cost is generally ¥12,000 to ¥20,000. Even
within a single ryokan the rates can vary greatly, depending on the room you choose, the
dinner courses you select, and the number of people in your room. If you're paying the
highest rate, you can be certain you're getting the best room, the best view of the garden,
or perhaps your own private garden, as well as a much more elaborate meal than that
given to lower-paying guests. All the rates for ryokan in this topic are based on double
occupancy; if there are more than two of you in one room, you can generally count on a
slightly lower per-person rate.
Although I heartily recommend spending at least 1 night in a ryokan, there are a
number of
disadvantages
to these accommodations. The most obvious is that you may
find it uncomfortable sitting on the floor. And because the futon is put away during the
day, there's no place to lie down for an afternoon nap or rest, except on the hard, tatami-
covered floor. In addition, some of the older ryokan, though quaint, can be bitterly cold
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