Hotel Monterey Kobe

Great location, just a left turn from the Ikuta Shrine and you're at B1. Everything nearby is within walking distance. Breakfast was good by Japanese standards.

The hotel is tucked away in an alley, about a 5-6 minute walk from Kobe Sannomiya Station. It's easy to find with navigation. The interior has a distinct North American style. According to the staff, the hotel used to host weddings before 2019, and you can still see copper plaques with couples' names engraved on the walls. The rooms are beautifully decorated in a Japanese style – compact but cozy and comfortable. The hotel also features a large public bath and a self-service laundry room. Breakfast is more Japanese-focused, with options to customize your own Ochazuke, norimaki (sushi rolls), udon noodles, and more. Stepping out the front door, you're immediately on a bustling shopping street lined with various restaurants where you can try local delicacies like Kobe beef. The Ikuta Shrine is just about 20 meters from the back exit, and both Kitano Ijinkan-gai (foreign residences) and Nankinmachi (Chinatown) are within walking distance.

Getting to the hotel from Osaka Airport was quite convenient. We took a bus from stop 6 to Sannomiya, Kobe, and it was about a seven-minute walk from there. A one-way ticket was 2200 yen, and a round-trip was 3700 yen, so we opted for the round-trip. The hotel is located near Ikuta Shrine, which made it very easy to find with navigation. It’s an older hotel with a Western architectural style, and the rooms are quite spacious. They provide a full range of toiletries. There's a free coffee lounge on the first floor, and you can enjoy the hot springs on the second floor. The hotel breakfast was extensive, but since there are many famous cafes around the hotel with delicious coffee and pastries, we only booked breakfast for one day. There are also many great dining options nearby, and the Kobe beef was fantastic. From the hotel, you can walk about ten minutes to catch a Shinki bus to Universal Studios Japan, which takes about half an hour. It's also very convenient to take the JR to Himeji Castle.

The hotel is incredibly convenient. It's about a five to six-minute walk from the JR station after arriving from the airport. Don Quijote is directly across the street, and the surrounding area is very lively with various dining options. Plus, the hotel has a bath, and taking a bath every day feels so relaxing.

The room was great, a bit larger than usual. The sauna [free for all hotel guests] was very comfortable.

Facilities: Basic. Cleanliness: Standard, well-maintained. Environment: Quiet surroundings, close to the subway station, with many food and drink options. There's a Don Quijote nearby, making it a lively area. Service: Average. I had to switch rooms for an extended stay, and the staff were quite rigid, requiring a lot of time for communication. Ctrip platform, however, was excellent. They responded efficiently to issues, coordinating solutions and compensation – very effective.

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.🙄