Smile Hotel Hirosaki

I'm not sure why, but there weren't many hotel options in Hirosaki for these dates. My friend later told me it was because of a festival. As a result, even finding a restaurant that evening was difficult. Room prices were also quite high, so I chose the Smile Hotel. There are a few parking lots nearby, and I didn't park in the one the hotel recommended, as I had already found a spot. The room was relatively spacious. It's like a small town, so everything is close by. There was a bar or restaurant across the street that was quite noisy at night, with a table of people still laughing loudly at 12 AM. The hotel has laundry service, but when I checked in, they said I had to give it to the front desk, it wasn't self-service. I gave my laundry to a young man at the front desk before 7 PM, and when I asked him at 9:30 PM if it was done, he said it wasn't and told me to wait until 11 AM to pick it up. Unbelievable.

The staff were so kind and even gave me a cardboard box to hitchhike with. Thank you so much!

Very friendly staff, centrally located, with many restaurants nearby.

While this hotel shows some signs of age, if **high cost-performance ratio** and **convenience for cherry blossom viewing** are your primary considerations, Smile Hotel Hirosaki remains a solid choice. ### 📍 Location and Transportation The hotel is located in a bustling area of ​​Hirosaki city center, about a 15-20 minute walk from **JR Hirosaki Station**. While this might be a bit tiring with large luggage, there's a bus stop right outside, making it very convenient to get to and from the station. Its most charming feature is its excellent location; **Hirosaki Castle (Hirosaki Park)** is within walking distance, making it an ideal base for those wanting to capture the beauty of the "flower rafts" or participate in the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival. ### 🛏️ Accommodation Experience The hotel's facilities do have a **aged feel**, with decor leaning towards a traditional business hotel, but the interior is maintained very cleanly. Many guests were pleasantly surprised by the **well-supported, medium-firm mattresses**, providing a very good night's sleep after a long day of hiking. ### 🍳 Dining Recommendations We highly recommend adding the **breakfast** here. It features a wide variety of local ingredients, including Aomori's signature apple juice, as well as many "mom's cooking" Japanese side dishes and freshly baked bread. Enjoying a satisfying breakfast in a retro atmosphere before heading out is a small but delightful experience that has consistently received positive reviews from guests.