OMO5 Kanazawa Katamachi by Hoshino Resorts

cozy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

差評,金澤大地震都唔比退房,想改期都唔得,唔通旅遊都要搵命博咩,決定放棄吧!氣憤!

My sister and I spent 2 nights at this hotel. From Kanazawa Station, we took a taxi to the hotel (about 1500 yen). The downside to the hotel is that it's located in a street that is not accessible by car (I believe there are certain times of the day cars may drive through, but likely during off-hours from what we could tell), so we had to be dropped off at the curb and walk a short distance to the hotel. Check-in was via smart tablet (with assistance from staff) and there are storage lockers off to the side to store your bags until your room is ready. Staff were friendly and spoke a mix of okay to very good English. Across from the elevators you can find self-service water and laundry facilities. Next to the elevator, you can help yourself to amenities that are free (pencil, toothbrushes, wash cloths, etc.) or borrow for a fee (PJs). I particularly like that when you scan your key in the elevator, your floor is automatically selected! We stayed in a Superior Room, which felt smaller in comparison to standard US hotel rooms, but still had room for both of us to have our suitcases out without feeling like we're tripping over it. The room felt light and airy with great shower pressure and the beds (on raised futon platform) that were very comfortable. Overall, no complaints with the room. The hotel offered several activities (free and paid). We signed up for the free "Aji Walk" which is a walking tour around the vicinity of the hotel through little alleyways, restaurant recommendations and even a stop at a place in the Nagamachi district to sample some tea and sweets. Our guide spoke good English, but they also provide maps and notecards in English which was helpful. I really enjoyed this walk and highly recommend it! The hotel is in a great location in being walking distance to many sightseeing spots, such as the Nagamachi district, museums, the castle and adjacent garden. There are also several department stores and restaurants nearby. We even walked to Omicho Market and Higashiyama area and later caught the loop bus back (Katamachi exit), where the bus stop is across the street from the hotel. I have previously stayed in their Hoshinoya resorts (Fuji, Karuizawa, Nikko, Tokyo) and excited to stay in this OMO resort. In comparison to the Hoshinoya brand, the OMO brand is more modern and urban, targeting more budget friendly travelers that are on the go, yet still keeping with the Hoshino feel. The only reason why I rated my experience as 4 instead of 5 star is access to the hotel. In preparation for check-out, the staff (to the best of our understanding) informed us that they could not arrange for a taxi to pick us up because there was no direct access to the hotel. The only option we had was to take a bus or wait by a taxi stand that is located in front of the Starbucks a few minutes walk north of the hotel (next to Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel). We were leaving during the morning rush hour and noticed the bus lines were super crowded, so we dec