This hotel is reasonably priced and decently nice. The location makes it excellent. It is right next to the Dogo Onsen, and therefore it is right on the Roman Train line. That's the little train that goes around Matsuyama, so it's easy to hop on to visit Matsuyama Castle, the temples, etc. The staff was helpful and accommodating. I would definitely recommend this to others.

Right next door to a huge old onsen (spa), to which the Hotel gave us passes. Good experience! We liked the hotel front desk people, who even managed to find some oil for the wheels on my husband's luggage.My husband was really charmed by Matsuyama and these bright young fellows in the employ of the Hotel.

We chose this hotel partly because of the previous favourable reviews, partly for its location and also because it seemed good value. We booked directly with the hotel, using the links from their website. You may need to click a few 'buttons' if the Japanese version appears to find the English language version which, strangely, is different from the Japanese one. The value element comes in if you wish to stay not at major holidays or festival times and, possibly, not for Saturday nights. A month before your stay, you will find a link on the website to a discount page with a black out date calendar. Print this off (it's in 2 languages on different sides of the page) and you'll get a 10% discount off the rack rate - seemingly, rather unusual in Japan - when you present it at check in. It worked for us!

We drove to the hotel so had to work out how to reach the entrance and lobby as the front is on the pedestrian way outside the Dogo onsen building itself. Actually, this wasn't difficult and while we were checking in and taking our bags to our room, one of the members of staff parked our rental car in the hotel's own parking structure. The overnight parking rate was 700 yen which was very reasonably compared to other parking charges near the Onsen building. Having parked the car, we then used the trams to get to other parts of the city, and there's a good value day pass if you expect to ride the tram 3 times or more. However, of course, the main immediate attraction just a minutes' stroll away is the fascinating, authentic Dogo Onsen itself. The hotel gives you a sheet in English on what to expect at the onsen and encourages you to take your yukata, towels and toiletries that they provide to use during your onsen visit.

Our room, which looked directly over the unusual roof of Dogo Onsen, was quite small but well laid out. There's no storage other than a coat rack, however, and anybody with a large bag would struggle to find anyway to lay it down to open it other than on a bed. The bathroom is very clean and efficient, but also very compact.

Our problem came when we went to bed and tried to sleep. The aircon was very inefficient, despite being on max cold for several hours. It wasn't a hot day, only warm - after all, it was mid October - yet it didn't cope at all. This necessitated us opening the window wide to get some cooler air into the room. Because of the way the drapes draw and the window swivels, this lets in a lot of light and any noise. Despite it being midweek there were some merry Japanese holiday makers strolling around in their yukatas after the baths and the microbrew izakaya closed, wandering back to their accommodation. If you get a room facing the side of the hotel rather than the front (which, in fact, most rooms do) you won't have the noise issues.

We found the hotel staff to be very pleasant and helpful, even though they spoke little English. They made a great effort to ensure we understood them and they kept apologising. We elected to have breakfast in the hotel. There's a small breakfast corner facing the pedestrian street which serves a set Japanese breakfast on a tray - not what most non-Japanese would wish for breakfast, but we enjoyed it!

While the hotel is very well located for the Dogo Onsen and a number of stores, restaurants and cafes in the Dogo arcade and around, for a larger choice of restaurants, you would probably wish to take the very frequent and simple to use tram to the commercial centre of Matsuyama. The department stores and fashion stores are located in this area, as is Matsuyama-jo, the castle. The castle is quite interesting to visit the restored interiors and there are good views of the mountains and the Inland Sea from the top level.

It is hard to imagine a better location for a hotel in Matsuyama. Right at the end of the streetcar line and across the road from the Dogo Onsen. Rooms are small (think European) but pleasantly laid out. An unfortunate bit of smell from the restaurant vents which are on the lower (front) portion of the hotel; but this is only an issue during meal times.

Staff were pleasant and helpful (albeit with limited english) and Matsuyama was a charming city. There is a surprising amount of night life just off the main street dwontown (easy to get to since you are right on the streetcar line).

If you walk towards the shrine but skirt the base of the hill on which it stands you will find our favourite little park in Japan. It is a small garden with a stream that runs through it. There are three little teahouses available for use by the stream and a small foot onsen (somewhat like the much larger one in the square). All for free. Buy a sushi platter and a bit of libation in the supermarket and enjoy a romantic lunch in your own private corner of Japan!