Hotel Jazz – A love hotel with a retro vibe – Nagoya
When the opportunity arose to see my all-time favourite musical, The Phantom of the Opera, live in Japan during its dazzling 40th anniversary run, I leapt at the chance. Even though it was performed in Japanese, the magic was undeniable. But, of course, every grand night out calls for a cosy place to stay. Enter Hotel Jazz: a little far from the theatre but only twenty minutes on foot from the busy Nagoya Main Station. The hotel is about a ten-minute car ride too, which is convenient.
I rolled into Nagoya late at night, taxiing through the city lights to reach the hotel. At saner hours, buses and the subway make the trip even easier, dropping you just a short walk from the action. For location, Hotel Jazz earns a solid 7; it’s close enough for convenience, yet far enough from the station’s chaos to guarantee a peaceful retreat. It’s the perfect launchpad for a night at the theatre, blending excitement and relaxation right in the heart of Nagoya.
For ease of access, the hotel operates the old check-in board system, which isn’t my favourite; it displays only one image, which isn’t helpful when picking the best room. The display would benefit from the updated touchscreen versions that most modern love hotels rock. However, the hotel did have another system which I wish more hotels would adopt. I was able to see how many available rooms there were online, which is great when you're unsure of your arrival time. It spares you time and money, which would be wasted on a trip out to the hotel, which can often be in the middle of nowhere and ending up room-less and stranded. For this category, I award a 6 for a new score of 13.
The next category is cleanliness and comfort. Hotel Jazz has a retro vibe; it feels like a museum paying homage to the golden era of jazz. Glass display cases can be found in the corridors, showing memorabilia from the period. Sadly, once you step inside your room, the vibe vanishes, and the room returns you to the notion that it’s just a hotel. My room was a little small, but it had a karaoke setup for those couples who long to sing the night away or argue over the next song. All the amenities in the room were clean; however, the sofa needed replacing. It was showing visible signs of wear, including several tears. The colour scheme was nice, and the bed was very comfortable. So, for cleanliness, I will award a 7; everything you interact with is clean, but the furniture needs some tender loving care.
As for amenities, there weren’t any lobby freebies, but everything you needed for a walk-in stay was provided, and no doubt extras could be ordered via telephone or TV. For this category, I give another 7 for a new total of 27. The room had everything you needed and was comfortable. As is tradition, I arrived far too late to try anything on the menu, so a score of 5 will be awarded for a total of 32.
In the newest category of bath size, I award a 6, as the bath was very small; there wasn’t much room, and I ended up deciding not to take a bath, which is my favourite thing to do in a love hotel. So, for overall enjoyment, I will award a 6, taking the score to 44. The room catered for all my needs; the bed was comfy, and the price was reasonable, if a little steep. If you are planning on staying, don’t miss out on checking for any coupons on Couples.JP, as I was able to snag 1500 yen off my total stay. For those who like karaoke, this room has more to offer, so you may overlook the small bath. But for Beccas who love a good-sized bath, as her home has a tiny Japanese cube, this hotel didn’t have much to offer.
Finally, we have the likely-to-return category. This hotel was great for a one-night stay where I arrived very late; it provided everything I needed for a comfortable stay and was close to the heart of the city. However, there are other hotels I would probably try over this one if I returned. Aside from the vibe and the jazz décor outside the rooms, the rooms themselves didn’t feel unique. So overall, I would award a 5 for a final score of 49, which places it in the lower half of our bigger countrywide rankings. If you are in a pinch, this is a great option, should you also snag a coupon. A hotel to bear in mind.
