Hotel Reso Grand – snowy Fukui
On the 8th of February, Japan braced itself for a cold front coming down across the Sea of Japan. weather stations were warning people of temperatures at 5000 ft hitting lows of minus 55, and warned people to limit their time outdoors unless necessary. Travel agencies warned travellers to stay alert and limit travelling during this period to avoid being stranded. All in all, Japan braced itself for a day of heavy snow across most prefectures from north to south. My plans for this weekend were kept vague intentionally to allow me to shift hour by hour depending on what happened. It was hard to know how transport would be affected and what the snow coverage in the prefectures I was considering was like. Just because an area gets 10 cms doesn’t mean it will stick. Saga prefecture saw snow up to this, and nothing stuck. Life in Saga on the 8th was just windy and brisk.
As I woke up in Mie and opened the window, I noted a few flakes falling from the sky, but the sun was out and shining happily. As I walked to the bus stop, the flakes got heavier, but the sun refused to leave the sky, meaning nothing was settling. By the time I reached Tsu station, I decided to stick to my original plan of seeing Fukui, this prefecture faces the Sea of Japan and is often known for snowfall. On the 8th, there were warnings for Fukui, which led to several backups being made. But after a three-hour train journey and only half an hour delay in total. I stepped foot into Fukui, a dinosaur lover’s paradise, a fresh blanket of snow had covered the city, and the sight of dinosaurs covered in snow was an amusing one.
My first hotel for Fukui was the Reso Grand, part of a chain that offered many hotel choices in the area. The Reso was a 15-minute walk from the station, which usually wouldn’t have caused any concern. But in the snow, it was a slippery situation. The snow in places was around a foot deep. But the prefecture was ready, and sprinklers across roads and major paths worked hard to combat the snow. The snow made for a surreal walk, and when I arrived at the hotel, the staircase was nothing more than a mound of snow. For the location, I award a score of 7. The surrounding area was devoid of restaurants, but it was a quiet neighbourhood, making for a peaceful night.
For ease of access, the hotel offered an electronic board with a few images that didn’t really show very much. It was clear from the angles that many of the rooms were small, and the baths were also very small. The room wanted upfront payment and only took old notes. For this, I award another 7 for a score of 14.
The hotel offered an amenity bar with a selection of bath salts and beauty products. It offered a selection of warm and cold drinks, too perfect to combat the chill of the snow. The room came with a collection of freebies too, including bath salts, bubble bath and a collection of beauty products. For this, I award an 8 for a score of 22.
The journey had been long, and check-in was earlier, so I was able to try some of the menu. I ordered a steak, steak rice, lava cake and crepe. The food ended up being one of the highlights; the steak was very good, and the hotel states it has a chef. This showed through the food and even the delivery of the food. Dessert was provided after some time had passed. Something I credited Hotel Wow for in Shimane. The food was flavourful, and the menu is very varied, so there is something for everyone. Food was a little pricey and added up, but there are member discounts if you have a card. For food, I award another 7 for a score of 29.
For overall enjoyment, most of my score is going to the freebies and the food; the room itself was very small, but the décor was very nice. I opted for a darker room, even though the space was limited, the room itself felt very cosy. The bath was a little cramped but most Japanese baths area, and the freebies for the bath made for a relaxing time. The bed was cosy and all in all I will award another 7 for a total of 36.
For comfort and cleanliness, even though the room was small, it felt very clean and comfortable. Many of the rooms I stayed in over this trip were on the smaller side, but I felt this hotel handled the lack of space very well. My choice of a darker room also helped with the illusion of space. Things were clean, and the room felt very new. So, for comfort and cleanliness, I award an 8. The new score is 44.
Finally, Fukui doesn’t have the widest collection of hotels, and many of them are clustered in more remote areas. This chain of hotels offers a selection of other locations. But for me, this location is their best, and if I were to stay in Fukui again, I would not be opposed to staying in this hotel again, so for rebooking, I give a 7. For a final score of 51/50.
