ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima by IHG

The ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima by IHG is a 22-floor brown tower on Peace Boulevard, the city's prettiest tree-lined avenue, and one of the hotels sitting closest to Peace Memorial Park. From JR Hiroshima Station, take the Hiroden tram line 1 for about 8 minutes (around $1.50), get off at the Fukuromachi stop, and walk another 30 m. It opened in 1995, blending classic decor with Japanese hospitality and ANA airline service, the staff speak fluent English, and real guests give it about 8.9/10.

Rooms and decor

The Deluxe King runs 26 sqm; on floor 19, West side, the window frames the Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Park clearly, and in the evening the lit-up Dome is a genuinely lovely view. The Crowne Sleep Advantage King bed measures 200 by 200 cm and lands soft-but-firm, while the bathroom is a standard Japanese unit bath with a Toto Washlet. Come evening, head up to Bar Cielo on floor 22 for 360-degree views across the whole city, Mt. Misen, and the castle; the Hiroshima Lemon Mojito runs about $10 and uses real Setouchi lemons, poured by a fluent-English bartender.

Food and amenities

For dinner, guests eat at Unkai, the Japanese restaurant, where the set dinner is about $44 — dim sum, sashimi, Hiroshima oysters, and Wagyu steak at a Michelin-level standard. Breakfast is a buffet at about $16, with a live Hiroshima okonomiyaki station and anago-meshi (conger eel rice) that's well worth it — and free for IHG Platinum members. There are 5 restaurants in all, including teppanyaki and the Chinese restaurant Hokushin.

Location and getting there

The heart of the ANA Crowne Plaza is its location — a 5-minute walk (400 m) to Peace Memorial Park, the closest of any 5-star hotel. Walk over before 9 a.m. and you'll pass the Atomic Bomb Dome, the Children's Peace Monument (Sadako and the 1,000 cranes), the Cenotaph, and the Peace Flame. Entry to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is about $1.50 and takes around 2 hours; the core of the museum is deeply affecting, so steady yourself before going in, and the English audio guide (about $3.50) makes the history land far harder. For Miyajima, take Hiroden tram line 2 from in front of the hotel to Genbaku Dome-mae in 3 minutes, then transfer to the JR Sanyo Line at Yokogawa for the 25-minute ride to Miyajimaguchi.

Things to know before booking

This is a 1995 building, so the bones and decor read classic rather than new. It sits 1.8 km from JR Hiroshima Station, meaning you'll lean on the tram or a taxi to reach the Shinkansen rather than walking. And the standard 26 sqm rooms, while comfortable, come in smaller than the equivalents at the Sheraton or Hilton in town.

Our take

The ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima is a strong pick for anyone who wants to walk to Peace Memorial Park every morning — a 5-minute stroll, the IHG and ANA brand, Bar Cielo on floor 22, and rates from about $100 that undercut the other 5-star options. It scores 8.9/10 across 120+ reviews and fits couples and travelers using Hiroshima as a 2-to-3-day base for Peace Park and Miyajima, more than a Shinkansen business trip.