ANA Holiday Inn Sendai

Rooms and decor

Many guests book the Superior Twin on the 8th floor — 21 sqm at around $92 a night. The look is standard Holiday Inn: navy, cream and white, with two 110×200 cm twin beds, feather pillows and IHG's 200-thread cotton sheets. The 4.5 sqm unit bathroom has a Toto Washlet with a heated seat, a rain shower and a 1.6-metre tub. There's a free mini-bar with two bottles, a kettle with tea and coffee, and 100 Mbps Wi-Fi that holds steady. You get four USB ports and four sockets, plus a 2-metre window looking south over the city. At 21 sqm it reads noticeably bigger than the Metropolitan's 18 sqm.

Food and amenities

The Chef's Table on the 2nd floor is the main event — a Western-and-Japanese dinner buffet at about $26, with Sendai gyutan off the teppanyaki, sushi, tempura, roast beef, sashimi and a chocolate fountain across some 20-plus desserts. It seats 180, a crew of 12 works the floor, and Lavazza coffee is unlimited. Downstairs, Bar Le Plaisir on the 1st floor pours a Sendai Highball for about $8, Sankt Gallen craft beer near $5.50, and a charcuterie board around $19 — light jazz, open 18:00 to 24:00, good for couples or a post-work drink.

Location and getting there

It is a 6-minute, 450-metre walk west from Sendai Station's West Exit along Aoba-dori, where the Loople tram runs past. Closer still, Hirose-dori Subway Station is 2 minutes (150 metres) on foot. From there the Tozai Line reaches Kokusai Center Station in 5 minutes for about $1.80, then it is a 15-minute, 1 km uphill walk to Sendai Castle (Aoba-jo) on its 130-metre hill — home to the Date Masamune statue on horseback in his crescent-moon helmet, with Mt. Zao to the west and the Pacific to the east. Ride back to Aobayama for the Yagiyama Zoological Park (about $3.30), the largest zoo in Tohoku with 100-plus species.

Things to know before booking

This is not a station-adjacent hotel — plan for the 6-minute, 450-metre walk, which matters with luggage. The 12-floor building is 30+ years old and was last renovated in 2019, so it is well-kept rather than brand-new. And breakfast is not included: the Chef's Table buffet adds about $19 per person, though the $17 set lunch is the better-value way to try the same kitchen.

Our take

ANA Holiday Inn Sendai is a smart pick for IHG and ANA members and business travelers — 21 sqm rooms, the Chef's Table buffet, a 2-minute walk to Hirose-dori Subway, and points on every stay. The 8.5/10 from 2,800+ reviews backs it up, and from about $89 it earns its 4 stars. It is our #5 for anyone who books IHG often and wants a dependable Tohoku base.