Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima

Rooms and decor

The Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima is a 13-floor light-brown building in the Naka ward, close to the Hondori shopping district. The thing reviewers agree on is the rooms, which are bigger than the usual Japanese business hotel. The Moderate Double runs 23 sqm — about 40% larger than the standard 16 sqm — with a 140 cm double bed, a large work desk, a brown lounge chair, a fridge, a coffee maker and a big vanity mirror. The bathroom is a unit bath with a Toto Washlet and a rain shower, clean and current. There is enough floor space here that it doesn't feel tight, which makes it genuinely workable for multiple nights — unlike business rooms that only give you room to walk past the bed. Bedding is Daiwa House quality with good linens. The hotel opened in 2009 and the look is modern minimalist, plain rather than fancy, and staff speak basic English.

Food and amenities

Breakfast is a buffet at the Garden Restaurant on the first floor for about $12, with a Hiroshima okonomiyaki station cooked in front of you, anago-meshi (conger eel rice), salad, fresh fruit and fresh bread — better than you'd expect at the price. Beyond breakfast the building keeps it simple: one restaurant, free Wi-Fi and a 24-hour front desk. For dinner most guests just walk out — it is 8 minutes to Okonomimura, a 4-floor okonomiyaki complex with 25 shops. Pick Hassei on the third floor: the Hiroshima okonomiyaki runs about $8, layered with noodles, vegetables and egg under Otafuku sauce, and it is markedly better than most.

Location and getting there

The hotel sits dead-center in Naka by the Hondori shopping arcade — a 5-minute walk covers the 600 m to the glass-roofed mall, which keeps the rain off and packs in restaurants, souvenir shops, a Don Quijote and ATMs. The Peace Memorial Park is a 10-minute walk (800 m) along Hondori, so it is very easy to reach. From JR Hiroshima Station, take Hiroden tram #8 about 14 minutes (around $1.50), get off at Tokaichi-machi, and walk another 100 m. For a day trip to Miyajima, guests take Hiroden tram #2 from outside the hotel to Genbaku Dome-mae in 4 minutes, switch to the JR Sanyo Line at Yokogawa for 25 minutes to Miyajimaguchi, then a 10-minute ferry — about 50 minutes all in.

Things to know before booking

This is a no-frills business hotel, so there is no Sky Lounge or onsen like the Mitsui Garden higher up the list — the facilities are basic. It also sits 2.3 km from JR Hiroshima Station, which means a tram ride in and out rather than a walk straight from the platform. And there is only one restaurant in the building, so any dinner beyond breakfast means heading out into the neighborhood. None of that is a dealbreaker given the price — just go in knowing it trades amenities for space and value.

Our take

The Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima is the best-value option here for solo travelers and business guests who want a roomier base without paying more — the 23 sqm rooms are bigger than the usual business hotel, it is dead-central near Hondori, and it is a 10-minute walk to Peace Park. It scores 8.7/10 and starts around $69, the best value in the group, and it lands best for working travelers, small families and budget-minded visitors using Hiroshima as a 2-night base.