Hotel Forza Nagasaki

Rooms and decor

The appeal of Hotel Forza Nagasaki starts with how new and well kept it is. The building opened in 2018, so everything still feels fresh. The roughly 200 rooms are done in a warm Japanese-modern style, with wood headboards, soft-toned carpet and blackout curtains that seal out the light for an easy night's sleep. Bathrooms are clean and modern, most with a rain shower and a bathtub that many guests love for soaking out tired legs after a day of shopping and sightseeing. The Forza beds are soft, the kind people sleep well on from the first night. Rooms are not as big as the international chains, in line with the Japanese hotel scale that uses space efficiently, but they are laid out well and everything works. Higher floors on the outer side of the arcade catch city and skyline views, so ask for one when you book. Plenty of reviews call this great value for a new 4-star starting around $63, with some saying the quality matches the Hilton at less than half the price.

Food and amenities

On site there is a restaurant and a bar, open mornings and evenings, serving Japanese and Western food in a modern setting. The breakfast buffet covers local Japanese and Western dishes reasonably well, not as wide a spread as bigger hotels like the Hilton or ANA Crowne Plaza, but solid for the price. What really makes this location is the Hamanomachi Arcade all around the hotel, packed with restaurants, cafes, sweet shops and a supermarket. Try Tsuru Chan in the arcade, the place that invented Turkish Rice, a Nagasaki fusion dish, over 100 years ago, less than a 5-minute walk away, along with ramen shops and plenty of other local spots at friendly prices. Inside Hotel Forza there is a small fitness room for anyone who wants to work out mid-trip, plus free Wi-Fi throughout. There is no onsen, spa or executive lounge, so if you want the full package look at the Dormy Inn near the station.

Location and getting there

The hotel sits in the heart of the Hamanomachi Arcade, the city's main covered shopping street. The Line 1 tram stop, Kanko-dori Station, is right out front, less than a 1-minute walk, so you can ride to every district with ease. Chinatown is just 5 minutes on foot, one of the closest hotels to Chinatown on this list, great if you want to walk over for real champon and sara udon or catch the Lantern Festival in February. Dejima is 8 minutes away and Shianbashi 5 minutes, putting almost every central sight within walking range. The Line 1 tram reaches JR Nagasaki Station in about 10 minutes (3 stops), and Glover Garden and Oura Church in about 15 minutes (5 stops). For Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum on the north side, take the Line 1 tram to JR Nagasaki Station and change to a bus, or ride the tram on to the Hamaguchimachi stop, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First is the distance from JR Station, about 10 to 15 minutes by tram (3 stops). If you arrive from another city by Shinkansen, you have to wheel your bags onto a tram. With heavy luggage or small kids, take a taxi from the station for around $5 to $6. Second, the on-site facilities are limited: no onsen, spa or executive lounge, just a restaurant, a bar and a fitness room. If you want a fuller experience like the Dormy Inn (with its onsen) or the Marriott (with a lounge), you may feel something is missing. Third is room size, which is not as generous as the international chains because it follows the space-efficient Japanese hotel scale. If you expect a big suite, upgrade to a Twin or Deluxe. Last is arcade noise: street-facing rooms may catch sounds from the shops and foot traffic in the evening, though it is quiet after 9 pm. Asking for a high floor is your best move.

Our take

After reading through plenty of real guest reviews, Hotel Forza Nagasaki sells "new in 2018, central in the Hamanomachi Arcade, a short walk to the tram and Chinatown, quieter than Shianbashi, and good value" convincingly. If the trip in your head is staying in the center, shopping and eating all day without taking a ride, walking over for champon in Chinatown or Turkish Rice at Tsuru Chan in the evening, then coming back to a fresh clean room, this is the strongest mid-budget option in town. It suits mid-budget travelers, couples, families and shoppers who value newness and location. But if the heart of your trip is a natural onsen, or you want an easy arrival from the Shinkansen, look at the Dormy Inn, Marriott or Hilton next to the station. Overall we give it 8.7/10 for the best mix of location and value in the city center.