Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima

Rooms and decor

The Deluxe Twin runs 30 sqm, and on floor 28 facing North you get Hiroshima Castle sitting dark and clear in the window frame, Mt. Misen in the distance, and the Setouchi Sea on a clear day — the kind of view that earns the title of tallest tower in the city. The twin beds run 100 cm wide, firm but soft enough, dressed in good Rihga Royal linen. The bathroom is standard Japanese size with a unit bath and a Toto Washlet, and there's a fridge, a coffee maker, and matcha green tea. The decor is classic cream and gold — easy on the eyes, if firmly of an earlier era.

Food and amenities

The heart of the Rihga is its 6 restaurants — French La Reine up on the 33rd floor, Chinese Phoenix, Japanese Sasaki, the Park Cafe buffet, Sky Lounge Symphony, and Bar Lyzard. Head up for the Set Lunch at La Reine, around $30, where the 33-story height lays the whole city out beneath you over classic French plates of foie gras and Hiroshima oysters. For amenities, the 20-meter indoor pool on floor 4 comes with a sauna and jacuzzi, though it carries a fee of about $14 per visit. For dinner, plenty of guests walk the 8 minutes to Okonomimura, a 4-floor building packed with 25 okonomiyaki stalls to pick from.

Location and getting there

The Rihga sits right in the center, which is its strongest card. From JR Hiroshima Station you take Hiroden tram line 1 for roughly 10 minutes ($1.50), get off at Kamiyacho-nishi, and walk another 50 m. From the door it's a 6-minute walk (500 m) over Aioi Bridge to Peace Memorial Park — closer than the Sheraton or Hilton — putting the Atomic Bomb Dome within easy reach early in the day before the crowds build. The Hondori Shopping Arcade is just 3 minutes away, a 600 m glass-roofed pedestrian street lined with restaurants, souvenir shops, a Don Quijote, and ATMs. Hiroshima Castle is a 15-minute walk and Shukkeien Garden 12 minutes — all of it on foot, no tram required.

Things to know before booking

The building opened in 1994, so this is not a brand-new hotel — the decor is dated and the elevators are old, even though they still work fine. The indoor pool is not free; budget about $14 per visit unless you buy a multi-day pass. And it sits 2 km from JR Hiroshima Station, so if you arrive by Shinkansen you'll want the tram rather than dragging bags on foot. None of these are dealbreakers, but they're the trade-offs against the newer towers near the station.

Our take

Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima is a strong pick for couples and families who want a central base with views from a high floor. It's the tallest tower in Hiroshima at 33 stories, with the castle and Mt. Misen out the window, a 6-minute walk to Peace Park, and 3 minutes to Hondori. The score lands at 8.7/10, and from about $114 a night it works out cheaper than the Sheraton or Hilton for anyone who'd rather walk than ride — a solid 3-day base for seeing Hiroshima on foot.