Highway Hotel RestInn Tokinosumika

It's been a while since I've stayed at this hotel, and I'm not sure I'll ever stay there again. It's like a training camp. This was the only place available, so maybe it's my fault for booking without doing my research. This isn't a business hotel, but a boarding house for highway users. The large public bath is shared with highway service area users, so it's not prioritized for guests. You have to call the front desk to confirm availability before using it. You also have to leave your slippers or shoes in the shoe locker and get a locker key, which is quite a hassle. It's completely different from the image of a large public bath you often find in business hotels. Well, it's like a local public bath, so it's used by an unspecified number of people... I thought it would be a reliable hotel because it's part of the Tokinosumika chain, but the front desk service was terrible. Even when check-in was busy and I had to wait more than five minutes, no one made me wait, and I was left waiting. A man in his 50s told me in a businesslike manner, "It can't be helped, it's a busy time," which annoyed me. People like this shouldn't be allowed at the front desk. I'm not a service industry employee. All Tokinosumika hotels are old, and the loungewear is so wrinkled and disgusting I can't wear it. The hand and bath towels are really worn out and not white. I've never seen towels or loungewear like that at any of the other chain hotels in Gotemba, and they're all very clean. Think of it like a Showa-era dormitory for transit passengers at a service area. I really don't recommend the service or the facilities. Also, the whole hotel smells of cigarettes. There's no point in having non-smoking rooms.

Our room had a Showa-era feel to it, and I wondered if there really were rooms like the one in the photo. However, ice, a microwave, and food were available at any time within the SA, so it was convenient and not a problem. The carbonated spring in the bath was nice.