Hiroshima & Miyajima Family Hotels: A World Heritage Island and Seaside Roads

When thinking about a family-friendly place to stay in Hiroshima, the first fork in the road is usually whether to stay on Miyajima or in central Hiroshima. Miyajima draws mostly day-trippers, so once they've headed home in the evening, overnight guests get the privilege of strolling the approach to the shrine and the Great Torii Gate as just their family, with the crowds gone.

Of the 24 hotels listed on this site, 17 have Japanese-style or Japanese/Western-style rooms — a notably high share of tatami rooms even by national standards, which suits families with a crawling baby or those who prefer to co-sleep on a futon. 8 properties also have a bath in the room, so you can bathe with your child without worry before they're ready for a communal bath.

On Miyajima, long-established properties like Miyajima no Yado Iwaso and Miyajima Shioyu Onsen Kinsuikan welcome families with children. In Rakuten Travel reviews, the island tends to come up in the context of a one-night, two-day family trip that combines a stroll around the island meeting the local deer with a visit to the Miyajima Aquarium (Miyajima Marine).

On the city side, large hotels such as the Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima serve as a base, and it's easy to build an itinerary with some learning built in for elementary-school kids, combining time at the Peace Memorial Park with visits to Hiroshima Castle and the Hiroshima City Children's Culture and Science Museum.

Travel farther east and you'll find Onomichi, a town of sloped streets and cats; Tomonoura, which still carries the atmosphere of an Edo-era port town; and the lemon-growing island of Setoda, leading into the Shimanami Kaido area. Cycling across the islands of the Seto Inland Sea makes for a perfect memory-making trip for families with elementary-school-age kids or older.