Hotel Route-Inn Gotemba Ekinan

A 4-minute walk from JR Gotemba Station, convenient for sightseeing

Hotel Route-Inn Gotemba Ekinan is a business hotel close to the station, about a 4-minute walk (roughly 300 m) from Gotemba Station on the JR Gotemba Line. It is also easy to reach by car from the Gotemba Interchange on the Tomei Expressway, making it a good base for family trips out to Gotemba Premium Outlets and the leisure spots around Mount Fuji. On clear days you can see Mount Fuji itself, something only Gotemba offers. Check-in is at 3 p.m. and checkout at 10 a.m. Its Rakuten Travel rating is 4.11 out of 5 (1,177 reviews), a steady score across a large number of reviews, and guests value the straightforward combination of a location near the station, a communal bath and a free breakfast. It suits families who plan to enjoy their sightseeing out and about and treat the hotel simply as a place to bathe and sleep.

An artificial hot spring communal bath to soothe travel-weary bodies

The hotel has an artificial hot spring communal bath, free for staying guests. It is open from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. the next morning and from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. Most guest rooms are business-hotel style with an en-suite bathroom, so a communal bath where you can stretch out your legs is a welcome feature on a stay with children. Nothing is published about bath items such as a baby bath or a baby chair being available to borrow, so please contact the hotel directly when you book if you need them. Whether children who are not yet out of diapers may use the communal bath is not stated either, so it is worth asking about that at the same time.

A free Japanese-Western buffet breakfast with more than 30 items

The buffet breakfast is Route-Inn's signature service, with a Japanese and Western spread of more than 30 items, free for staying guests. The selection works whether you prefer rice, bread or something light, and families will find dishes that are easy for children to eat. Being able to sit down together in the breakfast restaurant, eat properly and then head straight out sightseeing is one of the strengths of a business hotel near the station.

Free Wi-Fi and WOWOW in every room, with Tempacy mattresses

The guest rooms are designed mainly with business travelers in mind, and every room comes with free Wi-Fi and free WOWOW viewing. Every bed uses a Tempacy mattress for a more comfortable night's sleep. There is a 24-hour front desk and a coin laundry, which helps on longer stays or when laundry suddenly becomes necessary with children in tow. Nothing is published about whether cribs, baby futons or similar items can be borrowed, so the surest approach is to check with the hotel in advance about anything you need.

Staying here with children

Co-sleeping is free for children under school age and 2,000 yen including tax for elementary school children. Both charges apply only when the number of guests exceeds the room's capacity; within capacity, nothing is added. Parking for 52 cars is free, on a first-come, first-served basis. It is a hotel that lets you build a good-value, easy-to-manage Gotemba stay: play at the outlets and around Mount Fuji, soak in the communal bath after check-in, enjoy the free buffet the next morning, and move on easily by train or by car from a location right by the station. Checkout is fairly early at 10 a.m., so it is a good idea to leave yourself some room in the morning.