We are not the target clientele for a Love Hotel as we use it for a night’s stay with sleep as a high priority. We were glad of a quiet space with a huge and comfortable bed as we were exhausted from our tough ride. The real money is made in short stays. For travellers like us, it is a bargain, we get a regular stay and it is always interesting. A few unique facets of a stay here is that in order to leave your room, you call down and they unlock your room remotely. Also, check in can be really late. This one was not too bad at 7 pm, but we have seen some where check in is as late as 11 pm or midnight. We got the idea of staying at Love Hotels from other cyclists as there is always a private garage for your bikes, and if you are on a long distance trip, the price helps the budget.
No, we are not in prison. Love Hotels are all about privacy. They serve breakfast at an arranged time, the doorbell rings and like magic, breakfast is served through this small opening in the door.
Our breakfast….corn soup, miso soup, egg stir fry on rice 👍, B’s mystery bun, juice and coffee. Surprisingly good, except for the spam in Mary Ellen’s egg dish.
The bathroom has a traditional Japanese approach with a handheld shower area for cleansing and then a hot soak in the tub. The jets felt really good on our tired legs and the flashing lights were a nice touch!
Privacy for each car, including our trikes on the far right. Another Love Hotel we stayed at had a private garage for each room with access to your room up a staircase in the garage…complete privacy.You can see the terrain is unforgiving for cyclists on this stretch. At times we are in the valley, but most of the day we are riding monster hills, up and up, then down.
Thank goodness we were able to get one of the three non-smoking rooms. It was good we got the room on the 4th floor as the view from our balcony was very good.
Chapel Coconuts is advertised as a resort experience. All the tropical trappings were there but it felt more like winter when we were there. Wanted to mention that the staff are great and offer great service.
Barry broke his front tooth yesterday….luckily he was able to find the large part of the tooth that broke away. Our mission today is to find a dentist if we can. Good luck is with us, a few km past the Love Hotel we saw a dental clinic, pulled in and they agreed to take him. No waiting….straight into the chair. He emerged with a new tooth and an improved smile.
I had some time to put in waiting for Barry. Homes, businesses, hotels always have shelving at the door so that you take off your shoes and wear the provided slippers while inside. I liked that they provided kids with cute slippers to distract them while at the dentist.
Barry’s dentist cheerfully took him on and had the job done in no time. Barry was shocked when he paid the bill. It was 2000¥ ($18). At first he thought it was $200, converting it wrong. The dentist insisted that this was all he would accept. Remarkable.
We love rural areas in Japan. Their farming practices are interesting and very reliant on hands on labour. Due to the hilly terrain, terraced beds reinforced with rock walls are a common sight.
In Japan, everything can be, and is, animated with a happy face. It seems that marathon runner, potato man is getting the best of the red faced carrots.
In Japan, we see many fences like this. It is very clever. When you look at it directly, you just see dots of colour. But as you approach, the image appears.
This was the funniest experience of the day. We had been riding through difficult terrain and really wanted a break….a sweet break that is. I misunderstood what this shop was, thought it was a bakery. It turns out they make products with fish and the texture is very dense and spongy. Once we were inside, we felt we had to buy something as the complete staff came out to watch us, very excited. Two of them stayed with us the whole time. These are what we bought….plus they gave us hand sanitizer, as the girl kept saying to us….it’s zero (free!). As we rode off, the staff were smiling and waving at the window. Based on their reaction to us, we figure that few foreigners venture into this business
We have arrived at our hotel in Nagasaki, Hotel Concerto. It is a special place with art deco stained glass and old world charm. Our trikes have been given a very nice place to be during our stay. Christmas decorations are lovely here.
It is hard to believe that our ride today was only 32 km. We were unprepared for just how challenging it would be..continuous monster climbs and a heavy headwind. As well, we had to ride into the city at rush hour. At one point, Barry and I had to ride side by side, taking up a lane to ensure our safety. It was a rough introduction to Nagasaki, but once we reached our hotel, the struggles of the day were put aside and we enjoyed being in our comfortable room…our home for the next two nights.
Today's ride: 32 km (20 miles) Total: 1,335 km (829 miles)
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Rich FrasierWhat a day! Love Hotel to the dentist, a new tooth, and over hill and dale into Nagasaki. You two are cycling heros! Reply to this comment 6 months ago
6 months ago