Where to stay in Hiroshima: Everything you need to know!
It’s a bit easier to figure out where to stay in Hiroshima than it is in other places in Japan.
But still, not easy enough, I’d say. There are still quite a few neighbourhoods to look through and even more hotels to consider.
That’s why I’ve put together this lovely guide that tells you about the best area to stay in Hiroshima!
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My Top 3 Picks: Where to Stay in Hiroshima
WHERE WE STAYED
BEST HOTEL IN HIROSHIMA
#3 PICK
Should you stay in Hiroshima or Miyajima?
Before we move on to answering the question about the best places to stay in Hiroshima, let’s figure out your options. As you probably know, you can also stay in Miyajima near Hiroshima. And if you didn’t know already, now you do!
When we visited Japan, we stayed in Hiroshima and visited Miyajima on a half a day trip. We liked it this way and preferred to be closer to the Hiroshima Station when moving to the next place on our Japan itinerary. There are tons of hotels in Hiroshima for all budgets.
But if you’d like to enjoy the feel of Miyajima in the evening or explore more of the things that can be done there, such as hiking mount Misen, it would probably be a better idea to stay in Miyajima. Plus, the Itsukushima Shrine looks incredible when it’s lit in the dark hours. Miyajima, though, is a bit more expensive (generally) than Hiroshima, but still, there are many accommodation options.
What is the best area to stay in Hiroshima?
Unlike Tokyo or Kyoto, it’s quite easy to reply to the question “what is the best area to stay in Hiroshima”. It’s definitely the Downtown Hiroshima – the area between the Hiroshima station and the Peace Memorial Park.
Some other places close by include: the area next to the Hiroshima station, and, of course, Miyajima.
Finding good hotels in Hiroshima is really not easy, though, as I found out when writing this article. It’s because there are just so many of them, haha! Each with something special that attracted me. But in the end, I narrowed it down to three choices for each area. Enjoy!
We stayed in EN hotel (Court Hotel Hiroshima at the time) and can recommend it.
EN hotel has a good location – it’s right next to the Kyohashi river and within walking distance to both Hiroshima Station and the Peace Memorial Park and Museum.
It’s a budget hotel, but still, the rooms are nice and clean and the breakfast was very tasty. You get all you need in the room – there’s all the toiletries you need, WIFI, slippers, kettle etc.
If you get a room on the riverside, then the view is quite lovely as well.
Check prices and reviews on Booking.com
Downtown Hiroshima – where to stay in Hiroshima for first time visitors
Downtown Hiroshima is the place that has it all, so to say. You are close to the Hiroshima station, which means good transportation options, and on the other hand – close to the central part of Hiroshima with all the points of interest.
In the Downtown area, you’ll find the Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park and Museum, Hiroshima Castle, and other interesting things most of which are mentioned in our Hiroshima Itinerary as well. And, of course, lots of restaurants, bars, shops, and so on.
As I said, the Hiroshima station gives you the best transportation options in the city. It’s a JR station, so Shinkansen trains run to and from it. It means there’s an easy connection to Kyoto and Osaka, as well as Miyajima and other points of interest.
Things to see and do in Downtown Hiroshima
- Atomic Bomb Dome
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park with all of its interesting things
- Okonomimura – an Okonomiyaki village with some 25 okonomiyaki restaurants
- Hiroshima Castle (Carp Castle)
- Shopping – Hon-Dori pedestrian arcade or Aioi-Dori Avenue, for example
- Food, bars, restaurants – you have it all here
Pros of staying in Downtown Hiroshima
- Everything interesting in Hiroshima city is walking distance away
- You can reach Miyajima conveniently because transport options are close by
- Food and entertainment options are almost unlimited
Cons of staying in Downtown Hiroshima
- It’s the most popular area to stay in, so can get quite crowded
Where to stay in Downtown Hiroshima
Luxury hotel in Downtown Hiroshima – Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima, 4*
Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima is located a 10-minute walk from Peace Park and a 25-minute walk to the Hiroshima station. It’s probably a good idea to use public transportation to get to and from the station. Or a taxi for that matter.
The rooms in this hotel are big and nicely decorated. Of course, the amenities include everything you would like as well.
And the view from the upper levels is amazing!
The facilities include 6 dining rooms and bars, indoor pools, a spa, and a gym.
Check prices and reviews on booking.com
Mid-range option in Central Hiroshima – Candeo Hotels Hiroshima Hatchobori, 4*
I was struggling to decide which mid-range hotel I like better – Candeo Hotels Hiroshima Hatchobori or Hotel Intergate Hiroshima. They both are pretty similar, have similar guest ratings, and both have onsen. In the end, I decided that I prefer Candeo – because it doesn’t have smoking rooms.
If you smoke, Hotel Intergate Hiroshima is quite a good option for you.
So, Candeo Hotels Hiroshima Hatchobori is just 10 minutes on foot from the Peace Memorial Park and 700m from the Shukkeien gardens. Okonomimura is within walking distance as well!
It’s approximately a 15-minute walk from the train station, which is not too bad for walking. So, all in all, quite a good location.
As for the hotel itself, the rooms are nice, light, and modern, albeit a bit on the small side. The higher floors have a nice view. Some rooms even come with a balcony!
As I mentioned already, there’s an onsen, as well as a spa centre. The onsen is on the rooftop, so pretty cool.
Check prices and reviews on booking.com
Budget option in Downtown Hiroshima: Intergate Hiroshima
For the best budget option in Downtown Hiroshima, I chose the Intergate Hiroshima. Honestly, there were quite a few hotels I considered (again, I mentioned already that there are many great hotels in Hiroshima, right?), such as Ouchi Hotel Hatchobori, The Royal Park Hotel Hiroshima Riverside, and some more.
Intergate Hiroshima has a good location – it’s almost midway between the Peace Memorial Park and the station. If you don’t feel like walking, there’s a tram stop very close by. But it’s just 15 minutes by walk to train station, or 20 minutes to Peace Memorial Park. So, it’s better to go for a walk!
Check prices and reviews on booking.com
Around Hiroshima train station – best area to stay in Hiroshima for good transport connections
The Hiroshima station area is, obviously, the best place where to stay in Hiroshima for the greatest transport connections. This is where you go if you take a JR Train from anywhere around Japan to Hiroshima.
By the way, if you want to travel around Japan, we definitely recommend getting a JR Pass and taking the Shinkansen. It’s more cost-efficient and time-efficient than other means of transport in Japan.
The station also ensures excellent connections in Hiroshima itself by tram or by bus. That’s especially convenient if you plan to visit Miyajima, as you save some extra time by not having to transfer.
And even though you stay near the station, there are things to do nearby as well. For example, there is some greenery close by – such as the lovely Shukkeien Garden and the Kyobashi River. Plus, the Hiroshima Prefectural Museum and the Museum of Contemporary art among other things.
The bad thing is, though, that Central Hiroshima with all the main points of interest is approximately 30 minutes walk away or 15 minutes by tram.
As for the food options – there are some in the station area and the station itself, although for most of the best ones, you’ll have to walk or take public transport.
Things to see and do near Hiroshima Station
- Shukkeien Garden
- Kyobashi River
- Hiroshima Prefectural Museum
- Hiroshima Museum of Contemporary Art
- Mazda Zoom-Zoom Baseball stadium
- Hijiyama Park
Pros of staying in the area near Hiroshima station
- Amazing transportation options
- Quite a few things to see and do
- A hotel close to the station means you won’t have to carry your luggage around
Cons of staying in the area near Hiroshima station
- Not really within walking distance to Central Hiroshima and the Peace Memorial Park
- Not too many great restaurants
Where to stay near Hiroshima station
Luxury hotel near Hiroshima station – Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel, 5*
The gorgeous Sheraton Grand Hiroshima hotel with a fitness centre and an indoor swimming pool is located just a minute’s walk away from the Hiroshima Station.
The rooms are quite big, and the uppermost ones have incredible views of the city.
For breakfast, you can choose a Western-style one or a Japanese breakfast. Honestly, I recommend having a Japanese one – you can get Western anywhere in the world.
Check prices and reviews on booking.com
Mid-range option near Hiroshima Station – Hotel Granvia Hiroshima, 4*
Granvia Hiroshima is directly connected to the Hiroshima JR Station, making this a very convenient option for transport.
Even the standard rooms are relatively big (for Japanese standards), and they come with a bathtub and free toiletries, plus other amenities. Massage and fitness centres are available as well. The upper floors have incredible views.
There are 3 restaurants available on site. For breakfast, there’s a Japanese and American breakfast available.
Just as a note: some of the rooms are smoking.
It’s located a 20-minute tram ride away from the Peace Memorial Park and a 10-minute ride from the Mazda Stadium.
Check prices and reviews on booking.com
Budget option near Hiroshima station: APA Hotel Hiroshima-Ekimae Ohashi, 3*
At first, I was planning to put other hotels as the best budget hotels near Hiroshima station – the 4* Nest Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae or the 3* KOKO HOTEL Hiroshima Ekimae.
But!
They all cost pretty much the same, but only APA and KOKO provide breakfast.
And the main reason I made the change – the APA hotel has an onsen!
So APA it is! Because a budget hotel with onsen is awesome.
Note: Keep in mind that during popular visiting times, like when Sakura is in bloom, even the budget options have crazy prices.
The hotel is located a 4-minute walk from the JR station. There’s free wifi and 24h luggage storage available as well. Plus, there’s a microwave on each floor that you can use for free as well.
Check prices and reviews on booking.com
Last thoughts on where to stay in Hiroshima
Here you have, all the best areas where to stay in Hiroshima. Some seem to have almost no downsides, while others have more.
As I stated in the beginning, though, the best place where to stay really depends on your own preferences. For example, although staying in Miyajima seems to have quite a lot of cons, the experience itself would outweigh most of the downsides to me personally.
So, really, you have to decide for yourself what is more important to you.
Which area would you prefer to stay in and why? Let me know in the comments!
