Travel restrictions will eventually ease, so I thought I might as well start bit-by-bit preparation for meine Urlaub, having discarded plans and brouchures last year as the pandemic showed no signs of letting up even when Summer arrived.
Here's starting with a list of hotels I stayed at and wrote about (I think there could be more of the hotels which I didn't write about), in the event I can visit the areas again, I won't have to search for a new hotel in the vicinity.
Armenia
Tsaghkadzor Marriot Hotel | Not likely to re-visit Tsaghkadzor in the near future, and not likely to stay here again if I re-visit. The room and bathroom are huge and nice, I just can't get used to just only having the heater function even in Autumn. And while the room is bright in the day, the lamps are too little and too dark for me at night.
Double Tree by Hilton Yerevan | If I'm to lazy to search for another hotel in Yerevan, I would just return to this reliable hotel.
Azerbaijan
Marxal Resort and Spa, Sheki | Not likely to revisit Sheki in the near future, yet I must say that this hotel is really worth looking forward to.
Pullman Baku | Not likely to revisit Baku in the near future, yet if I do, I would stay in this hotel again.
Bhutan
Metta Resort & Spa |Really homey hotel, and the female owner is really really friendly and goes the extra extra mile for you if you are from Malaysia. She would offer to cook malaysian dishes that are off-the-menu in case you've had enough of chilli cheese and red rice.
Rinchenling Lodge | Not likely to revisit Bumthang in the near future. The log cabin is interesting, however I wished there is a heater in the bathroom - bathing without a heater during winters in Bumthang requires much courage.
Hotel Lobesa | Not likely to revisit Punakha in the near future, and I thought the room and bathroom are simply waaaaay toooo big. I could literally turn a few consecutive cartwheels from one room to another without hitting any furniture. I thought the room in this boutique hotel is the biggest ever for two persons, but a hotel I saw on Youtube in Iraq had a shockingly bigger room for two persons.
Hotel Norbuling| Decent hotel, yet I might try other hotels in Thimpu.
Georgia
Ramada Encore Tbilisi | If I'm too lazy to search for another hotel, I'll stay here again if I'm in Tbilisi. The cheery cushions makes the slightly small room happier.
Iceland
Foss Hotel | I might want to try other hotels in Iceland with larger beds! I always appreciated the heater bathroom floor though.
Japan
Hokkaido
Hotel WBF Northgate | This hotel is very conveniently located near Sapporo eki, but I think I'll try a different hotel the next time I'm in Sapporo, at least a newer hotel with mixer taps in the bathroom, and less dated furniture.
Four Points by Sheraton Hakodate | Conveniently located, bright airy rooms and bathroom and great buffet breakfast. If I return to Hakodate, I will stay here again.
Aomori
Iwate
Miyagi
Akita
Yamagata
Fukushima
Tochigi
Gunma
Ibaraki
Saitama
Chiba
Tokyo
Park Royal Hotel THE Haneda | For the sheer convenience, I will stay here if I arrive after 4pm or depart before 8am from Haneda or if I'm too lazy to travel into Shinagawa to stay at my usual hotel(s) before resuming my travel the following morning. There is also plenty of food options elsewhere in Haneda if I decide not to eat dinner or breakfast at the hotel.
The Strings by Intercontinental| This is just what I expect from an Intercontinental and I stay here if I can clear customs quick enough at Haneda. I like the bookshop downstairs and it opens early enough.
Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa| Stayed here once when I didn't manage to book a room at the usual hotel I stay at. As expected of a large full service hotel, rooms are big and good. I just felt the trek from Shinagawa station was a little challenging, especially when the mercury plunged and there was rain the day I stayed there. And because it is a large full service hotel, it accepted large tour groups too. I was so stunned by the loud chatter from a large group of foreign tourists when I stayed there that the duty manager saw my stunned face and assured me that my room would be quiet.
Keikyu EX Hotel Shinagawa| This was my go-to hotel when when I land reasonably early or have to depart at a reasonably earlier time from Haneda. Unfortunately, the hotel closed in Apr this year and Shinagawa Goos would be demolished and the site redeveloped. Location was great and rooms were reasonably large and the buffet breakfast was above average too. I always get a room facing the train station, which was a treat when I was able to watch the Tokyo Marathon from my room once. Where am I going to stay when I need to fly out from Haneda now?
Kanagawa
Toyoko Inn Yokohama Kannai| Decided to stay overnight in Yokohama on a whim, and luckily managed to snag a room here. Booking a room so last minute cost more, expectedly. The rooms of the Toyoko Inn chain are frills-free and fuss-free and suitable if the room budget is modest. This chain is also very popular with foreign tourists on free-and-easy, so I've stopped staying at this chain.
Yamanashi
Nagano
Niigata
Toyama
Ishikawa
AB Hotel Kanazawa| Convenient location and reasonably sized rooms. I would return to this hotel if I return to Kanazawa. It is on the quieter exit of the Kanazawa eki, so it feels more peaceful.
Fukui
Shizuoka
Hotel Sunmi Club Bekkan| This hotel is about 10mins' walk from Atami eki, and is a rectangularish building in front of the Atami Beach Line. I think all rooms get the ocean view, together with a few ofuros. Furniture is a little dated, though. The restaurant serves above average Japanese cuisine, and was so packed for dinner that there were multiple seatings. Many of the customers I did not see at breakfast the following morning, I suppose they stayed at other inns and only came over for dinner. Staff was also friendly, and made sure I had enough rice, soup and tea, on top of the mini kaiseki I ordered for dinner. Atami is a nice place for me, yet I might want to try out other hotels if I return.
Gifu
Aichi
Mie
Shiga
Kyoto
Hotel Hokka Club Kyoto| Conveniently located, yet I might try other hotels if I have a bigger budget for rooms.
Hyatt Regency Kyoto| Would definitely stay here again if I have a bigger budget for rooms. This is so far the only international chain hotel that seemed to make the effort to give their guests a Japanese experience in the rooms and buffet breakfast. Despite having stayed at other international chains, this is the only Hyatt where the buffet breakfast staff went around with freshly-baked croissants for guests and even offered to change the uneaten one on my plate for the freshly-baked one.
Osaka
Hotel Granvia Osaka | Location is really convenient, but I would need to pick a larger room if I were to stay here again.
Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport | The place to stay if I arrive after 4pm or depart before 8am from Kansai. Rooms are big and airy and I like the toiletries offered here.
APA Hotel Namba Shinsaibashi| I think the big beds are too big for the rooms in APA hotels. Location-wise, hotels in the APA chain are usually more than decent in popular areas, although I noticed they tend to be located in the back alleys, so it might be a good idea to check-in before it gets dark. Not because it is unsafe, but because it is easier to find the entrance of the hotel. I remember walking up and down that alley and eventually asking a passerby if I was on the right alley - I was told to walk back slowly because the entrance was kinda dark when it gets dark.
Remm Shin Osaka| Conveniently located and reliable hotel. Room and bathroom are stylish too with plenty of USB points, although a little small. Plenty of food options at the Shin Osaka eki as well, so there is no need to eat at the hotel.
Via Inn Shin Osaka| This is a slightly cheaper option than Remm Shin Osaka, and a short walk from the Shin Osaka eki. Via Inn is one of the chains that I usually stay at, so I know the room, bathroom and breakfast are usually decent and reliable. If I don't have much time to check out other hotels, I would usually book with Via Inn.
Toyoko Inn Osaka Shinsaibashi-nishi| This hotel is near the Yotsubashi eki, and I stayed here the first one I was in Osaka because it was kinda walkable from OCAT and near enough to AmericaMura and Shinsaibashi. I'm not likely to stay around Yotsubashi eki nowadays.
Hyogo
Nara
Wakayama
Tottori
Shimane
Okayama
Via Inn Okayama| Conveniently located and reliable hotel. The free breakfast is not too bad too. Would stay here again.
Mitsui Garden Okayama| I would prefer to stay here over Via Inn Okayama when I have a bigger budget for room. It is however troublesome to get to this hotel from the station when it rains.
Hiroshima
Yamaguchi
Tokushima
Kagawa
Ehime
Kochi
Fukuoka
MyHomeStays Fukuoka Tenjin| Decent hotel a little off the main thoroughfare though.
Hyatt Regency Fukuoka| Most likely I would stay at other hotels in Fukuoka.
ANA Intercontinental| This is what I expected of an Intercontinental hotel, so can't say that I was impressed by it, as compared to lesser chains.
Hotel Sunroute Hakata| There are plenty of hotels near Hakata stations, so I might not stay here again if I have other options.
Hotel Clio Court Hakata| Furnishing is slightly dated but the staff are friendly at this decent hotel. I just don't like the stale cigarette smoke that weaves in because a pachinko is located at level 1 of the building.
Saga
Nagasaki
Kumamoto
Oita
Miyazaki
Kagoshima
Okinawa
GRG Hotel Naha| The furnishing is a bit old-ish, else it is a decent hotel.
Hotel Resonex Nago| Would stay here again if I am in Nago. Great view from the balcony too.
Hotel Yuquista| Decent hotel. If I stay here again, it would be for their one-plate breakfast.
Laos
Silver Naga Hotel| The view of the Nam Song river is awesome! For that view, I would totally stay in this hotel again!
Vasana Plain of Jars Hotel| Not likely to revisit Xieng Khouang in the near future.
Sada Hotel| Pretty nice boutique hotel, except for the odd bathtub.
Malaysia
Sunway Hotel Georgetown| Would definitely stay here again. Located close enough to Georgetown and with plenty of great food options nearby that I never ate at the hotel restaurants. Big rooms too.
Cenang Plaza Beach Hotel | Nice hotel with decent rooms, yet I might try staying at other beaches on Langkawi though.
Ariva Gateway Kuching| Decent hotel, yet I might try other hotels in Kuching.
Myanmar | All the hotels I stayed in Myanmar were beyond my expectations - because I didn't know what to expect from a country that was previously so closed off to the world. I would gladly stay at all these hotels again.
The Hotel at Tharabar Gate, Old Bagan
Taiwan
Taipei
Taipei Fullerton Hotel Maison North | Big airy room and bathroom with a great buffet breakfast and made-to-order mains. Definitely the place to stay, especially if I need to fly in and out from Songshan.
神旺大饭店| Would stay here again if I don't need to fly in and out from Songshan.
Taichung
Chance Hotel| Location is convenient, and the reception staff is friendly too. Might stay here again if I'm too lazy to search for another hotel.
Kaoshiung
Hotel Sunshine | Nice big rooms and bathroom with more than decent buffet breakfast, needs a little walking from the nearest subway station and that could be a minus point in the sweltering summer heat.
Simple Life Hotel| Basic decent hotel, yet I might try other hotels if I'm in the area again.
Pintung
微米文旅 | Really decent hotel conveniently located with good buffet breakfast.
Offshore Islands
丫乐的家里 | Interesting experience to stay in a 番仔厝 - wished there was a heater in the room for winter though.
Tunisia
Hotel Diar El Barbar | I'm not in a hurry to revisit the area anytime soon, and the unheated bathroom makes washing in winter a real challenge.
Hotel La Kasbah Kairouan | If I get the chance to visit Kairouan again, I'd be quite interested to stay here again, and make sure I arrive during daylight to check out this interesting hotel modified from a Kasbah.
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