Richmond Hotel Yokohama Ekimae

Richmond Hotel Yokohama Ekimae is a modern city hotel placed near Yokohama Station, the busiest transport hub in the prefecture. The word ekimae in the name simply means in front of the station, and that is the point of the hotel: it is a clean, calm and efficient base for travellers who care more about connections than about a harbor view. Rooms are compact in the usual Japanese business-hotel style, with a comfortable bed, a desk, a private bathroom and the small conveniences that make a short stay easy. It sits in the middle of the price range, below the harbor-front hotels and above the budget chains, and it is popular with solo travellers, couples on a rail itinerary and visitors flying in or out of Haneda.

Yokohama Station is where the JR Tokaido, Yokosuka and Keihin-Tohoku lines meet the Tokyu, Keikyu, Sotetsu and Minatomirai lines, with department stores and underground malls spread around it. Staying nearby means you can reach Tokyo in about half an hour, Kamakura in roughly the same time on the Yokosuka line, and Haneda Airport on the Keikyu line in around thirty minutes. The Shinkansen stops at Shin-Yokohama, one stop away by JR, which is useful for travellers continuing to Kyoto or Nagoya.

The station area is not the postcard part of Yokohama, but it is far from dull. Shopping complexes, ramen counters, izakaya streets and a large cluster of cafes mean you can eat well within a few minutes of the hotel. For the harbor scenery, take the Minatomirai line two stops or walk along the canal-side path toward Sakuragicho; the trip to the Ferris wheel and the Red Brick Warehouse takes about fifteen to twenty minutes door to door.

Rooms in this category are designed for efficiency, so expect a compact layout, a unit bath and a good night of sleep rather than lounge space. Light sleepers should ask for a room away from the station side, and travellers with large suitcases should check the room type before booking, since the smaller singles are tight. Family rooms and twin rooms exist in many hotels of this kind, so confirm availability if you are travelling with children.

This hotel suits business travellers, rail enthusiasts and anyone who wants to save money for restaurants and sightseeing. It does not suit travellers who want resort-style facilities, a pool or a room with a view, in which case the Minato Mirai hotels are a better fit. Check when you book whether breakfast is included, whether there is a luggage storage service, and what the cancellation terms are for your dates.