Hagi accommodation

Hi,
Does anyone know any hidden gems of accommodation in Hagi city? Stayed at Tomoe ryokan once before so looking for a change this time. Would appreciate any help. Thanks.

I stayed at the Royal Intelligent Hotel a few years ago and got a big kick out of it, although it probably isn't what you had in mind. Basically it's a budget-level business hotel in terms of the type of hotel; what makes it special is that it has some really kitschy art (I mean, REALLY kitschy) in places (along with some standard art), and some sort of interesting/funny items (games and such) in the rooms. I thought whoever furnished it must have been an art lover with a sense of humor and an interesting mind, and for me it was memorable and unique. Furthermore, it was really cheap for the room size, and came with a modest but decent breakfast (with some interesting art in the breakfast area).

That said, it isn't very well situated for exploring Hagi. It is close to a JR station, but not the one you really want, and there are very few places to shop and eat in the area near the hotel. Furthermore, it can be a little hard to negotiate the reservation and check-in process if you don't speak Japanese, and the front desk is not staffed late at night or in the morning. I've seen (mixed) English reviews on TripAdvisor, so it must be possible to book and stay there without speaking Japanese, but when I stayed there all contacts were in Japanese and it struck me as not being particularly geared toward foreigners.

I mention it mainly because in a sense it is a hidden gem, but it's not for everyone. If you really love quirky and tacky things, it might be worth a look, though. It's about as different from Tomoe Ryokan as you can get...

Many thanks for that. I'd already noted this hotel. As you say, it has its down sides but I'll definitely take another look now.

On the same trip I stayed one night at Hagi Ichirin (it was our splurge hotel), and it was very nice (we had a room with a private hot tub on the deck, and I enjoyed watching the fishing boats in the early morning). To be honest, it wasn't as memorable as the Royal Intelligent, but it was much fancier, and I can recommend it if you are looking for something more conventional and conveniently located. I wouldn't call it a hidden gem but it had an amazing breakfast (Japanese style) and was very comfortable.

Thanks again for your help. I'll check this one out too.