Hotel Sankyo turned out to be a lot better than I was expecting! I got a deal on the room for more than 50% off too. It is very centrally located (less than 10 minutes walking from the central station) in Omachi, one of the central districts in Fukushima. It is well connected to just about everywhere in the city through trains and buses. The area it is in is mostly pedestrian as well. On top of its location, the hotel feels almost new. Some other reviews said it was tired and worn out, so it has probably had a renovation recently. The breakfast was also superb, featuring a wide variety of Japanese food and a selection of western cuisine. There was even an entire buffet table just for peaches and peach-flavoured items (fruit, yoghurt, even pizza!) during the summer and early autumn months - coinciding with Fukushima's peach season. The room (I was in a superior single) was very comfortable and spacious. I had enough room for a suitcase and hiking backpack and could still comfortably do cartwheels (if I had wanted to). There are also many amenities provided.

There was nothing not to like, although perhaps soundproofing could be better. A friend of mine stayed in a different hotel room on the road-facing side of the hotel (the front) near the laundry machines. Traffic noises and someone deciding to do laundry around midnight kept them up at night. I was on the courtyard side, though, so I heard nothing if the window was closed.

A walking distance from the Fukushima Central Railway Station (inclusief Shinkansen routes). The buffet breakfast was superb. The staff working in the restaurant is friendly and welcoming, too.

The language barrier in communicating with the receptionists in English was as difficult as to convince them that we in the Netherlands are much concerned about our privacy when it comes to let others make a photocopy of my passport and retain it for 5 long years (!). After much persuasion and explanation through the translator, I managed to get the copy back when I checked out.

Convenient location surrounded by plenty of good restaurants. The breakfast was great with an abundance of options to suit everyone. The staff were friendly and helpful. Overall a very comfortable, affordable and pleasant stay.

Turning the shower on in our room would start to flood the bathroom. We had to keep it on low pressure to avoid this, I doubt every room would have the same issue. The decor and bathroom could do with a refresh but it’s not an issue! Everything was exactly as pictured.

The breakfast buffet more than lived up to its reputation. There were western and local staples each day but a rotation of fresh produce from the region really provided an intentionality to the experience. The bed and pillows were really comfortable. Airconditioning was also great given the heat of Japanese summer.

The toilet tank takes time to fill up and it produces this dripping noise that is quite bothersome at the beginning.

Great breakfast and good location.

We were a group of cyclists and prior hotels during our tour had allowed us to bring our bikes into our room. This hotel would not allow that and initially the front desk clerk wanted us to park our bikes along the side of the building with no cover but then relented and said we could park our bikes in the staff bike parking area under cover. However, he said that his manager would not be happy about us doing that. My sense was that we were guests of the hotel and it would have been preferable to have the hotel accommodate our request without making us feel like we were causing a problem for the hotel.

Clean and neat room. Small but enough space to move around comfortably. Bed is comfortable. Coffee, tea, plus mineral water provided. Good WiFi, and just enough electric outlets to use. Very courteous front staff. We reached a bit early, and the staff allowed us to check-in. Free drinks in the form of coffee and tea at the lobby, but there's a time frame, and also a microwave oven provided, which is useful. Very good breakfast, there's quite a variety of dishes. There's a convenience store next to the lobby. It's about 10-15 mins' walk to Fukushima Station, but room rate is cheaper than those around the station. And it's nice to stroll along the Abukuma River which is less than 10 mins on foot.

The walk between the station and hotel is not that enjoyable under the extreme heat while pulling along our luggage.

The superior twin room we selected was spacious with comfortable beds. It was an easy walk from the train station to the hotel as it's a straight shot between the two places. On a morning stroll, we unexpectedly found a small park along the river. It was peaceful and pretty. We enjoyed the variety of foods offered at breakfast. The tiny persimmon mochi was a sweet way to end the meal. And Cafe Rob adjacent to the hotel entrance is a "must try". The fluffy Japanese pancakes were heavenly--definitely the best I've ever eaten!!

I liked all about this Hotel. The front desk was perfect. People were so nice. The room was in a good size and so cleaned! Perfect. I recommend to all.

The laundry was so confused. We can not use detergent or softener to wash the clothes because the machine indicates that it already contains both. But in the end of the operation, the clothes appeared as nothing was used to wash them. That was the only negative point I didn't like.

Staffs were friendly from car park to reception. Seems the hotel has been renovated. Only some part like bathroom that we can see its aging. I would give it a just about 5 star. The facilities were exceptional. We got a really big room with breakfast for a very good price. The breakfast was very impressive also.

Great value for money. Good facilities, I especially appreciated the coin laundry just the next floor down. Wifi was good enough for streaming. Was a short walk from the station. A good amount of food and entertainment in the area, even though it's a pretty small city by Japanese standards. Can still be quiet some nights though.

Toilet in the bathroom was a bit too close to the wall. My knees were up against it while sitting. Anyone 6ft or over might find it uncomfortable. I'm also not a huge fan of those tiny shower/bathtubs with annoying shower curtains.