My next stop in Naha city was at the Hotel Route-Inn Naha Asahibashi Eki Higashi. It is a very convenient hotel for both business and sightseeing, mainly due to its location; it is just a 1-minute walk from the Naha bus terminal, a 3-minute walk from the Monorail Asahibashi station and about a 10-minutes ride from Naha airport. In addition the hotel is within walking distance from some of the main city attractions like Kokusai Street, Makishi public market or the Tsuboya Pottery district that has been a center for Okinawan pottery since times of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
During my stay at the Route-Inn Naha Asahibashi Eki Higashi I decided to visit Shurijo Castle. Staying in such a convenient location and therefore having easy access, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to spend some time in one of the main sightseeing spots in the city of Naha. Shurijo Castle was the royal seat of the Ryukyu Kingdom for approximately 500 years and it served as the Kingdom’s political economical and cultural center. In December of 2000 Shurijo was designated as a World Heritage site. The castle is located on the top of a hill, so it's possible to enjoy nice views over Naha.
In the surroundings of the hotel there are some restaurants and a couple of conbini (convenience) stores, and just a 5-minute walk from there, at the entrance of Kokusai Street, I found the big department store Ryubo with lots of coffee shops, more restaurants, plenty of clothes shops, museums etc. Plus, there is a peaceful rooftop garden in case you want to escape from the city for a moment.
Let's talk about the hotel rooms. The nice, clean and comfortable guestrooms feature all you need for a serene and tranquil sleep. All rooms are equipped with a bath, toilet and shower facilities, heating and cooling, refrigerator, TV and free internet connection via wired LAN.
The hotel offers an open-air public bath on the 9th floor, with great views that you can enjoy for free. It is a perfect place to have a hot bath and relax for a while after a long day exploring the city of Naha and its surroundings. A nice free breakfast buffet is also offered every morning in the restaurant. On top of that free coffee and also a free internet station is provided in the lobby. For those traveling by car is good to know that free private parking is possible on site and no reservation is needed.
During my time at this hotel the entire staff was always very polite, friendly and accommodating. Overall it was a pleasant stay in a nice hotel with a great location.
