Kuretake Inn is a chain of business hotels located mostly in Shizuoka prefecture, offering very affordable, clean and comfortable rooms, usually close to a station. In the suburbs of Shizuoka city, the one in Yaizu might actually be the closest, not even a minute's walk from the station, which was handy when I stayed there.
I arrived a bit before official check-in time, but the friendly staff let me check in early anyway, and they'd later help me out with maps and directions. There's a rack of information (mostly Japanese) near reception, as well as a PC for guests to use, an 'amenity corner' with extra supplies for your room, and a comic library with shelves of manga, probably also mostly in Japanese.
My single room was cosy and compact, adequately sized for a sole traveler with little luggage. It was simply decorated in warm colours with a tasteful little print on the wall, and had a nice view of the hills around the town. I had a small desk, fridge and TV, and there was an internet connection and free Wi-Fi. I got a good night's sleep, partly because the bed was firm and comfortable, partly because Yaizu's only a quiet place, so there was no noise from outside to keep me awake.
The room also had the usual business hotel molded plastic "unit bathroom", but for a more spacious bathing experience, I went to the public bathroom near reception with a shared onsen bath, filled with hot water that set my skin tingling. The hotel also provides yukata bathrobes, so that if you forget your towel (mentioning no names), you can still get yourself dry enough to retreat to your room.
The public bath closes at 9:00am, so I went before I hit the breakfast buffet - included in the room rate - which has a good mix of Japanese and western breakfast fare. The dining room is also where you can enjoy a free evening "Happy Hour drink" between 6:00pm and 8:00pm, with self-service spirits and soft drinks.
There aren't many sights close by, but a few minutes south of the station you'll find Fumon-ji and Teizen-in, a couple of pleasant Buddhist temples, and a historic shinto shrine, Yaizu-jinja. Forty minutes' walk north-west (though I imagine there's a bus that'll take you much of the way), Daikakuji Zenshu-in is another Buddhist temple, home to a large, impressive seated Buddha statue.
There are single and twin rooms available, in a variety of styles: standard, economy, deluxe, and deluxe Japanese. According to the website, the cost is between ¥6000 and ¥11000 for a single traveler, from ¥7500 to ¥12000 for two (though I wouldn't recommend trying to fit two people plus baggage into a single room). However, for the comfort and convenience, it still represents very good value.
