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Bike Friendly Hotels

mr tim

mr tim

Maximum Pace
Mar 11, 2022
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Well, it's cold out so time to start thinking about next summer :)

I'm looking to cycle from Shikoku Island back to Tokyo and staying at whatever hotels show up as being cheapish on the way back. Spare pair of shorts and a credit credit card is pretty much all I'm looking to carry.

Understandably I'm not too keen on leaving my bike unattended anywhere. I can't imagine hotels are going to be best pleased with me taking my bike to the hotel room. Or would they be if I ask in advance?

I can't imagine I'm the first to try this so any links to resources would be appreciated.

I have found websites from Shikoku that have bike friendly resources. I think I get a t-shirt saying I'm cycling around the Island... came with a strava route etc. It's getting back that I'm looking into.

Thank you
 
mr tim said:
I can't imagine hotels are going to be best pleased with me taking my bike to the hotel room. Or would they be if I ask in advance?
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Definitely ask in advance. I've had solutions ranging from roll-in storage in the hotel's unused-but-secure game centre to a literal cow shed. If all else fails you put it in its rinkō bag and then it is just luggage and goes in the room.
 
I think you'll need a rain coat.
 
Half-Fast Mike said:
Definitely ask in advance. I've had solutions ranging from roll-in storage in the hotel's unused-but-secure game centre to a literal cow shed. If all else fails you put it in its rinkō bag and then it is just luggage and goes in the room.
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Hadn't considered a Rinko bag... that's straightforward :) . I tend to book a hotel that looks affordable as I set off in the morning rather than in advance so a bag would seem acceptable in most places, and not overly large to carry. Thank you
 
Email the hotel ahead of time and ask them - that's been my thing and I've been fine with all the hotels I've stayed at with a bicycle that aren't aimed at cyclists.

One of my friends often stays at Kona Stay in Izunagaoka, so when you get up that way, that is an option for you.

This site in Japanese might be of some help if you can translate it. It's geared towards cyclists looking for bicycle friendly hotels.
 
BeerTengoku said:
Email the hotel ahead of time and ask them - that's been my thing and I've been fine with all the hotels I've stayed at with a bicycle that aren't aimed at cyclists.

One of my friends often stays at Kona Stay in Izunagaoka, so when you get up that way, that is an option for you.

This site in Japanese might be of some help if you can translate it. It's geared towards cyclists looking for bicycle friendly hotels.
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Excellent. Had a quick scan thru and it's coming up with hotel rooms with bike stands in the room, so yes, I'll go through that over the winter. I said originally I intended to cycle from Shikoku to Tokyo, but that's not a given. I have a month to go cycling in so I may just make up a route based on hotels that look great in places I've not been to. The Hotel Sunvalley Nasu looks outstanding, as an example.
Thank you
 
Honestly I would NOT mail ahead of time. That will give hotels a chance to consider their options and I think many would refuse just based on the hassle of "ohh a person with a dirty bike"....

Really a rinko bag is your best bet as it will cover the bike and the staff cannot really say anything. Its luggage.

I`ve stayed anywhere from APA hotel to Interconti with a bike and never had an issue that couldn't be solved. Most of the time the bike went in the room, if staff refused we just put it in their locked luggage room.

(from someone who sleeps in hotels for work WAY too much)
 
Trek DJ said:
Honestly I would NOT mail ahead of time. That will give hotels a chance to consider their options and I think many would refuse just based on the hassle of "ohh a person with a dirty bike"....

Really a rinko bag is your best bet as it will cover the bike and the staff cannot really say anything. Its luggage.

I`ve stayed anywhere from APA hotel to Interconti with a bike and never had an issue that couldn't be solved. Most of the time the bike went in the room, if staff refused we just put it in their locked luggage room.

(from someone who sleeps in hotels for work WAY too much)
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Many of the hotels recommended on that cyclistwelcome.jp/ website provide bike cleaning facilities both inside and outside, with designated bike racks and space in the room. One had a specific bike cleaning room with more cleaning materials than I have at home. I think choosing bike friendly hotels from the outset rather than having to resolve issues on arrival is the way to go.
 
I usually stay at a Toyoko Inn or equivalent. Never had a problem as long as the bike was in a rinko bag. Only thing is that the rooms in business hotels are pretty small so once the bike is in the room, it can sometimes be difficult to navigate around the room. YMMV
 
Wouldn't leave my bike unattended.
Always in the bike bag nice and clean, safe in my room.
Im talking about a light roadracing bike though, dont know about bigger/heavier bikes.
 
zenbiker said:
In Japan it is usually better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.
I would not ask before if it was OK to bring in my bike. I also wouldn't take in a dirty bike and give them reason to be upset.
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Yes, Japanese are prone to saying no if it doesn't fit the script. Like you wrote, be respectful of the place and keep it clean. Then you shouldn't have a problem.
 
I checked in to my hotel in Okinawa for the race and I had my bike in a Orucase Ninja, they did not stop me, fast forward to the next day and all the other racers where arriving and they assembled the bikes in the lobby. and the hotel has several pole racks for hanging the bikes on.
So I had to do the walk of shame from the elevator to the racks. No one said anything to me.
 
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