Mascos Hotel

As soon as I was ushered into the lobby of my apartment, 702, I knew I was going to love it. The combined bedroom/living area had a wooden sliding door and fixed window framing the ceiling-to-floor view of the balcony and sky. On the balcony were 10 sweet young olive trees in planter boxes, so lovely! Interesting views all around of the city and mountains, and a great place to sit in the evening after a day's sightseeing. The light inside was excellent, as was the lighting, and the spaces were well-designed, with lots of room to move and featuring attractive wood. The large bed was very comfortable, with a choice of pillows. There was a small safe, a mini fridge, and ample power sockets. The little table was a tad low for laptop work, but the bench where the tv was standing could be used instead. There was a deep bath and nice Provinscia toiletries. I didn't try the hotel's onsen. Shoes were removed in the lobby, where luggage could be stored and coats hung up, prior to stepping up into the living area. A yukata was provided. There was no disturbing noise from other rooms or in general; the apartment was secure, quiet and private. Housekeeping was every 3 days, other than collection of rubbish and replacement of towels, etc if needed. (It was a pity the slippers I'd been using were removed and replaced on the last of my 3 days there.) Complimentary bottles of water every day, and nice green tea. (I liked the unusual shape of the jug!) Breakfast choices were good and the food was tasty. I also enjoyed two take-out meals from the restaurant in the evenings. All the staff were helpful and friendly, and would go out of their way to look after guests. Many thanks to the young man on Reception who spoke good English and assisted me in various useful ways (I'm sorry, I've forgotten his name, I should've written it down)! The hotel sells its own drip coffee bags - they were great so I bought some to take with me, as they were better quality than I'd had elsewhere. (A small number of items are for sale in the Reception area.) The hotel is in a great location about 5 minutes walk from the station, with supermarkets, buses and the river close by. The main sights are 10-30 minutes walk away. I recommend Grand Toit, Ikou-ji, Manpuku-ji and Takatsu Kakinomoto Shrine for starters. The young man told me that not many international travellers visit the city - you're missing out! Masuda is also a great base for day trips - I went to Tsuwano and Hagi. I hope to return to the Mascos in future!