​​Reached in just six minutes on foot from Himeji Station, Richmond Hotel’s eight-storey building is an easy landing pad for first-time visitors to the city.

While it's a great choice for anyone, Richmond Hotel is unbeatable for solo travellers, with no surcharge if you’re booking alone. The Single Room is a comfortable 17 m² with a twin bed and city views. For almost twice the space, the 26 m² Twin Room sleeps two guests, and children of all ages are welcome but charged extra at 12 and above.

Whichever room you choose, the heating keeps it toasty even in the dead of winter, and the spaces are spotless, stylish, and snug yet airy by Japanese standards.

On arrival, help yourself to strong drip coffee, and pick up the bath salts to take upstairs.

If it gets rainy, the cheerful front desk staff will hand you an umbrella for the fifteen-minute walk to the castle entrance. The stroll takes you past lovely backstreets and bakeries for quick drop-ins. On a drizzling afternoon, there’s also a certain appeal in sinking into the ensuite tub, followed by stretching out on soft pillows while the TV murmurs in the background.

There’s a self-service laundry in-house, and the small pleasure of checking machine status from your TV means you don’t have to keep running up and down the hall.

Breakfast at Richmond Hotel Himeji is served buffet-style in a lofty first-floor dining room, with trays loaded with Japanese staples like oden and miso soup, alongside Western picks such as sausages, sweet breads, and their extraordinary almond toast.

Check-out is at a leisurely 11 am or as late as noon for guests with a Richmond Membership.

Two minutes from the east exit of JR Himeji Station, JR Clement Inn puts you within walking distance of the castle and the city’s thoroughfares. The hotel has long been popular with business travellers, but more tourists have been catching on to its convenience and value.

Book one of JR Clement Inn’s 211 rooms and you’ll get what Japan Railways hotels are known for: restful sleep, unbeatable station-side convenience, and staff who keep things running smoothly.

Single rooms measure 12 m², while twins are a roomier 21 m². Both feature a minimalistic design with warm colours and ambient lighting, making them cushy for winding down after a day out.

Lower-floor rooms facing the station sometimes catch the soft rumble of whooshing trains — a detail railfans might count as a perk, but less suited for light sleepers.

Ask the front desk for directions to the nearby Sentō (Japanese bath), then return to enjoy the on-site happy hour from 6 to 9 pm. For a non-alcoholic option, there is also ochazuke — a comforting bowl of rice topped with pickles or fish and finished with hot green tea — served from 8:30 to 9:30 pm. Endless hot chocolate and coffee are available 24/7 near the front desk.

Opt for the breakfast-inclusive plan to eat Shikoku-style udon or thick-cut toast in the morning in the hotel's Shirasagi Lounge.

The name says it all. With ultra-plush Serta mattresses to sink into, staff who switch easily between Japanese and English, and a location surrounded by a tangle of late-night izakayas, what more could you need for a short stay in Himeji?

Comfort Hotel Himeji may not be about luxury, but it makes up for it in affordability and ease of stay. Travel light, as pajamas, a toothbrush, and a hairdryer are already in your room. Down in the lobby, the hotel’s cosy Library Café doubles as a quiet corner to read, plan your day, or sip on copious amounts of free coffee.

The 13 m² Double Room is perfectly priced, but the 19 m² Twin Room is the one we would book. Both come with an ensuite bath and tub, but that extra space in the latter is worth the slight premium.

Mornings at Comfort Hotel Himeji kick off with the hotel’s free breakfast with a lengthy spread spanning juices, omelettes, hot dogs, waffles, and more. Vegans may find the selection limited, but several convenience stores are nearby for stocking the room’s mini fridge with yummy snacks.

Along with the usual circuit of Himeji Castle and the aquarium, the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History, less than two kilometres away, is worth a stop for history buffs. Drivers can use a nearby car park for a small fee, and bikes are available to hire for a morning ride across town.

Dormy Inn has built a loyal following across Japan for combining fair prices, cleverly designed rooms, in-house hot springs, and the much-loved free late-night snacks. Himeji’s branch, too, ticks every box.

Try to snag a Twin Room on one of the upper floors for a little extra space and sweeping views. You’ll have a bathtub of your own, though the real draw is the hotel’s onsen.

There are both indoor and open-air pools, separated by gender. After a soak, cool off with complimentary ice cream, and when night rolls in, scarf down a hot bowl of ramen on the house.

The staff speaks only some English, but they go out of their way to ensure you have a perfect stay. Walls can be on the thinner side, so weekends and holidays may bring more noise than usual, but nothing a pair of earplugs cannot handle.

A block from Himeji Station, Daiwa Roynet Hotel sits perfectly for sightseeing and is loved for its 218 design-forward rooms, housed inside a swanky glass tower. The lobby’s soft lighting feels instantly calming, while upstairs, the rooms incorporate light wood panelling with earthy greens and browns, finished with silky throw pillows for a refined touch.

A stay here scratches your itch for a semi-luxury escape at a fraction of the cost. Take the extravagance one step further by booking the 59 m² Castle View Suite and drift off to the sight of Himeji Castle lit up at night, then wake to it drenched in morning sun.

If you’re not fussed about the view, the 21–27 m² standard rooms at Daiwa Roynet are still a pleasing fit for a few nights in the city.

Breakfast is served in the ground-floor restaurant, and the neighbourhood is ringed with cafés and convenience stores. After one too many konbini sweet treats, you can work off the calories in the on-site gym.

Far enough from the station to feel removed from the noise, yet only a 12-minute walk away, Himeji Castle Grandvrio Hotel is one of the few in the city with a kids’ play area, making it a fantastic choice for families. A free shuttle runs from the station, so you can save your energy for exploring.

Rooms start with the 13 m² Double, but the 24 m² Standard Twin gives you more breathing area and ample space to repack suitcases exploding with souvenirs.

The interiors haven’t been updated in over a decade, but the onsen more than makes up for it. With natural rocks, steaming water, and an amenities corner stocked with soaps and shampoos, it is reason enough to book a stay.

Tattooed guests hoping for a soak here are out of luck, as Himeji Castle Grandvrio has a strict no-tattoo policy for the bath. Every room comes with a bathtub, though.

When you are done sightseeing, you can stay put. There are two fantastic on-site restaurants, with Harima focusing on Japanese plates with local flair, while Sirasagi brings in European flavours, so that you can switch between the two as you please.

Words can rarely grasp the excellence of Japanese architecture, and the best way to understand it is to experience it. So, gather nine loved ones who appreciate this kind of cultural immersion and book a stay at Utakata Hotel Himeji.

Staying here feels like slipping into a parallel version of your life — mornings kick off in a wood-clad home with tatami underfoot, and evenings spill into aimless rambles around an ancient castle just minutes away.

But let's start with the entrance. A vermillion noren sways in the breeze, opening into a private three-bedroom apartment that’s entirely yours.

Stretching over a roomy 160 m² — far more space than most stays in the city — Utakata Hotel Himeji is tailor-made for groups or families who like to travel together without tripping over each other.

Bedroom one houses two twin beds and six futon sets, bedroom two has two twin beds, and bedroom three has three twin beds. Fluffy beds are set low and dressed in pristine white linen, plus futon sets folded with precision sit in the wardrobe.

Rays of morning light slip through screens to wake you, nudging you to peel away from plush beds and stumble into the kitchen area that's worthy of a feature in a magazine. There's a full-sized fridge, microwave, and enough tableware to serve ten. Even on vacation, you might be tempted to cook.

From the street, Besso Himeji’s grey two-storey frame, split between two buildings, looks stunning yet austere. But walk inside and the mood immediately softens. Pale wood catches the light in honeyed tones, and the contemporary Japanese aesthetics evokes an immense sense of serenity.

This spectacular vacation rental is designed for four but can comfortably fit up to six with prior notice, with bedding arranged to suit your group.

In the bath, a shoulder-height cascade makes it a spa-like experience, with bubble bath on hand for good measure.

No wonder Besso Himeji is almost always booked. If there's availability, book it before we do, or risk kicking yourself later. Both the train station and Himeji castle are quite far, so take advantage of the free parking for two, and bring your vehicle.

Besso Himeji is flooded with natural light, which sounds idyllic until the rising sun becomes your wake-up call. Night owls, pack a sleep mask unless you’re ready to be up and running at dawn.

Claustrophobic readers, skip ahead, but you’ll miss out on the best capsule stay in Himeji. Chic, futuristic, and kind to your wallet, Tabist CapsuleHotel APODS hits the sweet spot between a hostel and a hotel.

Each oversized pod comes with a plush futon, multiple pillow options, and soft lighting to help you drift into a deep slumber after a full day of exploring Himeji. And honestly, spending a night in a Japanese capsule hotel is a quintessential experience that needs to be crossed off your list.

For groups, "The Family Room" has six bunk beds, each with its lamp, shelf, and locker.

Remote workers will appreciate the fast Wi-Fi and mood-lit lounge that doubles as a quiet zone to power through emails or video call friends back home.

Bathrooms are communal and split by floor for men and women. They’re properly stocked with toiletries and hairdryers, and there’s a laundry machine for longer trips.

Not a pod person? Book one of the “premium” private cabins instead, where you get a private door, standing room, and the same trendy minimalism as the rest of the capsule hotel.

Don’t expect a swarm of backpackers at Tabist, as the majority of guests are business travellers, so a late 4 pm check-in is no surprise, but squeaky-clean spaces are a given. If your capsule happens next to a snorer, grab a free pair of earplugs from the front desk, and you’ll sleep just fine.

Honeymooners after a proper countryside ryokan will think Yumenoi was sent by Cupid. Open since 1963, it’s been fine-tuning its craft for decades, with rooms ranging from Western-style beds to tatami layouts that are both luxurious and elegant.

On arrival, fill your lungs with as much countryside air as possible, then settle in for nights of deep slumber at Yumenoian Yuyake Koyake.

Tatami underfoot, shoji doors that slide with a whoosh, and soft, well-made pyjamas are a given here, but the 42 m² suite with its hinoki open-air bath, low Japanese-style bed, and deck terrace is the real show stopper, sleeping up to three adults and two children.

The main wing’s 12-tatami room measures 20.25 m² and looks straight out onto rolling green fields. By day, it’s an open, airy space; by night, futons are laid out and it transforms into a cosy sleeping nook.

Each of the seventeen rooms of the Ryokan comes with an open-air bath, so there’s no awkward shuffling to the public onsen. Dinners here are elaborate kaiseki spreads. Vegetables come straight from the ryokan’s garden, seafood is pulled fresh from nearby waters, and breakfast begins with the satisfying crack of onsen eggs.

Somewhere between steamy onsen mist and kaiseki ceremonies, you'll find yourself booking your return stay at Ryokan Yumenoian.

The staff are pure hospitality pros, anticipating your needs while dissolving any language barrier. Ryokan Yumenoian's surroundings are quiet enough to make you forget the outside world, though it also means planning your excursions in advance, and unless you’re here to disconnect, two nights feels just perfect.

Even if you’ve splurged on a private cedar bath, the public onsen is still worth your time with multiple pools, fresh mountain air, and steam rising into the sky.

Dinners are traditional kaiseki spreads built around seasonal produce, and with a little notice, the entire menu can be made vegetarian.

And yes, you can bring your doggie if you ask about their spacious dog-friendly room, available in both Japanese and Western styles.

If you like your hot springs with a side of history, this hillside hideout has been bubbling for over 300 years.

Hop on the free shuttle from Himeji Station and you’ll wind up at a mountainside haven where rooms range from full tatami setups to Western-Japanese hybrids, some with windows framing nothing but green hills and open sky. Book one with an open-air bath and you can soak as the mountain breeze rolls in.

Past guests rave about dinners loaded with Harima flavours and a breakfast that keeps you full well past lunch. Make sure you sample the porridge made with onsen water. As weird as it sounds, it tastes incredible.

Now comes the time to book yourself a two or three-night stay in one of these fabulous accommodations. That’s the minimum number of days you need to see how beautifully Himeji has held onto its original essence while giving visitors plenty to explore.

And when you head home, you’ll have the bragging rights of having stayed in one of Japan’s most understated gems, and in the shadow of the country’s most perfect castle.