Okayama, the 'Land of Sunshine' sits between Osaka and Hiroshima on the Sanyo Shinkansen. Most travellers glide straight through without realising what they've missed, namely one of Japan's three great landscape gardens, a brooding black castle and the whitewashed canal town of Kurashiki, all just a ferry hop from Naoshima's contemporary art scene. Hotel Granvia Okayama, run by JR West, is the natural anchor for all of it. Attached to the station by a covered walkway, with nineteen floors of views over city rooftops and distant mountains, it's a large, reliable hotel whose greatest attribute is exactly where it stands.
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The lobby is polished and slick, with attentive staff, a confectionery stand, and a 7-Eleven tucked into the building for late-night provisions (it really comes in handy). Up on the 19th floor, the dining and lounge area earns its altitude with panoramic views across city and mountain. Restaurant-wise, Prix d'Or takes the French route whilst Kibizen handles seasonal Japanese cuisine built around Okayama's harvest. And there's also the Granvia Resort Club, a pool, far-infrared sauna, mist sauna, and jacuzzi, that is available to guests for a small additional charge.
Rooms are notably generous by Japanese city hotel standards, which means they are wide enough to actually unpack and still move around freely! Standard rooms are well-maintained and functional, if a touch worn in parts. The Granvia Floor rooms are the sharper option, with lounge access and a cleaner finish. Windows are solidly soundproofed against the adjacent train tracks, and the views across Okayama's rooftops to the mountains beyond are fantastic.
The station connection makes everything feel close. Hop aboard the Higashiyama tram to reach Korakuen Garden and the lacquered-black Okayama Castle, or take a local train to Kurashiki's preserved canal district in just fifteen minutes. Naoshima's contemporary art islands are accessible by ferry from Uno Port, and Kojima,ho me to some of Japan's finest denim, is a short ride south. The hotel can also arrange Bizen pottery workshops, Momotaro-themed guided tours, and hands-on jean-making sessions in Kurashiki for something more tactile.
Having breakfast on the 19th floor while bullet trains whizz into the station far below.
Ask about Granvia Floor rooms, which include lounge access and are very handy for quieter evenings and a less frantic start to the morning.
Some rooms are noticeably more dated than others so it's worth specifying a recently renovated one when booking.
Castles, canals & sushi with a fascinating backstory, all found in the sunniest place in Japan.
