Best hotels in Nagasaki

A port city with layers of Dutch, Portuguese and Chinese influence, Nagasaki has always been Japan's gateway to the outside world. Perched halfway up Mt. Inasa, Garden Terrace is a design-driven retreat by celebrated architect Kengo Kuma. With just 36 spacious rooms, four excellent restaurants and views that rank among the world's finest night-time panoramas, it's a hotel that rewards a slightly slower travel pace. Use it as a springboard for visiting the poignant Peace Park, the historic island of Dejima and the World Heritage-listed Oura Church, or simply stay put and watch the city lights flicker over the harbour below.

Nagasaki is one of those Japanese cities that catches you off guard. Centuries of Portuguese, Dutch and Chinese influence have left their mark on everything from the churches to the noodles, and the whole place has a cosmopolitan energy that feels unlike anywhere else in Japan. Perched in the Minamiyamate district at the base of the famous Glover Garden hill, the Crowne Plaza makes its case almost entirely on location. It's a reliable IHG property — clean, well-staffed and recently spruced up — and while it won't win any design awards, having Nagasaki's two UNESCO World Heritage sites and the Gunkanjima tour boats practically on your doorstep is hard to beat.

With centuries of Portuguese, Dutch and Chinese influence, Nagasaki is a fascinating blend of cobbled lanes, varied food and architecture. Perched above JR Nagasaki Station with views stretching across the harbour to Mount Inasa, the sleek Nagasaki Marriott makes an excellent base for exploring. The Shinkansen platform is quite literally downstairs, there's a shopping mall next door, and the city's trams rattle past below. It's definitely on the larger side (there are 207 rooms in total), but the genuinely warm staff and thoughtful nods to Nagasaki's seafaring past give it more personality than you'd expect from a big-brand property.

Hotel New Nagasaki is adjacent to JR Nagasaki Station and easily accessible from Nagasaki Airport. The Nagasaki Ekimae tram stop is also nearby, making it an ideal location for sightseeing in Nagasaki city, including the World Heritage sites of Glover Garden and Dejima. You are offerred a comfortable stay in Nagasaki, as well as for use as a restaurant, for weddings, banquets, and meetings.