New Grand Hotel

Stayed for a night without having any of the hotel meals so will only comment on what I experienced. The hotel is situated in a very small town and it was decent considering Shinjo not being a rather popular destination compared to other parts of Yamagata. Free parking and the double room we stayed in was very huge for Japanese standards. Some facilities were old but still clean. WIFI was quite unstable though and some websites took very long to load. Staff at the reception were friendly and check in check out went smooth. There is practically nothing around the area so be prepared to go there with food if your meals are not included, and if you dont have a car. There is only a visible drug store walkable from the hotel, and I think a family mart convenience store some minutes away. We walked to a big supermarket, which was about 15 minutes walk from the hotel along the river.

I would start out by saying that I haven't stayed there. I went there for lunch with my parents-in-law to be. The place looked cheap and cheerful on the outside, and to be honest, I wasn't expecting too much. Then they brought the food - and given Japan's obsession with details, this didn't disappoint at all. Really well done - we had the 8 course banquet, and the food was quite exceptional. And on top of that - not too expensive. As I say - I cant comment about the rooms, but the food - go for the seafood, and knock yourself out - its good stuff.

The hotel is pretty decent, given that this is such a small town. I opted for the deluxe room which has two sofas and an uncomfortable bed lol. The customer service is really good, especially since my Japanese is limited, but everyone was courteous and respectful. The restaurant was a bit limited in their food choices but wasn't to bad, they had beer and steak. There is no mini bar and not much for way of late night snacks within walking distance. Plus, as with most small towns, don't expect much after 10pm.