A wellness themed hotel a walkable distance from major Aomori city tourist sites.
Contents
1. TLDR
- β¨ Aesthetics: Modern wood spa
- π¨ Room: Clean, bright, comfortable
- 𧳠Facilities: Lounge, Spa, Public Bath (Onsen)
- π΅ Price: On the pricier side in Aomori City
- π Location: Excellent accessibility to key Aomori City locations and right above the train station
- π¨βπ©βπ¦ Clientele: Primarily groups of 2-4 adult travellers
2. Room Overview
We paid about SGD 275 per night (~ JPY 33,800/ USD 215/ TWD 6,850) for the Standard Cosy Double on a weekend in early September 2026. We booked this hotel through Agoda and prices might differ depending on the time of year and who you book with.
First impressions was that the room was bright, clean, and looked brand new. As with many hotels in Japan, the room wasn’t large, but the smaller double bed meant we still had space to open two medium luggages. Next to the bed was a tiny bedside table and outlets for charging. There were another two chairs and a freestanding table. Not very useful for working but enough for small snacks or drinks.
If you really needed to work, there was a small area in front of the TV that could function as a desk in a pinch.
The hotel provided robes in a medium and large size for visiting the public bath. The pantry area had some complimentary snacks, tea, and bottled water.
The closet area was tall enough to hang up wet towels and other clothes. They provided baskets for visiting the public bath, another set of robes, and room slippers.
The bathroom was big enough, with the toilet on the right and shower on the left. My only gripe was that there weren’t enough hooks to hang my towel or other clothes, but I think it’s normal for Japanese bathrooms.
They provided plenty of amenities in the room but since our Korea trip in May 2025, I’d gotten used to bringing my own toothbrush, so I didn’t end up using them.
As with all the hotels we stayed at, the toilets had the seat warmer and bidet functions. Bliss!
Most importantly, the TV! It’s a smart TV, so we could watch YouTube in glorious HD. This is one of my semi-non-negotiables nowadays in a hotel. So bonus bonus bonus points for this.
3. Facilities and Amenities
Hotel Lounge
We checked out the hotel lounge on our second night. It was calm and quiet, with just a few other guests hanging out in the comfy chairs. There was an open-air deck where you could take in the views of Aomori Bay Bridge, A-Factory, and the Nebuta Museum.
Of course, we beelined to the bar that served free snacks and drinks. Don’t skip the Aomori apple juice! Such a delight to sip on some while enjoying the night views of Aomori Bay. Before we left, we also stocked up on some of their snacks for our drive to Lake Towada the next day.
Public Bath
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to visit the public bath due to a lack of time, so I won’t be able to review it here. I’d be interested to give it a try if I stay again the next time I’m in Aomori.
Parking
The hotel has designated the neighbouring LOVINA mall’s parking lot as the “partner” parking for hotel guests. For cars parking overnight, we can have the fee reduced to 1000 Yen. CLICK HERE for full details on parking as a guest at ReLabo.
How we paid for our overnight parking:
- Collect the parking ticket from the machine when entering the carpark
- After parking the car bring the parking ticket to the hotel reception and they will modify your ticket
- When collecting your car, pay for your parking ticket at the machine (picture above). We found one at one of the doors connecting the carpark to the LOVINA mall. You should only be charged 1000 Yen for 24 hours of parking. This charge will apply every time you enter and exit the car park.
Another thing we learned is that there are parking spots reserved for Kei cars. These are “light” cars that are smaller and have an engine size of less than 660cc. If you are driving a normal car, be careful not to park in these spots! Normal cars will not fit in these spots and you may be subject to a penalty. You can identify them by the θ»½ character that is painted in the lot.
4. Location
What made ReLabo stand out was its location. The hotel was right above Aomori train station and a bus interchange, making it the perfect base to explore Aomori by public transport.
We eventually decided to rent a car as we planned to drive down to Lake Towada, but the location was still great for that. There were a few car rental places within walking distance of the hotel, including Toyota Rent-A-Car.
For exploring Aomori City, the main tourist sites we knew of were the Nebuta Museum, A-Factory, the ASPAM observatory, and the Aomori Gyosai Center. These were all within walking distance of the hotel, and we popped into some of these on our last day in Aomori City.
5. Buffet Breakfast
On our second morning, we decided to try their “wellness” buffet breakfast. It cost JPY 3500 per person (~SGD28/ ~USD22/ ~TWD709).
The buffet was a hybrid of an international buffet and a local one. The spread highlighted Aomori ingredients, particularly their scallops.
There was a small vegetarian section, a variety of drinks (yes, including Aomori apple juice), a cheese board, a whole honey comb, and a selection of fruits and desserts.
I would like to give a special mention to the pumpkin soup which I devoured. Mr Bao said the base was similar to clam chowder. I don’t know what it was, but it was very good. So good that the only photo I have of it is my empty bowl. π There was also a “live” station with interesting choices. We opted for the omelette with a scallop chowder which was delicious!
We ordered the smoked salmon on bread with some cheese on top. This was good, but tasted just normal to me. We also tried out all their cheeses, including the stinky blue cheese which they kept under a glass case. For good reason, the cheese was very stinky. But otherwise, I liked their selection and it’s always fun to try.
Overall, the hotel breakfast was pretty good for its price point. We saw some guests enjoying their breakfast in their hallway slippers and public bath robes, so this is a great option if you’re planning a slow morning in Aomori city.
Night owls should note though, that the buffet closes at 10am, which seems to be standard for all the hotels we stayed at.
6. Pros and Cons (it’s my opinion)
I had to dig deep to find cons here because I enjoyed my stay overall.
π Pros
- New and comfortable room
- Excellent service
- Excellent base for key Aomori tourist sites
- Connected directly to Aomori station, a mall, pharmacy, and food outlets
π Cons
- Not for budget travellers
- It is one stop away from the Shin-Aomori Shinkansen
Thanks for reading till the end. Happy travels! π
P.S. If you are interested, I am writing more about our trip to Tohoku. Stay tuned!
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