FrankySSPank Blogger: Bikes, travel and other good things at Hotel Cycle in Japan

The last time I stayed at a hotel with a bicycle, it was unceremoniously ditched in a boiler room whilst I slept in more comfortable surroundings upstairs.

Being British I’m used to my bike being treated as a third-class citizen, but it did sting a little because I’d been reading about a bicycle hotel just the week previously.

If you’re visiting the city of Onomichi in Japan any time soon, be sure to make tracks for Hotel Cycle.

Not only can you check in from the comfort of your bike and then wall-mount it in your room, they also have a “cycle-thru” counter in the Yard Cafe downstairs.

Based in a converted warehouse which dates from the 1940s, building was repurposed by Suppose Design Studio as a combination of hotel, restaurant, café, bar and shops. Once you’ve worked up an appetite — perhaps just from cycling around the hotel — there are pizzas made from local ingredients and fresh seafood available on the menu.

There’s also a Giant bike store in the complex, plus cycle hire and transport available if a supported tour around the surrounding area and nearby 70km bike trails appeals.