4 Best Hotels in Sendai, Tohoku

This upscale hotel adjacent to the railway station is a great value, with spacious, tastefully furnished rooms. Ask for a room on the 14th floor or higher (these have been more recently renovated). The restaurant and café on the second floor are bright and airy, with a fabulous glass-front view for people-watching.

The old and new are elegantly juxtaposed in this upscale ryokan, where a century-old four-story wooden building stands next to a newly built luxury lodging. Museum-quality art of the Edo period (1603–1868) is exhibited in public areas. Each room is unique and all have state-of-art amenities like heated towel racks and Nikko china and many have beds instead of futons. You'll enjoy fine dining in the evenings accompanied by music in the well-restored original building. The 600-year-old onsen here was used by none other than Date Masamune himself; the beautiful natural surroundings attract many honeymooners and couples. Call to arrange free pick-up from either Shiroishi-Zao Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen line or from Shiroishi Station on the Tohoku main line.

This budget hotel chain has a welcome bar where you can make your own drinks until 8 pm, but you might not want to spend too much time in the small but functional rooms. Business travelers dominate on weekdays, but families fill the place on weekends. Many different kinds of pillows and a range of amenities are available at reception. Complimentary breakfast includes simple Western fare such as breads, eggs, sausages, and salads. The doors to the hotel lock at midnight, so you'll have to use the code to get into your room as the rooms have no keys. The code comes on a small receipt-sized sheet of paper, so snap a photo of that so you don't lose it.

The sleek lobby on the 26th floor leads to the modern lounge with huge wall-to-wall windows overlooking the city, mountains, and distant ocean; the guest rooms share these gorgeous views.