Looking for somewhere to stay in Kobe? Are you a nightlife district kind of person? Perhaps you love shopping? Or do you want some beautiful sea views? We’ve broken down Kobe city into different areas to help you choose the best location for your trip.
Budget and personal preferences play a big part of deciding where to stay when traveling and there are already ample hotel review sites out there to help you. So we’re not going into detailed hotel reviews here, just explaining the different areas of Kobe and making a few suggestion of accommodation in those areas to help you out.
Booking.comCentral Kobe – Sannomiya
The heart of Kobe is around Sannomiya Station. This is where the Kansai Airport limousine bus stops and where you will most likely catch the train for day trips, such as heading to Himeji or Osaka.
The north side of Sannomiya station is where Kobe’s nightlife happens. You can find many restaurants, bars and pubs are scattered through the little laneways in this area. If this is your scene, consider staying at the Daiichi Grand Hotel Kobe Sannomiya or The B Kobe in the centre of this action.
The south-east area of the station has many offices, a few restaurants and some reasonably priced hotels such at Hotel 1-2-3 Kobe or APA Hotel Kobe-Sannomiya . It’s still a very convenient walk to the station and the nightlife area, just less people at night.
Central Kobe – Motomachi
If it is shopping you love then the Motomachi area around Kobe Daimaru is the best place to be. This is the upmarket area of Kobe with many high-end brands. It is also adjacent to Kobe’s Chinatown. The walk from here to Harborland or to Sannomiya Station is around 800m in either direction so it’s quite convenient.
One of the best hotels in Kobe, the Oriental Hotel, is located in this area. Another stylish, yet more compact hotel is Hotel Trusty Kobe.
There are plenty of cafes and restaurants in this area but most close around 10pm.
The Oriental Hotel 
The view from the Oriental Hotel
Kobe Harborland
The picturesque harbor of Kobe is a must stop for everyone visiting the city. if you want ocean views then this is the area to stay. There are only a handful of hotels to choose from in the harbor area. The 2 most pictured hotels in Kobe due to their location are the Meriken Park Oriental Hotel and Okura Kobe.
Arima Onsen – Hot Spring Town
The Arima Onsen area is one of the oldest and most famous hot spring towns in Japan. If you are wanting to indulge yourself in the finer things of life with a gorgeous ryokan stay and exquisite food then this is the place for you. Arima Onsen Taketoritei Maruyama and Arima Onsen Gekkoen Korokan are just a couple of the hotels in this area.
More of Kobe.
Shin Kobe – The Shinkansen Station
If you are coming in and out of Kobe on the shinkansen bullet train then staying at the ANA Crowne Plaza Kobe adjacent to the Shin Kobe station might be the most convenient for you.
From here you have easy access to the Nunobiki Herb Garden and Nunobiki Waterfall. The walk to Sannomiya Station is about 1.2 km down Flower Road. Halfway between Shin Kobe and Sannomiya Station is the chic Hotel Piena Kobe.
Kobe’s Man-Made Islands
Rokko Island and Port Island are two man-made islands in Kobe that both have some excellent hotels including the Kobe Bay Sheraton Hotel on Rokko Island and the Kobe Portopia on Port Island. These hotels have great services and are widely used for conventions. However, as a personal tourist you might find them a little inconvenient as there is nothing to see of interest in the vicinity (except for Kobe Animal Kingdom on Port Island). You will need to catch the monorail or a taxi to get to sites of interest.
West Kobe – Views of the Bridge
From a tourism perspective, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is underrated and underutilized. It truly is an amazing sight to behold. The worlds longest suspension bridge was completed in 1998. Only 2 hotels in Kobe take advantage of this spectacular view; Seaside Hotel Maiko Villa and Hotel Setre Maiko Kobe.
If you have any questions about where to stay in Kobe or Hyogo, please hit us up on one of our social media sites or send us an email.