Above and Beyond: When a Hotel Rings You Back

Due to the nature of my husband's work, most of our domestic trips have to be booked at the last minute. On our most recent trip, we were ringing around hotels the day before we planned to travel - and during Obon, the busiest time of the year!

It wasn't looking promising. Between hotels already at full capacity and the new challenges we face as a big family now that we have three "adult" children (over twelve), we were beginning to think we weren't going to find accommodation... when a hotel actually rang us back.

A staff member had initially said they were at full capacity, but the hotel owner rang us back to say that if we would take three rooms - a single, a double, and a tatami room - she could squeeze us in. And the best part: it was well within our budget. We said yes immediately. 

Thanks to that savvy hotel owner, we were able to travel to Hokuriku on short notice over Obon. The hotel itself, a hotel for fishermen, was probably the most basic and oldest we've ever stayed in, but it was clean and comfortable enough. The owner is such a lovely woman. We are genuinely grateful she went above and beyond.