Our regular hotel in Ashiya is the Takezon Hotel (www.takezono.net) It is also one of the hotels that is fully booked by opposing baseball teams when they play the Hanshin Tigers.

We usually plan our travel around the baseball schedule so that we can book a room but it is unavoidable this time around.

Can any members of FT know another decent hotel in or nearby Ashiya?

Thanks

Could you stay in central Osaka or Kobe?

Central Osaka (Near Osaka/Umeda station):
For example Westin Osaka (I note that you have Starwood in your profile) is fairly close to Osaka station - from which it is a 15-minute train ride to Ashiya.
Hilton and Granvia are even closer to Osaka station.

In Kobe:
Sannomiya Terminal Hotel - is immediately above Sannomiya station, which puts you less than 10 minutes by train from Ashiya.

Osaka is too far for us.

Thanks for the tip about the Sannomiya Terminal Hotel. We will consider it very seriously. We were hoping to find something closer to Nishinomiya than actual Kobe or Osaka.

Another possibility is Kobe Bay Sheraton (Starwood property), which is 10-20 minutes away by trains (From Hanshin Ashiya station, go to Uozaki station, transfer to Rokko liner, the hotel is at "Island Center". I stayed there once and I thought it was nice.

There's the Novotel Koshien Hotel right in front of Koshien Stadium.

http://www.novotelkoshien.com/

The airport bus from Kansai Airport stops nearby and Hanshin Koshien train station's right beside it. Ashiya would be two stops away by an express train.

Thanks for the great idea.

Any info in the novotel chain?