Solo travel and cat accommodation are a perfect combination. You can stay in the common area at your own pace, and even if a cat approaches, you can wait quietly without interrupting your conversation or schedule. On the other hand, small-scale accommodations have limited days and plans for single occupancy, and you must manage your own transportation and meals.
Don’t just imagine a trip where you can play with the cat all the time, but make a plan that allows you to enjoy the time when you can’t meet the cat.
- Check if the accommodation can accommodate one person
- Choose an accommodation based on the distance to the cat
- Plan your transportation to arrive during daylight hours.
- Check the food and surrounding environment
- Use the time you spend waiting for the cat as a margin for your trip
- Be careful about the shooting range because you are alone
- Crime prevention and emergency preparedness
- Also value the distance between you and the people at your accommodation.
- Checklist for solo travelers
- Summary
Check if the accommodation can accommodate one person
Even if you select one person on the reservation site and there is no room available, it does not necessarily mean the inn does not accept solo travelers. Sales quotas may change due to busy days, meal plans, guest room capacity, etc.
First, search on the official reservation page with the number of people set to 1, and check the following.
- Guest rooms available for one person and days of the week
- Price for 1 person
- Options for accommodation with meals or without meals
- Minimum length of stay
- Deadline for reservations
If you do not know from the official information, please contact the inn briefly with your desired date and number of people. Don’t ask for special accommodations because of your interaction with cats; check the regular accommodation conditions first.
Choose an accommodation based on the distance to the cat
When traveling alone, it is important that your preferred level of interaction with cats matches the inn’s arrangements.
- Accommodations with potential guest-room visits
- An inn where you can meet cats in the lobby and dining room
- An inn where guests use a dedicated cat area at designated times.
- Accommodation with resident cat but interaction range is unconfirmed
Neko Yado Research’s List of cat accommodations organizes the distance to cats by A, B, and C.This is not a recommended ranking, but the range of interactions that have been confirmed.
Even if you request room visits, do not assume that the cat will definitely come. Read How to spend time at an inn where a cat visits the room and prepare accessories and entrances.
Plan your transportation to arrive during daylight hours.
Inns in mountainous areas or hot spring areas may be far from the nearest station, there may be few buses, or it may be difficult to find directions after sunset. If you’re traveling alone, you won’t have anyone with you to talk to about changes to your plans, so it’s important to plan your arrival in plenty of time.
Check items:
- Last check-in time
- Route from nearest station/bus stop
- Availability of transportation and reservation deadline
- Taxi operating area
- Winter road conditions
- Mobile phone signal status
If your arrival is delayed, you should notify the inn before meal preparation or pick-up/drop-off is affected.
Check the food and surrounding environment
There may not always be restaurants nearby that are easy to visit alone. If you are staying without meals, check convenience stores, restaurants, inn sales, and whether you can bring your own food.
For meal plans, check whether the meal location is a private room or shared seating, and whether there is a set start time. If you want to eat alone and quietly, it’s safe to check the scope in advance rather than after making a reservation.
Do not give human food to resident cats, and do not leave food or packaging unattended at accommodations where cats enter the dining room.
Use the time you spend waiting for the cat as a margin for your trip
When traveling alone, you may find yourself focusing only on looking for cats. Bring one way to spend your time without the cat, such as books, travel notes, hot springs, and walks.
If the cat shows up in the common area, don’t rush towards it; just sit and watch. A quiet, solitary environment may be easier for cats to approach, but that doesn’t mean they’ll always come.
What to know if you can’t meet resident cat can also be read before you leave to adjust your expectations.
Be careful about the shooting range because you are alone
If you don’t have a companion, you will need to check the cat’s movements and the safety of the surrounding area at the same time. Avoid concentrating so much on photography that you block passages or forget your luggage.
Turn off the flash on your smartphone and do not take pictures of other guests or staff in common areas. Even if you want to take a photo of yourself and the cat, instead of picking up the cat or asking the staff to take the photo, check the situation at the accommodation and consult with them.
Crime prevention and emergency preparedness
Share your travel destination, accommodation contact information, and return schedule with your family or someone you trust. Don’t leave your valuables in the common area and run after the cat, and check how the guest room is locked.
In case you become unwell or transportation is suspended, carry your insurance card, regular medications, backup payment methods, and charging methods. Small inns may not have staff on site at night, so be sure to ask about emergency contact methods when you check in.
Also value the distance between you and the people at your accommodation.
While talking with the host at a small inn is part of the charm of the trip, there are also busy times. If you want to hear about the resident cat, avoid the times when meal preparation and check-in overlap.
After staff explain the cats’ names and personalities, follow the guidance for that day. Do not demand the same arrangements based on old articles or guest reviews, saying “I could hold the cat before” or “The cat used to visit the room.”
Checklist for solo travelers
- A plan for 1 person has been confirmed.
- You can arrive during bright hours
- Transfer and final check-in confirmed
- Confirmed availability of dinner and breakfast.
- We have prepared ways to spend time when you can’t meet cats
- Shared itinerary with emergency contacts
- Confirmed distance and photography rules with cats
Summary
The appeal of traveling alone to a cat inn is that you can enjoy time with cats at your own pace. Arrange accommodation conditions, transportation, meals, and safety first, and don’t concentrate on meeting the cats. We respect the cats’ choices, giving them the space to enjoy the quiet stay itself.
If this is your first time staying at a cat inn, please also take a look at Complete Guide from Booking to Checkout and 10 Questions to Ask Before Booking.
Note: Single occupancy, fees, meals, transportation, resident cat presence and interaction methods will change. Please check the official information of the inn.
