We lucked in with our reservation in this hotel. It is hard to tell sometimes, when you book a property what you are going to end up with. This was a very pleasant surprise. The hotel is top class, with a rather upmarket feel to it. Superb views of Kumamoto castle from our room window. It is 10-20 minutes from the railway station by taxi, depending upon the traffic (¥1,300). We booked a twin room, which turned out to be quite spacious for Japan and it had a good quality feel to it. The staff were super courteous and always available should you require anything. Our bags were already in our room when we returned from a sightseeing walk and checked in. We had hired a rental car and parked it at the hotel overnight for a small fee. Food was of a good standard, with a choice of Japanese or western style breakfast. All in all, I was impressed by this hotel.

Nothing

Great location, right next to the castle. Beautiful old building. Staff were very helpful. Breakfast was adequate (not a buffet so may not be enough for those with big appetites). Room had everything except for the in-room wifi which constantly dropped out. Dining tip - try the Food Stall Village which is a 2 min walk from the hotel. Eat with the locals at cool little food stalls cooking fresh local food. I found it by accident and went there twice. Awesome food!

In room wifi was pretty hopeless and no wifi in the restaurant so couldn't use it for trip planning etc at breakfast

Even though the hotel is old, it was built for the Emperor and Empress back in the 60’s (if I recall correctly), so that is pretty cool. It was clean, and the hotel staff were very friendly and helpful. I got really sick so it was a useful location right on top of a pharmacy/drug store and a few konbinis that were located behind the hotel. The nearest supermarkets were about a 15 minute walk however. The castle itself was super easy to get to and whilst I didn’t have the castle view, I feel like I had a far more interesting view instead (photos attached). The room was very spacious but the mattress did have a giant hole in the side. The bed was still comfortable though, but the carpet was old and frayed and the bathroom also looked old but it was clean. I also had to park there and it was super convenient and easy. Even if the parking got full, there’s literally a car park on the street opposite that had plenty of car spots available at all times.

Kumamoto was way more humid than I expected it to be when I landed, so the cooling system really struggled to keep up. I managed to work something out with the humidifier and got the window open at night to cool the room down, but being sick + the humidity meant I was really suffering at times in the heat. Whilst the tram was super easy to use, it’s still a bit far from Kumamoto station with luggage, so I took a taxi to get there at the end of my trip which didn’t cost too much, but do consider that as a factor if you have large families and lots of luggage to haul.

Old world glamour with a fabulous location for a castle visit and shopping/eating out. The wonderfully attentive staff made a world of difference at this hotel, exceptional service provided. Spacious rooms and comfy beds.

Whilst communal areas have a nice vintage feel, the property is old and the bedrooms feel quite tired. The windows need cleaning from the outside, as this rather impacts the great views of the castle keep. Lower rooms will mostly have a view of the stonework due to be used on the castle repairs. Whilst interesting, it does feel like a building site and the noise from the road would not suit a light sleeper.

Booked the deluxe twin room with view of the castle, we received a surprise upgrade upon arrival and check-in: royal suite on the 10th floor. To say the hotel made our stay enjoyable and memorable would be an understatement, they were all very nice and friendly, very accommodating. The view of the castle was of course even nicer than expected, almost facing us straight on. I think the hotel's location provides the best view of the castle in Kumamoto while being at close distance to the arcades/shopping district and the tram stop. Fyi, luggage can be kept at the cloakroom on the day of check-in but will have already been brought to your room, waiting for you.

Absolutely nothing.

Getting one of the 40m^2 rooms for only 18000 yen, this was one of the best bargains I’ve ever come across in my hoteling history. The room was reasonably laid out, big, clean and tidy, had modern decor and all necessary and even extra equipment and amenities, and had staff help us deliver our luggage to our rooms. The hotel is also located right in downtown Kumamoto next to the castle premises providing unparalleled convenience alongside with the free parking they offer. This was a brilliant experience and I would recommend anyone who gets their hands on the deal.

The hotel did not have a public bath and you can’t really take your car out after you’ve parked it for the night. But these are teething problems compared to how nice it was.

An excellent hotel with a luxurious feeling and superb service. We had a large and very comfortable room with an exquisite view of Kumamoto Castle. The staff are very friendly and provide excellent service. Yet the prices are not at all that high, especially not for what you receive. Highly recommended if you are in the area. A big bonus was the best baby bed in our whole trip in Japan.

There is really nothing negative to say, not anything of importance.

We spent two nights in the Delux King Twin room and it was one of our best stays in Japan. The rooms looked like they had recently been refurbished, and so were modern and clean in appearance. The room was large, and the beds were comfortable The location was great, walking distance to the Castle and shops. There were also some great restaurants around. I also loved the complimentary parking on-site.

This hotel is directly opposite Kumamoto Castle, so depending on the room you get, you can see the castle from your room. The windows are two small vertical panels, but it is still a nostalgic pleasant hotel to stay in. Breakfast is a set meal, not a buffet. In terms of quality and volume, I'd rate it 5/6 out of 10. Nonetheless, it is still great for a one-night stay. Parked the car at the hotel, which is chargeable by the day, but at a reasonable rate.

As it is an old hotel, they have a severe issue on air conditioning. It is a centralized system and the aircon is not cool at all. They need to revamp the system but it will depend on the owners and management. In other words, if you are traveling in the cool months to Kumamoto, then is it fine by just opening the window ajar (cannot fully open for security reasons) for cool air to come in. If you are traveling in the hot months, then it is not wise to pick this stay until such time they have revamped their cooling system.

Friendly helpful staff Easy guided parking on site doesn’t require prebook but is first come first serve Very close to castle and lots of restaurants and shopping

It’s somewhat dated but clean and has everything provided Be aware that if you go to the castle on weekdays, only the south gate is open (google will take you to the north gate and you’ll end up walking all the way around) so cross street and go left for south entrance