KUMAMOTO
Check- in is done via machine. So much for technology; less interaction with humans. A code was given to us to unlock our room door. Cool.....
Best hotel! Moment I stepped in, I imagine this as my own single lady living. There's a washing machine, a very very small kitchenette area.
I hate the entry way. So narrow. We could only fit 4 pairs of shoes lined up against the wall which can be difficult for the person whose shoes is furthest away & nearer to the door ahem ahem... that would be my shoes. It is so narrow that it was a problem when we all went into the room for the first time. We have to remove our shoes to get in and there's no place to put the shoes aside, plus we had to carry the luggages in so as not to spoil the flooring mat. So can you imagine us struggling to walk over the shoes praying hard we don't trip and drop the luggages on the mat.
This is a typical Japanese bathroom where the toilet bowl is in a separate room. I won't have to smell someone pooping when I'm showering 😂. I love the heater in the toilet, dried up the wet floor and towels. Since there is no housekeeping, it is important that we can dry our towels in the night and fold them up before we leave hotel for sightseeing the next day. I could hang my clothes to dry further if I had wanted to but since there is a washing machine, I don't need to handwash anything. Best of all, one is able to keep himself/herself warm with the heater on after a shower on a cold winter day. Did I mention I love Japanese shower cubicle or whatever you call it. If only we can have something like this in Singapore. Cleaning the bathroom will be so easy; I can just splash the water around and use a squeegee to remove water and a towel to wipe down. No need to use a thin hard brush to scrub the grouts and deal with watermarks on the tempered glass door. I was even so crazy to lift up the drain area. My goodness, it's so so easy to clean.
No housekeeping, so a small vacumn cleaner is provided in the room. I'm not sure if I was too fussy over the cleanliness that we had to help them charge it. Haha!
There's charging ports for every bed. Not bad. At least I don't have to worry if the port is overloaded and I might get burnt and die in my sleep.
A bit kapo but checked online for the layout and learnt it's a 35sqm / 377sq ft room. It's a room for 6 which explains it's size, and the space infront of the beds. But if it's still that small entry way for 6, I wonder where one can put their shoes. Or perhaps there are untidy travellers who don't bother with such trivial matter? We are simply too neat already?
Decent living for a single; definitely ample space for even a small digital piano. Haha! Ok continue day-dreaming.
Rating : 10/10
KAGOSHIMA
I like this hotel as we have the view of Sakurajima. Managed to do some stargazing too! The balcony is a decent size for 2 to sit down and watch the day go by; one can take the time and count how many ferries going past you in Kagoshima Bay.
The single-beds are lined up in a row; army style. I love it coz it looks so neat, unlike the hotel in Fukuoka. There's charging ports for every bed.
Toilet is angmoh style.
There's a laundry room in the hotel. Breakfast has a wide spread of dishes.
A pretty comfortable hotel.
Rating : 9/10
NICHINAN
Hubby booked this traditional japanese home, so we had the whole house to ourselves while the owners lived in the house next door. Not bad for extra retirement funds. If only we can do this in Singapore. It was only for a night so we didn't get to experience any cleaning from them. This can accomodate at least 8 people.
The owner showed us how to lay the futon and get the bedding ready for the night. It's a nice place, I like this for the traditional feel. A kimono clad lady preparing tea would make this place complete.
But somehow I felt the vulnerability with just the shoji doors separating the rooms from the walkway (which is noisy when we walk on the wooden flooring) and had to think over and over again if we did lock the main door and make sure all other doors are locked. Somehow my imagination ran wild with shurikens flying and cutting through the washi-papered doors.
The only thing is that there is no heater in the bathroom, so one either have to quickly wrap himself/herself up and run into another heated room quickly. There was no heater in the morning too so we weren't able to take any shower before check out.
A lovely garden outside makes a good photo spot. Infact the house too.
As this is a break stop, it was only for a night. I don't mind going back and discover more around Nichinan
Rating : 8/10. But 10/10 for traditional feel
KADOGAWA
Another one night stay hotel. This place reminds me of US style cheap hotels. Fortunately my girls are trained to live in cheap places, so they don't mind. No atas 5* hotels unless we're in the country where our currency conversion makes us like king and queens.
No lift to the second floor, which was a struggle for us as the luggage is getting heavier. As I told the man, next time we should be smarter and just pack our stuffs for a one-night stay stuffs into my handy dandy mamasan bag, and we can leave the rest in the luggage in the car. But... it won't be safe in the US though, maybe in Japan we can safely do that.
Nice and cosy room, if only the room overlooks Kadogawa Bay and not out into the corridor.
Continental breakfast is served in the morning (bread and kopi/teh) which one will bring to their room to consume.
It's a small hotel chain too. So can consider to book this for those one-night stay.
Rating : 8/10
BEPPU
Nice ryokan where a shoji separates the sleeping area to the sitting area. Sitting area overlooks the Beppu Bay
Not for the old bones. Omg! I can feel the hard floor even with one futon. The hubby took one spare from wardrobe n it’s better. I took extra duvet to lay on it but as fluffy as it is, it soon flattened 🤨. No difference! If not for the fact that the man is driving n need him to have restful sleep, I would have kicked him off his futon. I even suggested if lil' one can combine hers and mine together and then she can sleep with me (aka us). Alas! She didn't want the Snoring Symphony to keep her awake.
While I really do enjoy the idea of a ryokan. Go onsen, eat, go onsen, eat, sleep all can be done while wearing a yukata. The idea of me struggling to get up from the floor makes me want to think twice. They should have an option of a bed for westerner travellers (ok, more like it's for me)
Even sitting on the floor, we had to roll ourselves up. 年青人还可以很快的站起来 . They enjoyed eating in beppu restaurant sitting down while the man n I gasped at the thought that we’ll need something to grab n what to grab to stand up.
There's a live performance daily where a man play on this old (and sounds untuned) piano. One night there was a lady flautist as well.
Staffs are very friendly.
Breakfast and dinner are served by friendly and attentive staffs. I only need to complain about their portion 😉, we have so much wasted food every meal.
FUKUOKA
Location of this small hotel is even nearer to Hakata Station, 7 min walk. And what more it's just a street away from Budget Car Rental, so it was easy for us to return the car. We stayed for two nights here, if only we had booked this for the beginning as well (coz we didn't even walk around Canal City Mall when we stayed there. Only did it during the return leg)
It's a small hotel of only 17 rooms in total. One will need the room key to unlock the access gate downstairs. There's usually at least 2 staffs outside but during the morning when we checked out, there wasn't anyone around. So I think staffs only come in at 7am?
No housekeeping at all. Not sure if they stopped doing coz of covid.
Love this entry way, so much bigger. There's even a cabinet to put your shoes in. A door to the room separates this doorway and the toilet / bathroom.
Small balcony to hang clothes. Noticed a hanger there. Will be useful for those on long stay.
There's even a microwave, kettle, kitchen sink within the room area. Everything is laid out so neat and there's space to walk around.
There are two other doors inside. One to the japanese style bathroom and the other to the lone throne area.
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