On my recent 8-day solo trip to Japan, among all the hotels I booked, yours was the most expensive and the one I had the highest hopes for. However, my actual stay was incredibly disappointing. This significant letdown compels me to provide serious feedback — your hotel utterly betrayed my trust.
Two weeks before my trip, I booked a sea view room at your hotel via the Trip.com app and specifically requested a high-floor sea view room in the booking notes. My primary goal was to ensure a superior sea view experience during my stay. I later found out that your hotel's guest rooms are located on floors 4-9. However, upon check-in, the front desk directly assigned me the lowest available room on the 4th floor. This completely contradicted my primary request when booking and significantly diminished the value of a 'sea view room'.
Upon realizing the issue, I immediately contacted the front desk, hoping to be moved to a higher floor, even just a few floors up to improve the sea view. However, I was informed that 'an additional fee would be required to switch to a higher floor.' This left me particularly incensed:
1. If your hotel has a tiered pricing structure for sea view rooms based on floor level, this policy should be clearly stated on the booking page, including the 'total range of guest room floors' and the 'floor range included in the corresponding price,' rather than concealing crucial information and misleading consumers. To demand extra payment only after check-in clearly demonstrates a lack of integrity.
2. I booked two weeks in advance and specifically noted my high-floor preference; this was not a last-minute, unreasonable request. Even if an adjustment wasn't possible due to full occupancy, a reasonable explanation should have been provided. However, the front desk offered no further explanation, simply presenting 'paying extra' as the only solution. This dismissive and profit-driven service attitude starkly contradicts your hotel's premium pricing and positioning and undermines guests' trust.
Your hotel projects an image of 'quality service' through its high pricing, yet in reality, it conceals information and implicitly demands extra payment. This is completely unacceptable to me. I strongly urge your hotel to address the following issues:
1. Disclose your floor-based pricing rules to provide a transparent booking environment for consumers.
2. Issue a formal apology to me for this service failure and optimize your front desk service procedures to prevent future guests from experiencing similar issues.
Finding a room of this size and at this price in Japan is incredibly rare. The sink area can be separated from the bed by a sliding door, and both the shower and toilet are in their own separate spaces.
The hotel service is very thoughtful and I-person friendly, largely self-service. They provide disposable chopsticks and spoons for free, and there's coffee in the lobby, along with amenities like a microwave. There's also a communal long table area for guests to eat or relax.
While you have to use the main entrance for check-in, you can then use a side door with a key card to quickly access the train, bus, or taxi stations, essentially teleporting you to the platform.
From here, buses can take you directly to two different hot springs in various directions nearby. There are also buses to the Sea Torii Gate and Inari Shrine. Knowing the timetable makes getting around very convenient.
Within a 10-minute walk, you'll also find drugstores, supermarkets, convenience stores, and Daiso.
The three-story building behind the bus in the picture is the hotel.
The hotel is in a great location, just five or six minutes away from the Ureshino Bus Center, where you can take the express bus to Fukuoka or Nagasaki.
It is ten minutes away from the shops, with large supermarkets and drugstores (tax-free for purchases over 5,500 yen)
The tenth floor of the hotel is the hot spring bathhouse, which is open from 7 am to 11 am. It is divided into open-air and indoor areas, which is very comfortable.
The hotel room is also very spacious, and three people live very comfortably.
In addition, disposable socks are provided, which saves the trouble of washing socks 😀
If you are just staying in Saga for one night, you can still consider it. I really don't recommend other hotels because the bed is very small and the bathroom is really average. You don't even want to take a shower. Of course, if you have the courage, you can try the hot spring bath on the ground floor. You can get toiletries in the lobby and there is also free Costa coffee. So you can't ask for too much for this price. It is a certain distance from the airport on foot, but it is within an acceptable range. Across the main road outside the hotel (next to the airport bus station) there is a supermarket that is larger than 711 and opens until 12 o'clock in the evening, which is convenient for guests who want to buy things when they return late, but it is not duty-free.
The front desk staff weren't very proactive; they didn't greet guests coming or going. The room was average, but the bathroom threshold was exceptionally high, and I almost tripped every time I entered or exited. Let me especially talk about the large public bath—the facilities are terrible! The dry changing area is tiny, so small that three people changing at once felt cramped. They also don't provide common amenities for women like hair ties or elastic bands. The open-air hot spring area has no thermometer, is very small, and there was a noticeable oil film and debris floating on the water. I feel the hygiene definitely needs improvement.
KARAE HOTEL boasts an incredibly convenient location, right in front of Karatsu Station. The ground floor connects to a cafe, a Chinese restaurant, and a creative Japanese Omakase spot. Izakayas, the century-old Takeya Unagi restaurant, and a tofu shop are all within a 5-minute walk and offer delicious food. Upstairs, there's even a mini cinema and co-working space, so you'll never be bored, even on a rainy day.
I stayed in a female dormitory bed, and the space was well-designed, simple, and clean, with no strange odors. Each bed had a curtain for excellent privacy, and the mattress and pillow were very comfortable, ensuring a good night's sleep. There were power outlets and a small lamp by the bed, along with a space to put your phone and valuables – the details were very thoughtful.
The public areas are also worth mentioning. The toilets and showers are separate and very clean. The communal kitchen isn't large but has all the basic facilities for simple heating or making instant ramen. The laundry room has coin-operated washers and dryers, making it convenient for longer stays.
The entire space is quiet and welcoming, perfect for solo female travelers. Double rooms are also available for couples or families. Downstairs, it's just a 3-minute walk to catch a bus to Yobuko, Karatsu Castle, and Niji-no-Matsubara. The service is very personalized and attentive.
Although it is very retro and old, the service is very good, the hot spring in the large bath is quite good, it is very clean and the layout is grand, without any shabby feeling.
The hotel lobby is really in retro Western style, and it has a unique flavor. Accompanied by the self-service coffee, the sense of happiness is upgraded.
The location is good, you can walk to Takeo Tower Gate and JR Station. This hotel was built in 1910 and can be used as a landmark. Taxi drivers know it.
Japanese-style hotel, tatami bed, hot spring bath, very good, very close to the Hino Hot Spring Bus Center, but from the Hino Hot Spring JR station c need to take the bus, the only downside is that the bus number is relatively small, the interval is longer, and the others are good.
The facilities are old, it's just an old hot spring hotel, and the transportation is inconvenient. For someone who doesn't know Japanese yen and doesn't know English well, how can he arrange for free pick-up? 1,600 yuan including breakfast and dinner is really not cost-effective. Dinner is a Japanese meal, the food is OK, but I saw the Koreans at the next table eating beef barbecue. The key point is: the waiter asked if I wanted a drink, I asked if it was included in the package, she said: Yes, and recommended beer to me, so I ordered one. As a result, when I checked out the next day, I was asked for money. I was very angry at the time. When I argued with them, they just smiled and put the bill in front of me. I couldn't say anything... Here I would like to remind my friends that Japan is actually very lazy. At that time, I was talking to her with a translator, but she didn't look at the translator carefully at all, and I didn't know if it was intentional. Now the Japanese are also broken. They will recommend you some expensive and useless things. Remember not to recommend anything. This trip to Japan overturned my previous good impression of Japan.
The design of the hotel is very unique, with artistic enjoyment, and the food is quite Kaiseki style, without any special features. The slightly better menus have to be paid separately, which I haven't seen in other hot spring hotels of this level. There is also an additional fee for tea ceremony, which is a pity.
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9.4/10
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KKennyI recently stayed at Hotel R9 and had a pleasant experience, giving it an overall rating of 4 out of 5. I highly recommend this hotel, especially for short stays like overnight visits.
The unique concept of individual container rooms at Hotel R9 adds a touch of novelty to the experience. While the rooms may not be spacious enough for two males sharing a double room, they are still comfortable for couples. I found the rooms to be clean and well-maintained, earning a perfect 5 out of 5 for cleanliness.
Although Hotel R9 lacks fancy facilities like hot spring pools, swimming pools, and saunas, it does provide a convenient laundry room. This is particularly useful for solo and family travelers on a long trip but with a short stay at the hotel. Additionally, the hotel offers the option to soak in a hot water bath, which is especially rejuvenating when feeling tired. In terms of facilities, Hotel R9 falls slightly short with a rating of 3 out of 5. However, considering its focus on providing a comfortable and unique stay, the overall experience compensates for the limited facilities.
The hotel's location is excellent, receiving a perfect 5 out of 5 rating when driving. As for the service, while it was generally good, there is room for improvement, leading to a rating of 4 out of 5.
In conclusion, Hotel R9 is a great choice for travelers seeking a short, convenient stay. With its clean rooms, excellent location for drivers, and a range of practical amenities, it offers a pleasant experience overall.
GGuest UserThe breakfast was very rich and especially powerful. The scenery of Ivanli was beautiful. The hotel's shampoo and shower gel conditioner tasted very much. In addition, the details were very comprehensive. The only drawback was that I could not smoke. To be honest, this was not friendly. The barbecue in front of the hotel is great, it is highly recommended to try it.
AAmberriver82On my recent 8-day solo trip to Japan, among all the hotels I booked, yours was the most expensive and the one I had the highest hopes for. However, my actual stay was incredibly disappointing. This significant letdown compels me to provide serious feedback — your hotel utterly betrayed my trust.
Two weeks before my trip, I booked a sea view room at your hotel via the Trip.com app and specifically requested a high-floor sea view room in the booking notes. My primary goal was to ensure a superior sea view experience during my stay. I later found out that your hotel's guest rooms are located on floors 4-9. However, upon check-in, the front desk directly assigned me the lowest available room on the 4th floor. This completely contradicted my primary request when booking and significantly diminished the value of a 'sea view room'.
Upon realizing the issue, I immediately contacted the front desk, hoping to be moved to a higher floor, even just a few floors up to improve the sea view. However, I was informed that 'an additional fee would be required to switch to a higher floor.' This left me particularly incensed:
1. If your hotel has a tiered pricing structure for sea view rooms based on floor level, this policy should be clearly stated on the booking page, including the 'total range of guest room floors' and the 'floor range included in the corresponding price,' rather than concealing crucial information and misleading consumers. To demand extra payment only after check-in clearly demonstrates a lack of integrity.
2. I booked two weeks in advance and specifically noted my high-floor preference; this was not a last-minute, unreasonable request. Even if an adjustment wasn't possible due to full occupancy, a reasonable explanation should have been provided. However, the front desk offered no further explanation, simply presenting 'paying extra' as the only solution. This dismissive and profit-driven service attitude starkly contradicts your hotel's premium pricing and positioning and undermines guests' trust.
Your hotel projects an image of 'quality service' through its high pricing, yet in reality, it conceals information and implicitly demands extra payment. This is completely unacceptable to me. I strongly urge your hotel to address the following issues:
1. Disclose your floor-based pricing rules to provide a transparent booking environment for consumers.
2. Issue a formal apology to me for this service failure and optimize your front desk service procedures to prevent future guests from experiencing similar issues.
Aapple_aileenFinding a room of this size and at this price in Japan is incredibly rare. The sink area can be separated from the bed by a sliding door, and both the shower and toilet are in their own separate spaces.
The hotel service is very thoughtful and I-person friendly, largely self-service. They provide disposable chopsticks and spoons for free, and there's coffee in the lobby, along with amenities like a microwave. There's also a communal long table area for guests to eat or relax.
While you have to use the main entrance for check-in, you can then use a side door with a key card to quickly access the train, bus, or taxi stations, essentially teleporting you to the platform.
From here, buses can take you directly to two different hot springs in various directions nearby. There are also buses to the Sea Torii Gate and Inari Shrine. Knowing the timetable makes getting around very convenient.
Within a 10-minute walk, you'll also find drugstores, supermarkets, convenience stores, and Daiso.
The three-story building behind the bus in the picture is the hotel.
LLeon Ho4455Both breakfast and dinner were terrible, leaving me starving at night. I'd highly recommend bringing your own food, especially since there are no 7-Elevens or convenience stores nearby. However, the hot spring water was absolutely fantastic; it left my skin feeling incredibly smooth and soft! The hot springs get a perfect 10/10. As for the food, it simply wasn't up to par!
GGuest UserThe female dorm has a security entrance, so I felt safe staying here.
There is a shopping area just behind the hotel, and lots of eateries available. The Kumamoto castle is also within walking distance.
The washroom's cleanliness and amenities are tip top. There are no complaints. There is also a washing machine and dryer which is convenient if you need to do some laundry during your travels.
There is also a female bath but I didn't have time so I have no comments on that.
There was also a rest area for dining which is good for people who wants to eat take-away or convenience store foods. There is a hot water provider and microwave, but there was no drinking water supply. (I guess you'll need to buy bottled water, which in this case, there are several vending machines within the premise)
AAnnaExcellent hotel, close to Tosu station. Everything you need in the room, a large bed, a kettle, a toothbrush, towels. Breakfast is excellent, I am happy with everything! I will come back!
11520199****The front desk staff weren't very proactive; they didn't greet guests coming or going. The room was average, but the bathroom threshold was exceptionally high, and I almost tripped every time I entered or exited. Let me especially talk about the large public bath—the facilities are terrible! The dry changing area is tiny, so small that three people changing at once felt cramped. They also don't provide common amenities for women like hair ties or elastic bands. The open-air hot spring area has no thermometer, is very small, and there was a noticeable oil film and debris floating on the water. I feel the hygiene definitely needs improvement.
GGuest UserThe hotel is in a great location, just five or six minutes away from the Ureshino Bus Center, where you can take the express bus to Fukuoka or Nagasaki.
It is ten minutes away from the shops, with large supermarkets and drugstores (tax-free for purchases over 5,500 yen)
The tenth floor of the hotel is the hot spring bathhouse, which is open from 7 am to 11 am. It is divided into open-air and indoor areas, which is very comfortable.
The hotel room is also very spacious, and three people live very comfortably.
In addition, disposable socks are provided, which saves the trouble of washing socks 😀
2205808****The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle service to Saga JR Station, which you can arrange by contacting them directly. The rooms are significantly larger than typical hotel rooms and offer beautiful views. The hot spring baths, both indoor and outdoor, are comfortably warm, allowing for long, relaxing soaks in a clean and pleasant environment. The only downside was that the dinner provided wasn't quite to my Chinese palate.
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