Kumamoto Hotel Castle

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.

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.

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.

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.

The hotel has a great view of the castle but the higher floors are better. It is also in a good spot for shopping and has a tram stop nearby to go to the train station. The rooms are big for Japan and well appointed. The hotel is oldschool in the best sense. The breakfast is a set menu (western or Japanese with regional touches) and they have excellent coffee Staff is very friendly and helpful