3-Star Hotels in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

Stayed at Nest Hotel Kumamoto during our trip and had a really comfortable stay. The location is very convenient, very near to the city centre with only around 10 minutes walking distance to the shopping street and nearby station. There’s also a vending machine at the lobby which is super convenient for late night drinks and snacks. Right opposite the hotel there is a big mall, so it’s easy to find food, shopping, and daily necessities. Luckily during our stay, there was also a taiwan food fair happening nearby which made the atmosphere even more lively and interesting. The room was clean, comfortable, and suitable for travelers looking for a convenient place to stay in Kumamoto. Staff check-in process was smooth as well. Overall, great location and comfortable stay. 9/10 ⭐️

It was actually pretty good, not as bad as some of the Google Maps reviews suggest! Our triple room was huge; we could easily open three suitcases and still had a sofa area to relax. The room was clean, even the AC vents in the bathroom were dust-free. All the toiletries were provided. They have a karaoke room, a common lounge for reading, a gym, a ping-pong table, a walking track, and massage chairs. After dinner, I even went to burn off some calories by playing ping-pong. There's an onsen with a public bath and six private onsen rooms, all free and available all night without booking! The front desk staff were polite and friendly, and they communicated well in English. Even though there were three tour buses full of Thai and Korean tourists, it wasn't chaotic at all. For dinner, the all-you-can-eat crab wasn't huge, but it certainly wasn't tiny and meatless. And there was a wide selection of free alcoholic drinks, so it's probably a drinker's paradise!

Because my bookings were split, my second reservation was for a superior room instead of a deluxe room. However, since it was on a higher floor, the bathroom odor was gone. The room was slightly smaller than the deluxe, but still acceptable. So, I'd recommend trying to get a high-floor room if possible. The parking lot near the hotel is excellent, costing 1200 yen from 3 PM until 11 AM the next day. You can ask the hotel for a discount coupon. When checking out, insert the parking ticket first to calculate the fee, then insert the discount coupon, and finally pay with cash. The ramen shop across from the hotel is quite good too.

Our ryokan stay was overall a really enjoyable experience. The room and view were amazing, we booked one of the newly built room types, which leaned more towards a modern Western-style design while still keeping the ryokan atmosphere. The room was beautiful, and comfortable. Amenities were thoughtfully provided, and we were pleasantly surprised by the complimentary minibar with a variety of drinks, crafted drip coffee bags, and even in-room draft beer, which was a huge plus for us. The meals exceeded our expectations as well. Portions were very generous and everything we had was goo, making both dinner and breakfast a highlight of the stay. The in-room onsen did have a slightly unusual smell, which is probably due to the natural mineral content of the hot spring water, though it may take some getting used to. The main downside, which we were already aware of before booking, was the location. The ryokan is about 30–40 minutes from Kurokawa Onsen Village, and there is only one shuttle service timing per day. This made our schedule quite restricted, so it would be much better if they could offer more shuttle time options for guests. As for the service, the staff were generally friendly and helpful despite the language barrier. Only one of the staff members spoke English clearly enough for easy communication, but everyone still tried their best to assist us.

I arrived a little early, but I was happy to check in. It was a very smiling response from the pick-up to the guide to the room. The meal also used plenty of local ingredients, and it was especially delicious that the vegetables picked at the home farm were impressed. The staff seemed to be foreign, but I thought Japanese was good and very smiling and wonderful.

I wasn't expecting much as I read some negative reviews but I was very satisfied with this place. Firstly the location and scenery was amazing, overlooking the river and some mini waterfall with forest vistas. The service was very courteous & friendly, with check-in staff speaking perfect English. They even asked how I was going back and offered a free drop off the the bus stop upon check-out. Unlimited check in drinks include coffee & matcha espresso. The main baths are really nice & serene, especially the bamboo one. There are some wear & tear on some of the smaller onsens though. On the food, I read some negative reviews but was surprised that it was a very decent selection and well made. The tuna sushi was fresh and tasty (of course don't expect chutoro or otoro, but the cut was decent). There is unagi sushi, sashimi, prawn tempura, pork shabu which were also delicious. Contrary to some reviews food were quickly replenished even though the dinner was busy. Free flow booze, but I don't drink. Option to add on wagyu beef for Y4400 which was also great. Breakfast buffet was less elaborate but got your eggs, delicious beef bowl rice, yoghurt, fruit and quite a lot besides. All in all a great stay and I recommend this.

Overall, a fantastic stay! I really appreciated the complimentary drinks and the spacious bathtub in the room. The service was excellent, and I'll definitely be returning for another visit. My only minor critique is that the location isn't the most convenient, but despite that, I found the overall experience to be very satisfactory.

Arriving at Aso Station on the Aso Boy train, I looked up and saw the hotel right outside the exit. The bus to Mount Aso 🚌 was conveniently located to the right. The hotel has a family onsen behind it for 400 yen per person, and complimentary tea and coffee are provided (though no milk). There's a Lawson convenience store nearby. The lounge with a small courtyard outside is super comfortable for sitting. The downside is there's no buffet restaurant, only breakfast is offered, and food options nearby are quite limited. If they had a buffet, I'd definitely stay for a few more nights, I liked it that much 👍. I stayed for two nights this time; Aso is a really clean, uncrowded, comfortable, and pleasant place.

The tea cup in the room was not clean, i wish the hotel payed more attention to that. The hotel itself is very close to the station and the breakfasts are good, I've been there twice and each time the food was a little different. The staff at reception desk is very helpful

I was a bit skeptical about all the comments mentioning it was like a Miyazaki castle and magical etc because the pictures didn't really showed that. But it is because photos don't truly show it .. but the atmosphere exists! Miki's place is full of details, it's art, but not only, it's sharp, it's cute, fun, sometimes critical, it makes you wonder, wander, think, want to touch and explore. There's music, there's vintage technological, there's hidden corners. The single rooms are the most searched for. But the dorms reeeeaallly need a chance. I stayed in a small dorm with only two beds. With an incredibly comfy sofa and an aquarium with a doll lucky fish surrounded by prosperity ”diamonds ”. At the entrance also there was a samurai suit, guarding my sleep. The windows have paper coverings with Sakura patterns. The water pressure in the shower is so good that I thought I was in a waterfall! The other dorm is bigger with two super comfy swinging chairs. One whole day I just stayed in. And was soo good! So I recommend to come with time to enjoy and give the necessary attention and care it deserves.