GRAND BASE Hakata City

It’s in a good location and costs a little less than other places, which is about all it has going for it. If that’s all you care about, it’s fine. I couldn’t get the free Wi-Fi to connect properly. Looking more closely, I noticed something that seemed to belong to another room. There were also slippers tossed into the storage space above the clothes-hanging area.

The room was very clean and didn’t smell, which was great. It had two double beds, a washing machine, and a refrigerator, though the room felt small to me and I wasn’t sure it needed two double beds. Finding the place at night took some effort because the sign was small, but we did find it. Check-in was a bit confusing too, though we got through to the call center and managed it. A foreign guest who arrived after us spent over 30 minutes checking in, which was a shame in the heat.

The neighborhood was quiet, and the room had a lot going for it: a washing machine, bathtub, plenty of towels, great air conditioning, and Netflix. The dryer worked especially well, which was my favorite part. There’s a drinks and water vending machine outside, plus a convenience store and a large discount store nearby. I bought lots of food and souvenirs there. It was duty-free, but nobody told me, so I didn’t realize. The room was small, but had what I needed for one night before heading to the airport. I just put my suitcase on the bed to unpack. A Kakao Taxi to the airport cost 22,000 won. The address was a little confusing, and I had a hard time watching TV in the blazing sun. ㅠ They should change the bedding often.

We were four, three adults and one elementary school student, and didn’t feel cramped. The room was new, clean, well kept, and comfortable. There’s a washing machine and bathroom dryer, which saved me from having laundry to do after we got home. There’s only one pole, though, so bringing one with clothespins from the 100-yen shop would help with socks and things. If you plan to use the kitchen, remember to bring oil. The kettle, microwave, and refrigerator made it easy to put together breakfast from the nearby 7-Eleven. The mosquitoes were the big letdown. A lot came from the air conditioner outside our room entrance and got inside, and there were loads in the elevator too. I’ve never had so many mosquito encounters in one summer. Maybe it was just because we were there in summer, since the room and service were great, but it was disappointing. Mosquito spray in the room would have helped.