GRAND BASE Hakata Premium

I liked that Grand Base Hakata felt more like a Japanese apartment than a hotel during our stay of almost a week. It’s down a quiet alley, yet only a 2-minute walk from the nearest bus stop, so getting around was convenient while the area stayed peaceful. Everything is self-service, with no front desk staff and no daily towel replacement. You wash the towels yourself in the provided washing machine and handle things on your own, much like at home. It was a comfortable stay and a good cultural experience for me, but keep in mind there’s no counter where you can ask someone for help.

Clean and tidy, and the location made a good base for seeing Fukuoka and the surrounding area. The pillows were the worst I’ve ever slept on, though, so bring your own if you want a good night’s rest. There’s a washing machine but nowhere to dry clothes, so a drying rack would help.

I couldn’t get any rest during the stay. I’d asked for a quiet room on a higher floor, but was given what felt like the noisiest room, on a middle floor. The guests in room 401 above were stomping and banging around the whole time. It was a nightmare. When I asked for a quiet room, staff member Taisei rebuked me. He was downright mean. Never again. Disgusting experience. Eric Room 301.

I’ve stayed at this Grand Base hotel chain many times, but I seriously can’t recommend this place. Some staff are friendly and accommodating, but one employee, TAISEI, is rude, belligerent, and hostile in an unprofessional way. Even my simplest requests drew shrill, condescending replies. I avoid asking him for anything because I expect a negative response, a resounding no. He has been disrespectful to me numerous times and is extremely unaccommodating and incompetent. He seems to have serious anger management problems. Taisei is a disgrace to the hospitality industry and a liability to any hospitality business. No amount of going back to hospitality school would help him.