Parkside Inn Hakata

The good points were the roomy Type B room and its location. But I wouldn't come back. The website mixed photos of different room types together, so it wasn't clear what the room would actually look like. For four people staying several days, there were only two rolls of toilet paper, and when I asked for more, I was told to buy it myself. I also wished there had been cleaning supplies since I couldn't get the room cleaned. With a baby, I had brought a cloth just in case and wiped the floor every day. There was black dust all over, plus live cockroaches and several dead ones in the kitchen. The accommodation said to use pesticide if needed because there is a restaurant on the first floor. With a baby, I wasn't comfortable spraying it. I often saw big cockroaches near the first-floor entrance too.

We had a really comfortable week, and everything seemed thoughtfully set up for guests. The Type A room on the third floor was much brighter, cleaner and neater than the photos had led me to expect. I had worried because they looked dark, and even wondered whether the wallpaper and lighting had recently been redone. There was a bar on the first floor, but it wasn't noisy. The first night we did hear a drunk person yelling in the street; after that there were no loud sounds, and I even worried we might be the noisy ones. The layout worked well for us: two bedrooms, one with two queen beds and the tatami room with a single and a queen. The living room had a comfortable sofa and TV, and the dining table was large enough for six. The fridge was bigger than a typical hotel one. There was also an electric kettle, microwave that can double as an oven (I didn't try that function), pots and pans, scissors and tableware for seven, including teaspoons. The induction cooktop was there if we wanted to cook. Laundry was easy enough with the 7kg washing machine and detergent provided. You can dry clothes outside on the veranda if you bring a clothesline and pegs. I hadn't brought pegs, so I used my own hangers and hung things by the range hood and sink; there were plastic hangers too that I think could work for laundry. I only noticed on departure day that there were two kinds of hair straighteners and a hair dryer. We had plenty of towels. I saw extra ones in the hallway walk-in closet, but the response said not to use them, and we didn't. I also heard there were plastic bags inside the trash can for when it fills up. A famous bakery nearby had people lining up before opening, and there was a Family Mart right close by. Max Value Express was a short walk away. Fukuoka Station was a five-minute walk, and we walked to Sumiyoshi Shrine, Canal City and Tenjin. It's a good fit for a family who wants a spacious place instead of booking two rooms. There is a mop-sized gap in the setup, though. I brought a wet mop cloth and used a hand mop, but a regular mop would have been better. After more than three nights you'll need to clean. I cleaned almost daily for a week, and it was manageable and quick, so a longer stay is still fine. I accidentally broke a glass cup. When I called to tell them, they said they'd send a link for credit card payment to cover it. If you need to reach them, a phone call works. Thanks for making the trip enjoyable with such clean, thoughtful preparation.

There was barely any water pressure in my third-floor room, and one evening the shower water stayed in the teens temperature-wise, with no hot water. Since there wasn't a reception desk on site, I had to contact staff through a tablet. Once I got through, I still waited 40 minutes before someone came to help.

We had a Type C room for the family. The room was spotless, the bed comfortable, and we had fun with the projector. It's about a five-minute walk from the station, which makes it a handy base for sightseeing nearby. I'd recommend it.