Richmond Hotel Fukuoka Tenjin

Get your directions right, since there's another Richmond Hotel called Richmond Hotel Tenjin Nishidori. This hotel's location is excellent, near train stations and surrounded by shopping malls. The underground shopping mall is right in front and easy to access. You'll pay city tax at check-in, and the lobby has amenities you can take as needed. The TV shows how many laundry machines are available and how long they have left. You can also request housekeeping through the TV each morning before 9 am. In the evenings, a few yatai stalls appear in front of the hotel, which adds a fun local touch.

The location was pretty good, close to Tenjin shopping and some transit lines, and Canal City is a 15-minute walk away. The rooms are small, normal for Japan, I guess. I had to pay an additional “tourism tax” or something when checking in. It was also kind of annoying to choose my housekeeping status every morning through the electronic system. Overall, just an average hotel.

The hotel makes smart use of cost-efficient design, with the architecture and layout still making a strong impression. Its location in Osaka is very strategic too, within walking distance of shopping, great food, and plenty of new things to explore.

All the other service from the hotel was outstanding. But it was sad to see an Asian family in the lobby, seemingly from southeast Asia, take a lot of amenities at once, probably more than they would use during their stay. The staff didn't say anything about their behaviour, and seeing both the family and staff in that moment was sad.