Kagoshima Sun Royal Hotel

You can see the wear on many of the facilities, so the hotel is aged. Still, the staff seem to be working hard to keep things managed and guests satisfied, which is why I’m giving it a fairly high score. It’s outside downtown, but they provide a free shuttle bus. The view from the restroom window was another highlight for me, and I thought it was the best place to see the volcano.

The public bath has a great view, but its facilities need renovation. The hotel itself needs serious work and better management. WiFi didn’t work outside the room, and the toilet flush has an old-fashioned stick and no water tank. The location depends on what you need: it’s not near shops or restaurants, though the free shuttle helps. Breakfast was a disappointment. The seating is limited, and when I arrived at 7:15, there was already a waiting list despite breakfast starting at 7. It felt badly organized, as if the hotel hadn’t planned for guests to eat at the same time. The food was okay, with some local ingredients and dishes, but I wouldn’t pay 3000 yen for the buffet when there are much better options.

Breakfast was probably the best part, with plenty of choices. The trip there and the price still didn’t feel worthwhile to me, and next time I’d book a business hotel nearer the train station. I expected a quiet setting because the hotel is far from the city center, but it’s surrounded by pachinko parlors, large shopping outlets, and parking lots. Even from a high floor, there was very little sea view. At reception, several counters were open and no one else was waiting, yet we had to wait for a staff member’s permission before approaching the desk. The staff didn’t smile or use polite language, something I hadn’t experienced before in Japan. The so-called lounge was a small room with 8-10 uncomfortable chairs and two vending machines, with no sofas, and it didn’t feel welcoming. The public bath was another letdown: it was small, the water wasn’t hot in the evening, and several used towels were left in the sauna hours before closing. I expected the facilities to stay clean and tidy through the end of the day.

The facilities are old and lacking, and the buffets were mediocre in their presentation, taste, and variety. A few of the male staff members had what felt like a privileged attitude toward guests. The property is listed as 4-star on Google Maps and OTA websites, but I think it should be 3-star. That rating is misleading and left us disappointed.