Hotel Crown Palais Kitakyushu

The rooms felt neglected, with peeling wallpaper and beds so hard they felt like wood planks. The small pillows were badly worn and rock hard too. I couldn't adjust the room temperature, though they did bring me a fan when I asked. The food arrangement was another letdown. Our large group ate in a banquet room, where what was called a buffet actually came with a fixed number of pieces: two chicken nuggets, one piece of salmon, and so on. We couldn't go back for more. The restaurant shown on the website has been permanently closed since COVID. We booked partly because the website advertised a whiskey bar that looked very nice and said it opened at 9pm. It has also been permanently closed since COVID. When I asked staff why the site still listed it as open, they just gave me the usual dismissive smile Japanese people do when you call them out. This was easily my worst hotel stay. I wouldn't recommend the place. Find somewhere else nearby that doesn't deliberately mislead guests and then smile in their faces when they complain.

The breakfast buffet was good, and I appreciated that. This may be my last stay at "Hotel Crown Palais Kitakyushu" before it is renovated into one of the Marriott group's hotel brands. The faded interiors throughout the facilities and rooms really do need a remodel to meet what modern hotel guests expect.

The best part for me was the noon checkout, even though most hotels in Japan ask you to leave by 10am. There's an AEON Town mall across the road with a 24-hour supermarket, and the location is good. The hotel is large and has free parking. The facilities are showing their age, but the stay was comfortable. The TV is a bit small, and I couldn't find a microwave in the hotel. Guests have to leave their room key at reception when going out.

We were worried about finding vegetarian food in Japan, so we brought ready-to-eat meals. There wasn't a microwave in our room, but the staff kindly heated our food, milk, and Maggi for us. Everyone was very polite and ready to help. I really appreciated their hospitality.