GR Hotel Suidocho

It’s alright. The room was small, and one side of the towel rack in mine was broken. There seems to be at least one staff member who speaks English. Breakfast isn’t included.

It’s part of the same group as GR Hotel Ginzadori. If you keep your expectations modest, it’s a good option.

An older hotel, but the rooms are clean and well maintained. The staff are friendly and helpful, and it’s in a nice, quiet spot just minutes on foot from shops and restaurants.

The location near Kumamoto Tsuruya Department Store made this a good choice for me. I had back and leg pain, so paying a little more to stay nearby felt worth it. It saved my life, and I could head to work feeling refreshed thanks to how attentive everyone at the front desk was. The room stayed surprisingly warm in February. The central air conditioning has a knob with three settings, and the heat was stronger than in most Japanese business hotels I’ve stayed in. The warm airflow is strong enough that laundry dries quickly, which I really appreciated. Maybe other reviews reflect different seasons or changes the hotel has made. A few practical things: the front desk handles the keys when you come and go. Toiletries are kept there too, though they’re usually put away late at night. Disposable slippers are available if you ask, but there are no bath sponges. There’s a restaurant on the first floor, though booking without breakfast costs less. Free Wi-Fi seems a little problematic, but the basic speed is fast. The room had four hanger handles, Febreze, reusable slippers, a bathroom cup, shampoo, conditioner, body soap, a shower and curtain, clothesline, electric kettle, hair dryer, tempered glass cups, six 1-liter refrigerators, and a freezer. There was a desk with one power outlet, a three-prong socket, a bed outlet, an integrated bed sheet changer, and a rack for carry-on luggage. It also had one trash can, a pen and memo pad, and three mirrors: on the desk, by the bathroom, and at the sink. The light switches, outlets, and maybe a radio are all grouped by the bed in a very Showa-era setup. The TV is pretty fully equipped, including adult channels, and the prepaid card instructions have that same old-fashioned feel.