KOKO HOTEL Premier Kumamoto

The location is excellent, with lots of good shops and restaurants in the attached mall. The hotel sits above the bus terminal and beside the Shinshigai shopping arcade, and Kumamoto Castle is an easy walk away. One tip: Google Maps sends you on an odd, unnecessary route through the hospital if you exit on the west side. Leave the mall on the east side instead, and the castle is about a 10 minute walk to your left. The hotel is part of the mall complex and has no separate entrance, so unloading luggage can be awkward. It seems common to stop in the leftmost lane to unload. There are parking agreements with the garage in the lobby and the one across the street, and the rates are average. Inside, it’s very modern, with a good-sized room and comfortable bed. The bathroom layout is strange but works, and the heated mirror is a nice touch. The amenities bar has more options than usual, including lotions and bath accessories, but you need to collect what you need there because nothing is provided in the room beforehand. Service was fine, nothing special. We didn’t eat at the restaurant, though it has good reviews. The hotel has a great view of Kumamoto castle.

The hotel looked and felt great, and the room size was fine for our two-night stay. The service, though, was below standard. We found used slippers by the door, and the trash bin was tucked under the bedside table, which didn’t seem hygienic. Taking out the garbage should be basic room cleaning, so I wondered whether the room had been properly cleaned. We showed the front desk a photo and mentioned it at checkout, but they didn’t seem to take our feedback seriously.

KOKO Hotel is an easy choice for us in Kumamoto because of its location and access. We came by bus from Fukuoka to Sakura Machi bus terminal, which is in the basement of the same building. The front desk and restaurant are on the 14th floor, while rooms are on floors 4 through 13. The room is a little small but has enough space for luggage. Kumamoto Castle is also within walking distance. A great place to stay.

The room was clean and pretty nice compared with lower-rated hotels, and the price was quite cheap. You can pick up amenities at reception. The big drawback is that the hotel is inside a mall. It takes nearly 10 minutes to reach your room from the mall entrance, and after 10pm some stairways close, turning the mall into a maze when you’re trying to find the hotel entrance.