Nest Hotel Kumamoto

The room had such a moldy smell that I felt I'd be more comfortable sleeping in a hospital ward. The bed was low and, by far, the most uncomfortable I've had. There wasn't any customer service, and the place may not suit guests who are claustrophobic. It wasn't a comfortable stay.

The staff were great, but the rooms were extremely old and moldy. Dust flew up from the carpet when I tossed my shoes onto the floor, and there was black mold around the underside of the sink and toilet. I was careful bathing my kids because I didn't want them accidentally touching it. The elevator was very gross, and the parking area being slightly off site was inconvenient. Our toilet seat also had no warming setting, so it was quite cold in the middle of the night and early morning. I've noticed that "3 Star hotels" in Japan often have the same outdated, moldy bathroom setup.

The staff were courteous and promptly moved me to another room when I asked because of dirt and mold, and they apologized. Their service was commendable, but the hotel's condition was still unsatisfactory. I had first thought I'd booked a non-smoking room online, but it turned out to be a smoking room; after I told the staff, they changed it. The replacement room was in terrible shape, with cracked, defective, dirty walls, dim lighting, mold on the curtain, unidentified foam in the bathtub, and a shower in equally bad condition. I had planned to stay two nights, but couldn't imagine getting through even one. While writing this, I was looking for another hotel nearby. I'm a frequent traveler in Japan and usually read reviews before booking, yet this 3-star hotel disappointed me more than I expected. It was by far my worst hotel stay in Japan.

The bed in the small double room I paid for was a single, and the carpet was so stained it looked like a map. There were hairs on the desk and in the bathroom, and the walls were covered in shoe and heel marks, like Michael flatley had hosted the cast of Riverdance. I got a refund and stayed one night instead of two. If you're used to any level of quality and cleanliness, don't stay at the Nest. For drivers, be aware that cars over 1.5m high cost extra and have to park elsewhere. Even my tiny Ktruck was too big. Check-in was smooth and the staff were all smiles, but when I brought up the need to list the height restriction, they laughed. I couldn't tell if that was good or bad, but maybe they were laughing at the Gaijin raising an axial issue. I've traveled all over Japan and experienced its highs and lows, and the Nest was one of the lowest.