Hotel Fine Garden Matsuzaka 3

We booked a non-smoking room and were told “no smoking” several times at check-in, but the room we got smelled strongly of smoke. When we complained, the staff member told us to wait there and didn’t apologize. We put up with the stench for 20 minutes, then gave up and left. The hotel is now ignoring my refund requests. Avoid it unless sleeping in a chimney sounds appealing.

I stayed on a Sunday and found no room rates posted in the lobby. I’d checked Happy Hotel, where the price was about 1000 yen lower. When I asked, they said that wasn’t the base rate and described it as a members’ discount or a price for joining. I said it made no sense to call it a non-base rate when there were no notices or warnings, and that this was a poor explanation for customers. They insisted the website was different and their rate was correct, and initially refused to refund me. When I asked them to check, they borrowed my smartphone and took it to a back room. That only made me more distrustful. I don’t know what they did with my phone, and the whole thing felt frightening. I don’t think a hotel should blame the customer like that. In the end, they refunded me after I confronted them about what I considered fraud. But there were several things that undermined trust: the app and website prices didn’t match, there was no rate displayed in the lobby, their explanation was unclear, and they took my phone somewhere I couldn’t see it. They should focus on improving things instead of just apologizing. If they list the business on an app, responsibility shouldn’t fall only on the app. If the price seems even a little off, you can’t confirm it, or you have any concerns, ask about the rate before deciding to go in.

It’s basically a love hotel, with spacious rooms and a large jacuzzi bath that was comfortable to use. The facilities seem old: the shower wasn’t very hot, and both it and the bathtub had low water pressure or level, though the bath temperature was still nice for soaking. I expected food because it’s a love hotel, but apparently they only offer delivery from a nearby izakaya, starting at 2,000 yen, and some prices felt high, like gyoza for 900 yen. The lobby room-selection panel said there’s no meal service and that guests needing meals should use a nearby group hotel. Canned drinks seem to be available, but this isn’t a good fit if you want hotel meals. Bring your own food and drinks. Check-in is a little late at 6 PM, but checkout at 12 PM gives you time to relax in the morning. The walls seemed a bit thin, and I could hear other guests’ footsteps. I was glad I’d read reviews and knew about these issues beforehand. Without that, I think the stay would have been stressful. For the price, I thought it was good value, and I’d stay again if I’m in the area.

The room’s microwave was good. The air conditioning didn’t work, and the receptionist’s sunglasses looked a bit off.