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Sotetsu Grand Fresa Kumamoto Review: Budget Stay or Bathtub Bliss? Our Honest Take
As we reached our halfway mark of our Kyushu journey, we've already stayed in a city hotel (thankfully we weren't parking overnight because parking rates there were scary), a super spacious but unmanned hotel, a city Michelin-starred double story ryokan, a full-board luxury retreat with top-tier service on top of the private hot spring bath, and now we are back to another city hotel in a different city! There were many reasons why we decided to stay here, and in this post I'll walk you through our stay!
The Backstory: 3 Friends, 1 Double Room
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| Sotetsu Grand Fresa Kumamoto signage glowing against night sky |
There’s something about traveling with childhood friends that turns even simple hotel stays into adventures. When Friend A (now a Singapore-based architect and artist), Friend B (our legal advisor), and I (the self-appointed trip planner) rolled into Kumamoto after our Mt. Aso disappointment, we needed a base that offers:
- 🚗 Affordable parking in the city while being close enough to downtown
- 🛍️ Convenient location that is close enough to downtown for our shopping needs
- 🧳 Somewhere to store multiple 23kg suitcases + day packs🛌 Separate beds for our late 20s backs
Sotetsu Grand Fresa Kumamoto promised all this at just about RM660 per night, while also including a buffet breakfast! So that's approximately RM220 per person (during peak season, by the way, and the surrounding hotels that were available would cost us four digits!)! But would its "triple room" (technically double room made for triple use) work for our squad? Here’s the real tea!
Parking Panic to Discount Victory
“Wait, no hotel parking?!” I panicked as I realized it only after I've made our hotel booking.
After my booking, I immediately messaged the hotel via Agoda's system. The staff very soon sent us a pamphlet with nearby parking buildings available, and discounted rates for our parking as well. The catch? Without their discount, overnight parking could easily cost you more than a whole day's meal! With it? ¥1,000 – way, WAY cheaper than the parking lot outside Quintessa Hakata. Read here for the parking lot locations, and note that content and pricing may subject to change.
💡Pro Tip: Pack your luggage separately (and strategically) so you only carry your valuables with you to reduce the need to bring everything with you! Unless you also wanted to do your laundries, like my friends did!
The Room: Tetris Champion Required
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| Our room doesn't come with a lot of floor space, you can probably tell that already, but it is typical in Japanese business hotels. Especially in the cities. |
Every first encounter with our business hotel rooms in Japan felt like unboxing a Japanese bento – compact but meticulously arranged. Our “Twin + Extra Bed” setup came with:
- 🛏️ Two main beds: 120cm wide, standard hotel firmness, not too soft but not too hard
- 📏 Third bed: A 90cm cot-sized addition against the wall, firmness is a little on the harder side
- 🧳 Floor space: We staged suitcase openings like a NASA mission, because they can barely fit before our beds (but we managed)
As the volunteer for the narrow bed, I did so because:
- 👍 I have two power banks with me, so it's fine even if I didn't sleep beside an outlet for a night or two
- 👍 I am always the one waking up the earliest among us, so there won't be morning light slapping my face at 6am (bring an eye mask if you can't stand it!)
- 👍 My slipped discs would prefer firmer beds
And needless to say, after a whole evening of walking and chatting after our meal at Katsuretsu Tei, I slept like a baby even though I wished to have more pillows!
Bathtub Therapy for the Weary Traveler
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| The bathroom, small and compact |
After our Michelin tonkatsu feast, I claimed first dibs on the tub. At 171cm/78kg, I can sit snugly in the bathtub, and the warm water was just perfect. Additionally, the bath salts (provided free, so help yourself at the lobby along with other amenities) and my Spotify playlist made it a A-tier experience. It's definitely better than the shoebox-sized bathroom I have back at home that doesn't come with a bathtub, needless to say!
Also, did you know? The hotel has installed a water purification system in the entire hotel, all the water in the hotel has been transformed into SOU-BI-SUI water. It removes impurities and residual chlorine, so it helps with recovering fatigue! Not to mention it also helps with my eczema-prone skin!
p/s: They also have the same system installed in their Bangkok branch!
Breakfast: Fuel for Castle Conquests
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| Breakfast Hall |
The breakfast hall surprised us – not with variety, but efficiency:
- 🍚 Star item: Fluffy rice + furikake flavors (the Kumamon packaging on the seaweed-sesame furikake was *chef’s kiss*)
- ☕ Coffee hack: Mix the bitter brew with milk tea sachets for DIY café au lait
- ⏰ Timing: Arrive as early as it opens! The place would be PACKED if you're a little late!
Was it worth the additional fees in our booking for included breakfast? Definitely yes! Imagine walking around Japan for so many days, it's a nice treat to weary bodies and also for another few more days of walking! Plus, you won't want to eat something from convenience stores every day, right? 😉
Laundry Logistics & Late-Night TV
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| Sotetsu Grand Fresa Kumamoto coin laundry room with washing machines and detergent dispenser |
Our evening unfolded in two acts:
Friends A & B: Became laundry samurai, battling for machines at 9pm. Their feedback:
“Two washers for so many of us? Bring a book! But ¥300/load is a steal.”
Me: Channel-surfed NHK news channels and The Apothecary Diaries while soaking to rehydrate myself like a deserted goldfish finding water.
Pro Tip: If you are traveling with a suitcase, consider separating your laundry in a smaller bag!
Final Verdict: Who Should Book Here?
After multiple hotel checks across Kyushu by now, we know there are pros and cons in every place we stayed. So I’d recommend Sotetsu Grand Fresa Kumamoto if:
- ✅ You’re exploring downtown Kumamoto (it’s also 15-min walk to the castle)
- ✅ Need group affordability (The price beats most business hotels)
- ✅ Value late-night convenience (Convenience stores are super close, and vending machine is right at the lobby)
Skip if:
- ❌ You’re looking for a very spacious room for a whole family (homestays may be a better option)
- ❌ Need luxury amenities
And that's our take on Sotetsu Grand Fresa Kumamoto! If you find this blog post helpful, please consider to support my blog and future adventures! Book your stay at Sotetsu Grand Fresa Kumamoto via my Agoda link or check Kumamoto flight deals or car rentals on Trip.com. It doesn't cost you more, but it'd be a motivator to keep me writing, a win-win for us!
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