Maruko Hotel

Staff were very friendly Public bath house was great

Bathroom in the room was very small and old

Staff at the hotel are welcoming, friendly, cheerful. Large tatami rooms - good value if more than one person staying. Location is in an interesting part of the city: book shops, cafes, good (and lively) restaurants nearby. Kumamoto is easy to travel around on foot or by tram. Good transport connections (train, highway bus) to other cities and resorts across Kyushu. The city mascot - a black bear called 'kumamon' - is everywhere to be seen: his image adds to the atmosphere of fun and enthusiasm in a city that has proved itself over years to be resilient to disaster. (Note: the castle complex was closed when I visited, as they're still running structural repairs to damage caused by a recent earthquake in the region)

The hotel location is excellent, it is only 2 minutes to the walking mall. The parking is very convenient, it is just in front of the hotel. The staff were very courteous and attentive as per Japanese Service Culture. One day, it was raining when we got back to the hotel, the staff brought two umbrellas and helped the children out of the car. The common bath was good too.

The property is pretty aged, they are currently upgrading The tatami mattresses were quite worn off and thin as compared to the few ryokans that I had stayed in.