REF Kumamoto by VESSEL HOTELS

I really wanted to love this hotel. It had all the makings of a great property including its prime location, quiet rooms, extensive room amenities and beautifully appointed onsen. Additionally, the staff was friendly and helpful. However, the rock hard bed and strange pillows gave me back and neck pain every night of our 3-day stay we stayed there. There was a thin mattress topper which did little to soften the extra firm mattress underneath. Had it not been for the bed quality and lack of resting sleep, this rating would be higher.

I had breakfast at REF Kumamoto by Vessel Hotels, conveniently located just a short walk from the "Karashimacho" streetcar stop. The breakfast buffet is available from 7:00 to 10:00 AM. It's ¥1,800 for hotel guests and ¥2,000 for outside guests. While the price may seem a bit high, the variety and quality make it absolutely worth it. The buffet offers not only standard Japanese and Western dishes but also a wide selection of local Kumamoto specialties—including Kumamoto ramen, local sweets, and even shochu. There are nearly twice as many dishes as a typical hotel breakfast buffet. A highlight was the Akaushi (red beef) hamburg steak, which you can grill yourself. Burger buns are also available, so you can make your own custom burger. It was juicy and flavorful—definitely a must-try. There’s a refined yet international atmosphere, with many overseas guests. Some dishes rotate daily, so even if you're staying multiple nights, you won’t get bored. You can also enjoy their public bath in the morning before heading to breakfast, making for a truly luxurious start to your day. If you want a hearty breakfast or a chance to experience the flavors of Kumamoto, this buffet is highly recommended!

Close to perfect, great location. Clean, tidy, amenities complete, great service, free lockers up front, daily welcome home drinks - with exceptional selection. Great bath house, always busy, but if you wait - it’s worth it. The cost for value is more than sufficient - will stay again.

Clean rooms of average Japanese size. Daily housekeeping is provided. The location is central, being just a 2 minute walk to the nearest tram stop and situated directly in the hustle and bustle of Kumamoto city centre. Right opposite Sakura Machi shopping centre and on the way to Shimotori Shotengai. Might be a bit confusing to locate if travelling by car as Google Maps will direct you to an “entrance” at the back of the building (as you can’t drive to the actual entrance opening into the shopping arcade. I would suggest to either stop your car momentarily on Fujidori Street to unload the bags if another person is available to then drive the car to the carpark later, but parking lots are around 5 minutes away, so if bags aren’t too heavy they’re not too difficult to transport directly from the lots either. No free parking but hotel with give you discount vouchers to subsidise your total parking fee, capping it at around ¥1200 a day if I remember correctly. Onsen on the 3rd floor was super fun with 3 outdoor baths able to fit 1-2 people in each bath, and a large indoor bath. Onsen is always rather packed though as the hotel has many rooms and is almost always fully booked. They offer free popsicles after your bath in the lounge area outside the onsen entrance.

Great stay at this clean, conveniently located hotel. It’s right inside a covered shopping arcade that connects to many food options, and also just across the street from the tram stop and a large mall housing the bus terminal. Room was comfortable and of a good size. Free drinks are available at a quiet lounge area for guests, and there’s also a nice public bath to relax at too. Would recommend.

The hotel's location is excellent, right next to a 7-Eleven and very close to the Karashimacho station, making it very convenient for travel. Amenities are available for self-service, and complimentary drinks are provided. You can also borrow umbrellas on the 2nd floor. There is a public bath and an ice machine. On the 3rd floor. lf you are traveling with children, the hotel provides a separate amenity set for kids. The shampoo, conditioner, and body soap are from Pola. The breakfast is fantastic; you can make your own ramen and there are delicious-looking hamburgers. The breakfast spread isn't large, but it's very high quality. The staff are cheerful, friendly, and speak English well.

Rooms are a little on the smaller side and TV in the room doesn't offer services like YouTube/Netflix but facilities are actually insane in this one. They have a public bath, washing machines, water/ice machine and even massage chairs!! There's a separate charge for using the washing machine/dryer/massage chairs but it's fair to me. Breakfast spread is also incredibly complete (massive variety), and they even offer sandals at breakfast that you can change into (hotel room slippers not allowed). If you can read Japanese, there's a whole bookshelf of manga that I would've loved to go for personally but unfortunately, I can't read Japanese! Overall, really great experience here.

Great location. The hotel is right in the middle of major area. The hotel pays part of the parking fee at nearby lot. Many famous restaurants close to the hotel. The common area setup real nice. Free soft-drink, coffee, coco. The water pressure in the shower is great.