Plaza Hotel Tosu

“Small and affordable in a convenient(?) location. ”

My wife and I stayed here for just one night. The hotel was very clean and the staff was friendly though the older male members at the front desk seemed hesitant to interact with me, likely due to me being a foreigner and their fear of needing English (a common situation in Japan). I always find t… more

My wife and I stayed here for just one night. The hotel was very clean and the staff was friendly though the older male members at the front desk seemed hesitant to interact with me, likely due to me being a foreigner and their fear of needing English (a common situation in Japan). I always find that annoying, though they weren't rude about it and we we're quickly assisted by (or passed off to) one of the younger, female staff who was professional and courteous. On the subject of English, all the information in the room (hotel services, sightseeing information, neighborhood map, etc.) included English translations which would be very helpful to a visitor who can't read Japanese. Also we found a small welcome message written to us in English by a member of the staff. I thought that was a nice touch that they definitely did not have to do. The room itself was very small. That is not a surprise for a business hotel but it was definitely on the smaller side compared to other business hotels I've stayed in. The size really makes the room unsuitable for spending any relaxing time aside from sleeping. For couples this could be a problem. There was no chair, just a small stool of sorts tucked under the desk. But using it means that no one can pass by unless they crawl on the bed. The room came with the basic amenities you'd find: razor, toothbrush, hairbrush, hair dryer and so on and they also provided some tea bags and a water boiler. If you forget something beyond the basics (as my wife did forgetting her moisturizer) you'll need to make a run to a convenience store, three of which are nearby, as the lobby has little extra to sell. One problem with the room was that the bathroom had a strange odor likely from the cleaning chemicals. It wasn't too bad for me but my wife found it very unpleasant. As for the location, it's very convenient if you come by train as it is less than a five minute walk from Tosu Station. They do have ample parking but the biggest issue for us were the roads in Tosu. Aside from the major streets, they were all narrow, winding and like a maze. The intersection in front of the station was particularly confusing, especially at night, and just driving in general was more of a headache than it had to be. This is not a strike against the hotel but simply advice for visiting the area. In summary, the hotel provides a clean but cramped place to spend a night. They have English materials prepared for the western visitor but you may find different degrees of interaction depending on the staff available. It is very convenient to use if you come by train but the layout of the city itself might make it too much of a hassle if you come by car (even if you're used to narrow Japanese streets). There is nothing special but also nothing particularly bad about the hotel. If you need an affordable place to sleep in a central location in Tosu, this hotel does the job.

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