Reviews of REF Kumamoto by VESSEL HOTELS 4 stars
860-0803 Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Chuo-ku Shinshigai 7-2, Japan
#6 of 69 hotels in Kumamoto
Guests' ChoiceReview score
Based on 193 hotel reviews
8.9Score breakdown
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Cleanliness
9.2
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Comfort
9.1
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Location
9.3
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Facilities
9.2
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Staff
9.2
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Value for money
8.8
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Free WiFi
9.3
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Reviewed: 29 August 2025
Petra
Germany24 reviews1 helpful vote8.0Very good- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Standard Twin Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
Parking is a bit of a nightmare and the rooms are rather small if you habe two suitcases
In the middle of the action Great onsen and a pretty nice breakfast with local specialities
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 26 August 2025
Sergey
Russia13 reviews8.0Very good- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Single Room with Shower Booth - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
The hotel has exceptional Onsen! The room was clean and comfortable. The location is nice and convenient.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 18 August 2025
明儒
Taiwan25 reviews3 helpful votes10“Good experience of staying in Kumamoto, including good location, friendly staffs, and delicious breakfast!”- • Leisure trip
- • Solo traveller
- • Single Room with Shower Booth - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Nope
The hot springs and breakfast
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 15 August 2025
Pak
Singapore19 reviews3 helpful votes9.0Superb- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Single Room with Shower Booth - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Onsen was too crowded. Everyone rushed there in the night as they were closed from 10am to late afternoon. Would have been better if they could provide different time slots for different floors. There isnt mineral water in the room so we had to keep going to concierge to top up. Though the tap water in the room is supposedly potable, we werent comfortable drinking them.
Fantastic location, right smack at shopping belt with lots of eateries. Comfortable bed and has an onsen too
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 1 August 2025
Phusadee
Thailand48 reviews3 helpful votes9.0“Comfortable stay”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Triple Room
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
The hotel is located in a great location, right in a shopping district, close to popular malls and surrounded by many good and delicious restaurants. There is a 7-Eleven nearby. Parking is not far from the hotel and the fee is reasonable. Although the room is a bit small, it is comfortable. The breakfast offers a wide variety of options.
Stayed in August 2025
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Reviewed: 31 July 2025
Siu
Netherlands23 reviews2 helpful votes9.0“Nice hotel and good location”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Single Room with Shower Booth - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
The room is a bit small but I think it is normal for hotel rooms in the city.
Good location to tourist spots. 7 eleven is just downstairs. The room is clean. They have nice breakfast with wide varieties of food. Staff is very helpful. I booked a single room by mistake for my family with people. They contacted me and advised me to change to a standard twin room. The hotel doesn’t have parking facilities. But they can offer me discount coupon for parking in a garage within 3 minutes walking distance for 1200 yen from 14:00 to 12:00 next day. I am very happy with the stay.
Stayed in July 2025
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Reviewed: 20 June 2025
Pei
Taiwan1 review10“good trip”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Standard Twin Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
no
location
Stayed in May 2025
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Reviewed: 20 June 2025
Chia
Taiwan46 reviews3 helpful votes9.0Superb- • Leisure trip
- • Group
- • Moderate Twin Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
unfortunately ,guest with tattoo are not allowed to use public bath room.
Staff ,room,and breakfast are nice.
Stayed in June 2025
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Reviewed: 12 June 2025
Salim
France49 reviews7 helpful votes9.0“Excellent hotel”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Standard Twin Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
The location is perfect Good partner parking Nice facilities Good breakfast
Stayed in June 2025
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Reviewed: 11 June 2025
Chua
Singapore2 reviews9.0Superb- • Business trip
- • Family with young children
- • Moderate Twin Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 5 nights
The beds could have been better but not really a big issue.
Location is superb. Just across the street from Sakuramachi which is a convenient small mall. Tram stop just across(middle of street) to go Kumamoto Station. It's located in a sheltered shopping alley which is ideal for quick drugstore shopping, meals/breakfast and access to combini.
Stayed in June 2025
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Reviewed: 10 June 2025
Benjawan
Thailand22 reviews7 helpful votes10Exceptional- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Triple Room
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Location is close to restaurants, mall, subway but there is no hotel parking nor valet. Park at a nearby paid parking lot in front of the mall or at three paid parking lots associated with the hotel for some discount (should have asked them before I went there)
Everything except the parking lot
Stayed in May 2025
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Reviewed: 5 June 2025
Hilda
United States87 reviews10 helpful votes8.0Very good- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Standard Double Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 4 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
The room is VERY small and expensive for the size and the cost.
The room was very clean. Friendly staff. The location is excellent. A wonderful breakfast.
Stayed in May 2025
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Reviewed: 26 May 2025
Alexandre
Brazil7 reviews9.0“The best onsen I went during my stay in Japan is here”- • Leisure trip
- • Solo traveller
- • Single Room with Shower Booth - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Great rooms, fast elevators and an awesome onsen to relax after a long day!
Stayed in May 2025
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Reviewed: 18 May 2025
Buu
Canada8 reviews1 helpful vote10“Very good”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Standard Twin Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
Nice
Wonderful
Stayed in May 2025
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Reviewed: 15 May 2025
Rachel
Taiwan12 reviews1 helpful vote9.0Superb- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Moderate Twin Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 3 nights
Limited room space.
Perfect location, great variety of local dishes for breakfast, therapeutic public bath, and decent service — absolutely worth the price. The only downside is that the room space is a bit limited.
Stayed in April 2025
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Reviewed: 13 May 2025
Victor
France9 reviews10Exceptional- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Single Room with Shower Booth - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
Spacious room. Good service and onsen are impressive
Stayed in May 2025
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Reviewed: 11 May 2025
Suthima
Thailand32 reviews1 helpful vote9.0“Nice to stay here”- • Leisure trip
- • Group
- • Single Room with Shower Booth - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted via mobile
nothing
Best location Great breakfast Comfy bed Bring a parking ticket to lobby, get a discount
Stayed in May 2025
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Reviewed: 7 May 2025
Audrey
Ireland46 reviews6 helpful votes10Exceptional- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Standard Double Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
Oddly no coffee or tea were provided in the rooms. You could bring up teabags from the reception but to have coffee you would have to go down to the lounge in reception.
The onsen was amazing and so was the breakfast. Best we had in our stay in Japan for the past week.
Stayed in May 2025
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Reviewed: 7 May 2025
Pow
Singapore10 reviews1 helpful vote8.0“Na”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Standard Twin Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
Na
Na
Stayed in May 2025
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Reviewed: 5 May 2025
Peachy
Australia17 reviews10Exceptional- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Triple Room
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
None.
The hotel's location was exceptional for the family - it is near public transport, malls, convenience stores, and The Kumamoto Castle. We also enjoyed the buffet breakfast and the restaurants around the hotel.
Stayed in April 2025
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Reviewed: 4 May 2025
Daniela
Japan7 reviews1 helpful vote10“Good staff. They are really nice.”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Standard Twin Room - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
The onsen and breakfast were really good. Rooms are in the small size but it is ok.
Stayed in May 2025
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Reviewed: 2 May 2025
Rock
United States2 reviews8.0Very good- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Single Room with Shower Booth - Non-Smoking
- • Stayed 4 nights
- • Submitted via mobile
we had an issue with our room. smelled bad. the staff offered us a new room right away.
Stayed in April 2025
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Reviewed: 1 May 2025
Justin
Singapore3 reviews4 helpful votes8.0“Good enough with nice little extras, but travellers with large luggages may feel cramped.”- • Leisure trip
- • Group
- • Triple Room
- • Stayed 3 nights
The room I stayed in was cramped and me and my friends had to squeeze with each other to get around in the room - this is also understandable because of how affordable our stay was. We had large sized luggage bags and found it cramped if we had to lay open them up.
There was a complimentary drinks bar for guests that was available during reasonable hours. There was a rack of umbrellas for guests to borrow in case of rainy weather. Staff were friendly and helpful, and there were staff that spoke English, and were able to understand our requests.
Stayed in March 2025
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Reviewed: 29 April 2025
Lin
Taiwan2 reviews9.0“The hotel is conveniently located near a shopping street and features an excellent public bath.”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Triple Room
- • Stayed 2 nights
One minor downside is the limited room space.
The hotel features a great public bath
Stayed in March 2025
