Accommodation in Kumamoto: Airbnb Review
We were looking for accommodation in Kumamoto two months before our stay. However, 90% of the hotels in Kumamoto were booked out, leaving none within our budget range. So we went through the Airbnb listing, and alas, there weren’t many options either! Only two choices were in a good location and within our budget. Not sure why the occupancy rate at Kumamoto was so high for that weekend.
We didn’t want to stay at an Airbnb for our first trip with an 8-month-old infant. It’s better to have a concierge in case of emergencies. Moreover, a friend told us there was no heating at the Airbnb he stayed in Mount Aso (also in the region). As a result, his pregnant wife suffered from the cold.
I am scared of the cold, and I have an infant. Thus, I specifically wrote in to ask about the heating, but they gave me a half-truth (read on).
Booking Details
Airbnb Listing: One Bedroom apt by Kumamoto Castle (www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/8133992)
Period of Stay: 23 – 25 February 2018
Amount Paid: S$216.72 (for 2 Nights)
- Per night: S$68.83
- Cleaning Fees: S$55.07
- Airbnb Service Fee: S$23.98
Parking: There was no free parking, and the host suggested two public (paid) carparks nearest to the apartment. The two carparks have different fee structures, and the closest one that’s a minute walk is too expensive for our two full-day parking. Hence, we went to the other one, about a 1-2 minute walk and paid 2,000 Yen (S$25).
Getting to the Apartment
From the carpark, it’s a straight walk to the place. However, with a baby, a stroller, two big luggage and a handful of hand-carry, this is more troublesome than having a carpark in the building. Moreover, we had some difficulty locating the place, especially with construction blocking the entrance.
I didn’t capture it in the photo below, but there were steps to the entrance. So after a ~2.5-hour drive from Nagasaki, hubby still had to do a bit of heavyweight lifting. The building doesn’t seem to be wheelchair friendly from what we know.
Naomi and Frode didn’t meet us at the apartment, and according to their profile, they are based in Tokyo. Most likely, they got someone else to do the housekeeping. The main door key is in a key box, and they had clear instructions on where to find and how to open it. The key box didn’t open easily, and my first thought was “Oh no, we are already so tired, I don’t want to be stuck at the door and wait for help to come.” Hubby unlocked the key box the next moment, and we were soon inside!
Dining/Living Room and Kitchen
Pardon the mess you see in the photo below. We were carrying so many things that we had to dump everything down when we entered. No more hands for the camera. It’s good that the dining/living area was big enough to put our luggage. The whole apartment was very neat and clean before we stepped in.
On the table, there’s a file with instructions for apartment care, and some Kumamoto travel brochures. And in case you hurt yourself or fall ill, there’s a first aid box near the window.
The small kitchen is well-equipped with cooking equipment, utensils, etc, for you to whip up a meal. Good for us to prepare meals for baby E.
One downside of living in an Airbnb is that there’s no daily housekeeping. And in Japan, there’s no rubbish chute in the house. According to their instructions, we had to sort out the rubbish and bring it down with us to throw. That’s extra baggage to the many stuff we bring out as parents with an infant.
No mineral water was provided, except a half-full big bottle. But they did provide some Japanese snacks for us to munch on, which was a sweet gesture.
Bedroom
Household Chores?
Walking past the dining/living/kitchen area, we arrived at the bedroom, and there we plopped our baby on the tatami mat. It was a nice space for her to roll around and play in. However, before we sleep, we have to set up the futon (Japanese traditional style bedding) according to instructions.
One thing I don’t understand. Why did we have to remove the bed sheets, along with used towels, and throw them in a basket at the end of our stay? They said it’s easier for them to do the laundry and know which towels have been used. Hmm, why do I have to do this work for them – ain’t this included in the cleaning fee? And what if I used and folded a towel back? Would they not wash it?
Since they seemed to be quite strict with their check out timing at 10:00 am, we had to make sure we got up earlier to prepare the baby and ourselves, throw the rubbish and remove the sheets and towels.
Heating
“May I know if there’s a heater in the house? We are coming from a tropical country and with an 8-month-old. Thank you.”
“Yes, we have an air conditioner in the apartment. :-)”
The noob me didn’t know that there was a heating function in the air-conditioner until hubby told me. So that’s great, we are good to go!
One of the first things I did when we arrived was to switch on the heating function of the air-conditioner. It was located in the bedroom, and after a while, I noticed that only the bedroom was heated up! The other spaces remained chilly. What the….
The living room gets very cold at night when we were there during winter. Thus, it’s a chilly walk to the bathroom at night. This was especially unpleasant after I showered because I had to walk to the bedroom to dress myself. Same for the baby. And it was also unpleasant when I had to wake up at night to pee. That’s why I said the hosts told me half-truths. If I knew about this, I might not even have considered this place.
Others
Just so you know, there’s no WiFi in this apartment. Moreover, it would be great if there were a dresser table in front of the mirror. It would be easier for me to put on my makeup and use my hair straightener. It’s only when we were about to leave that I noticed a small table mirror to use. It would have been helpful, though still not ideal, to use it on the low table in the room.
Toilet
They provided clean towels and basic toiletries such as shampoo, hair conditioner and shower foam. Japanese bathroom is small, but this is smaller than usual, at least smaller than the one at our Nagasaki hotel. Hence, I felt constricted when showering.
My baby was crying one night because she was tired. Thus, hubby was trying to shower her quickly and put her to bed. Who knows, halfway through the warm shower for her, the hot water ran out!!! He waited a while more, but there was only more cold water. Imagine you are cold and tired, and you only have cold water to shower. So it’s not surprising that she screamed even louder. And with the living room being chilly too, I was praying baby E wouldn’t catch a cold!
Location and Communication
Location
The location is really good. If you are there only for Kumamoto Castle, then this place is excellent. About 8-10 minute walk to Josaien, which is at the foot of Kumamoto Castle. It’s also a 10-15-minute walk to Shimotori Shopping Arcade, Kumamoto’s largest shopping arcade, and Ginza Dori. Great places to shop, dine and drink.
According to an Airbnb review, it’s also near the bus terminal and 3 minutes to the closest tram stop (花畑町 Hanabatcho).
Location is good, but the noise
Oh, but the common complaint we read is the traffic or noise from the street. We didn’t really hear much, but in the afternoon, when we arrived, we heard an ambulance siren blaring really loudly two to three times. Hence, we asked the host if this would continue through the night, because baby E is a light sleeper…and we needed good rest!
“I am not sure about the sirens… we are in the central Kumamoto and on the main road, so we do have a lot of movements outside… Hope it’s not too loud for you.”
When we were walking to Kumamoto Castle the next day, I saw a hospital or medical centre near the apartment. They failed to mention this. Half-truth.
Communication
Other than the half-truths, overall communication was good. Naomi & Frode took the initiative to message us and make sure everything was okay. Also, they willingly helped us to call and make a dinner reservation in Japanese.
Just a side note, they gave us their blog post for things to do in Kumamoto. We made a few detours and went to one of their recommended places, the Kumamoto Prefecture Bussan Museum, only to find out it was closed for renovation. :(
Verdict
3 out of 5 stars. I would have given it 2 stars if not for its good location. However, if I am travelling during warmer weather and without a baby, I might rate it 4 stars.
If you decided to go ahead with this or other Airbnb listing, you can sign up with my referral link and get S$45 credit: www.airbnb.com.sg/c/christinas7795
Do have a look at my Overview Itinerary of Northern Kyushu, Japan (Winter/Spring 2018) for other posts around the region.
Before you go, you might want to check out my other posts on Japan. Leave your comments or questions below. Love to hear from you. :)
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