Road Station Oguni Yu Station

Another nice stay at an APA hotel. The room was tiny, the TV was huge...all is right in the world. (But seriously, it would be REALLY nice to be able to access the TV's settings to enable video game mode on an HDMI input; without it, Tears of the Kingdom was making me REALLY motion sick.) Negatives: The hotel really doesn't care when you'll be out of the room -- they want you to vacate EVERY THREE DAYS FROM 10AM TO 3PM FOR CLEANING. (Emphasis theirs.) Right, sorry...I'll leave. But seriously, capsule hotels often have lounges where people can hang out during that time. The bathroom was pretty cramped. I'm 179cm tall, putting me at "the average height for a male, world-wide." Glad I'm no taller. It was a bit awkward having to pass by the front desk to get to the vending machine. A second "actual" pillow would be a nice option. Neutral: There was a "2nd door" leading out the street, when you exited near the elevators (which I did, nearly every time); in between those two doors, you could look up and see sky. It was a bit ridiculous, every time. Positives: I hardly saw anyone but cleaning staff, which is a plus (for me). The bed was pretty darn comfortable. The electric outlet placement was "convenient enough." Mini-fridge, clothes-refreshing spray, etc. The toilet and the shower were warm and inviting. The coin laundry cost me a total of 700 yen, took 2.5hrs and got my clothes clean and nice-and-dry. Slow but steady! Keep the stays cheap and yes: I'll be back!

Confidently one of the best ryokan in Kyushu! I have stayed in many decent ryokans in Japan, but Kyutei managed to exceed expectations in all aspects. Highlights are

Fabulous high class European style food, friendly knowledgeable staff and wonderful observatory and star gazing experience set in a peaceful location with lovely maisonette style chalets.