Hotel Gate Dream, Fukuoka
Since starting these love hotel reviews there is one thing I have not yet tried until now! To experience the hotels as they were initially designed, that is turning up on the night and choosing a room based on whatever is available. Most love hotels cannot be prebooked however more and more hotels are getting with the digital age and many are appearing on booking.com and other online places. Most love hotels will have a phone number in case of a prebooking or it is first come first served.
After a long day exploring Fukuoka and grabbing myself the cutest sleeping Dedenne plushie ever I decided to experience the excitement and gamble of turning up on the night and finding a room. First, I researched the hotels in the area and choose two areas where a few were located. Beware doing it like this can result in leaving with no rooms available and this certainly was the case in Sasebo for me. It can be stressful if it’s a weekend or holiday as hotels will be in demand. So be careful should you venture down the roulette route.
After viewing a few hotels near the bay and determining whilst both were insanely cool and had a collection of rooms free both were expensive for what they had remaining. I headed to my second area where at least 6 hotels were gathered this ensured I would not be left stranded the last train back to my prefecture was also very late so I was able to take the gamble. Beware of check in times for the hotels you explore as if you book earlier than when stays start you will be charged a hefty flat extension rate for even half an hour extra.
The subject of todays review is Hotel Gate Dream I initially saw this hotel had open air baths and was very interested. It was a hot day in Kyushu and hotel hunting was sweaty work. When arriving this hotel has two branches both sharing a reception so do not be sad if the first board of rooms is unappealing. There is a second collection in the next room. Dreams rooms looked more modern and fun the rooms were around similar prices. There were only 4 rooms left when I arrived and there were also other guests waiting for the stay time to begin. So, prepare for a room scramble!
This hotel is a 15-minute walk from two different stations on the subway line connecting to Hakata. So, for location I am rating it a 6 out of 10. Ease of access was simple and selecting my room was easy and done via the touchscreen this hotel is available on booking for reservation online so I am awarding an 8 out of 10 for ease bringing the total to 16.
The room I choose had an outdoor bath under a wooden Japanese style canopy it was a blend of modern and traditional and made the most of the smaller space. I was impressed with the use of the space the bed was comfy with leds which could colour changed to suit your mood. There was also an indoor bath and two showers with a collection of freebies that could be brought to the room and within it. There is also a free welcome drink for visitors in the reception area. The room was clean and the sink was very pretty please see the image below. So, for comfort I award an 8 bringing the total to 24.
The amenities were great and as I had decided on a whim to stay overnight, I had nothing with me however this is exactly what these hotels are designed for. They will often include the line just bring yourself or turn up empty handed. Meaning everything you need for an overnight stay is provided from the pjs, toothbrush and paste, shaving supplies and even fabric fresheners. The two baths and showers mean your relaxation and bathing needs are more then just met. The bath outside was large and enjoyable the roof over the top makes it suitable for all weathers but it did lack the charm of bath in Miyazaki with the uninterrupted view of the starry sky. I am awarding an 8 for amenities bringing the total to 32.
I enjoyed my stay here and it allowed me to spend another day in Hakata exploring and allowing me to take my time. The hotel provided a good number of amenities that allowed for a fun relaxed night, the ability to change the lights was a fun touch and the smaller room didn’t feel that way due to clever planning. I give overall enjoyment a 8 bring the score to 40.
The food again receives a 5 as I didn’t have a chance to experience it as the check in time was very late bringing the score to 45. As for likelihood to return this was a fun experience however there are many more hotels in the area that I would try if in Hakata again. For rebooking I would give a 5 taking the final score to 50. This is a good hotel that will not disappoint if you choose to visit it. There are more fun bath options to in other rooms if you wish to book online and not take the gamble.
