Marine Palace Kagoshima — Hotel in Kagoshima

Already in business for 10 years, Marine Palace still looked very refreshing. Western style single and twin bed rooms were located on the 5th and 6th floor only. As my preference was double bed room, a tatami room was booked on the 7th floor such that the futons could be pulled together. To my surprise, there was no shower in this Japanese style room. Showering had to take place on the 8th floor where the panoramic view onsen was situated. However, this was perfectly alright as the onsen was worth visiting and the massage chair was a nice relaxing treat. As the male and female onsens would interchange on the next morning, ensured to visit again to see both.||||The room package came with a variety of meal choices. For dinner, the Kagoshima pork shabu-shabu was offered on the 8th floor restaurant and I ordered an extra course of the famous Kagoshima Wagyu beef as well. Breakfast was taken at Le Grand bleu on the 2nd floor, with self-serve soft ice-cream and free-flow of soda from a Cola machine.||||Even if reserving the room without meals, the set dinner promotion with lobster and steak looked attractive.||The hotel seemed to be popular for wedding functions. When visiting the chapel on 4th floor, a staff was kind in turning on the romantic lighting for us to take pictures.||||Claimed to have free wi-fi at lobby and 8th floor Japanese restaurant, but found it inaccessible. ||||||||Access: Less than half-hour bus ride from JR Kagoshima-Chuo station. Take bus number 16-1 or 16-2 and the bus fee would be waived if you hold a JR...

This hotel -- next door to the Kagoshima Tokyu Hotel and somewhat smaller than that -- is not located downtown, but in a vicinity with administrative buildings (among them that of the Kagoshima prefecture). However, it is situated off the main streets in a quiet spot, directly on the coastline approximately 8 minutes by car from the center. Parking is free of charge (unlike in the Tokyu Hotel). I didn't try the two restaurants (a Japanese one on the top floor and a European style one on the second floor), but I enjoyed the decent breakfast. The swimmingpool overlooks the bay. A few other restaurants are around the corner. (I tried the Sushi bar one block away which is highly recommendable.)||||Some of the people at the front desk are fluent in English and all of them were extremely friendly and helpful. What makes this hotel a real treat is the wonderful view one can enjoy from every room, as by the interesting architecture of the hotel all rooms overlook the bay and the active vulcano on the opposite coast -- including the single rooms (unlike in the Tokyu hotel where they are all looking towards the landside). I enjoyed a double room which, by Japanese standards was really spacious and well appointed. (The single rooms are somewhat smaller, but have balconies too. And the best of it is an amazingly reasonable price. ||So, if you don't have to stay in a downtown hotel, then this place can...

Our requirements for our family of 5 (4 kids ages 5-10), was a family room (or connecting rooms) and a view of Sakurajima. Marine Palace is reasonably priced for our needs. We booked the Special Room (there is only 1 in Marine Palace) which has twin super single beds and a futon area which can squeeze 3 futons. It’s also a large room including a sofa set, and was a luxury after we spent a few nights in various ryokans. And of course having a full unblocked view of Sakurajima from the rooms, erupting several times a day, was a priceless experience. There is a shower area and a bathtub; some of the Japanese style areas don’t have a shower and you have to go to the onsen to shower, which is ok because it’s all indoors and there is even a standing shower area in the onsen.||Breakfast is a simple affair but decent. Staff were very friendly.||Marine Palace is on the edge of the city but ok for us since we were driving and going to the rural areas of Kagoshima. Parking here can be...