Sheraton Kagoshima — Hotel in Kagoshima

My family and I came to visit Kagoshima Dec 2024 and chosen to stay at the Sheraton Kagoshima given my Platinum status with Marriott, and thought it would be a good idea to splurge a little for a family trip, and it turned out to be a great choice.||To start off, we used the available Sheraton shuttle service that runs from the hotel to the Kagoshima Chuo Station (鹿児島中央駅) and back.||The check-in was initially problematic, but that may have been a language barrier issue from the person checking me in. (I initially asked for an early check-in but I did not get). After that, however, it went as smooth as can be.||The front desk had brought in our bags to our room on the 14th floor. Once we saw our room, it turned out beyond our expectations as our view had the magnificent view of the volcanic Sakurajima! Since the hotel was just over a year old during our stay, everything in the room was elegantly interior designed, immaculately clean, and most importantly: quiet. Also, the hotel services noticed when we checked in it was my wife’s birthday. They had put in a Happy Birthday gift of local chocolates with a paper representation of the magnificent Sakurajima (桜島) on top. How cool was that!!||During the course of our stay we tried the following facilities:||1 - The Onsen (温泉) - Once you are on the 5th floor, you know immediately that this is the floor for the hot spring bath/onsen because it smells divinely clean. From the moment you walk thru the pine hallway there is also a foot bath area (足湯) that you can use if you decide not to use the full-on Onsen. Inside the Onsen there is a changing area with lockers. After changing you would walk into the Onsen area towards the showering area. There is also a sauna, a cold water section, a hot water section, and an outdoor bath.||2 - Club Lounge - As a Marriott elite member, one can access the club lounge on the 18th floor, where you would have happy hour, appetizer and a breakfast buffet, depending on the date and time.||3 - Daily Social - The lounge was also where in the morning they would have a buffet style breakfast. If not an elite member, you would have to pay 3000 yen. They have a Japanese breakfast choice along with a western style fare, depending on your taste. There is also an omelette station where you can order omelettes to your taste.|But for us, the rock star here would be Mr Hashiguchi (橋口さん), the barista. His positive manner, politeness and bright smile, along with his top notch latte making skills would bring brightness to all that would order a custom coffee drink from him.|Not just him, but the entire staff in the Daily Social including Yamaguchi-san and Morimoto-san (ゆめちゃん) are so professional and know the meaning of ‘おもてなし’ to the point that they would remember your name during your stay. I was flabbergasted when they addressed us by our names! This hotel REALLY has this staff trained to be the 1%: Best of the best.|At night, this location became an Izakaya that would serve local sourced appetizers and adult beverages.||4 - %More - This is a cafe on the lobby level where the group of lovely staff greeted us every time we pass by so nicely, and also showered us with pleasantries as we inquired about the various wonderful cakes/pastries that they offer. We couldn’t pass up the delicious looking desserts there and frequented there multiple times.||5 - Vivarium - This was the bar on the on the 19th floor where the 2 talented mixologists create various drinks, boasting a range of western spirit based and/or Japanese spirits based cocktails.||We are very impressed by the hospitality and attentiveness of all staff here at the Sheraton Kagoshima, from the front desk, all of the dining facilities, the shuttle bus service to Housekeeping. They greet you and know you very well as if they have memorized your profile even before your arrival.||Speaking of Housekeeping, We have to thank Ms Hirata (平田さん), as she has tried her best to keep our room nice and tidy along with fresh towels during our stay, also the bed sheets were so crisp!!||Thank you very much, Marriott, for keeping us warm and comfy as if it were our own home.|We would definitely recommend this place and give it 5 stars out of 5! Next time we come to Kagoshima we will definitely stay here and will tell all of our friends to...

I stayed in the Kagoshima for 4 days at the Sheraton Hotel; August 31- September 3, 2023. It started when I checked in and the representative insisted  that I did not have a reservation and need to pay for my room, despite me booking online two months prior. After proving to the staff that I had already paid for my room, was we given the keys to our room. The staff did not go over any of the amenities at the hotel. They gave us our keys and left us to check in into our room, no concierge service despite this being a 5 star hotel. I watched the other staff escort guest to the elevators, go over the different amenities the hotel had to offer. Further into the stay, the customer service continue to not be pleasant. When going to breakfast, I was seated in the back of the restaurant and received a bill before I could get through the first serving of my meal.

I was given a room that had a smell of sewer and when my guest in my room told the staff they only gave her a bottle of air freshener instead of changing the entire room as the smell was persistent for the duration of my stay.

I went to there restaurant called Frog Grill and when we asked for a table the staff looked confused and didn't want to seat us. It was not until we were walking off after not being service that another staff came and gave us the menu to look at.

The most invert form of discriminated against myself and the other two guest was when we decided to utilized the Onsen. After seeing disturbing and inappropriate things in the Osen with kids and women; I left and went to the quiet foot bath which was next door. No one was in there. I was fully clothed and had on a robe just to relax, the representative came and told me that I must wear pants and cover up to be in there and stated “we are starting to tell everyone that”. I was NOT allowed to use the amenities and I was shamed and angry when approached by the desk representative. It was literally 100 degrees. I had on clothes and a robe! But since my arms and legs were showing I needed to be covered up more. Meanwhile there were Japanese women starch naked in the room next door exposed to young little boys in the ladies locker room. I was asked to leave. I complained and also made her aware of what was going on. Others who came in the foot bath wore less clothed straight from the Osen and were allowed to sit in the room without being address.

Lastly, as I was leaving I was left with a 20,000 yen parking bill, due to the resort staff never informing us that parking with free and giving us a validated parking pass. When we checked in, they seen we brought a vehicle and never told us anything about parking aside from the location to park at. Then I was harassed walking out the door about a breakfast bill that the staff stated was not paid, despite us having to pay for breakfast before even taking our first bite of the meal. 

Moral of the story… Myself and two other black women discriminated against out entire visit. I was only allowed to utilize my room for my stay. I don’t recommend anyone of color to stay here. It’s a Japanese ONLY hotel and I’m truly disappointed especially given the money we spent to enjoy this hotel and...

We chose Sheraton Kagoshima to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary trip. To put it simply, it was the best decision we could have made, and the experience exceeded every expectation. From the moments before our arrival until the day we departed, the thoughtful service and genuine care of the Sheraton Kagoshima team created memories we will treasure for a lifetime. Even before check-in, the hospitality was exceptional. Thanks to the kind consideration of Manager Younghwan, who arranged an upgrade in advance, we began our journey with excitement. Originally, we planned to split our stay between two hotels, but because of this warm gesture, we decided to spend the entire 5 nights at Sheraton Kagoshima—a choice that turned out to be truly perfect. Through the Bonvoy app messenger, our requests were promptly and warmly attended to by Managers Ryoko, Yuco, Misato, Yoshiki, Yurina, Eri, and Yoko. Their attentive responses made us feel welcomed even before we set foot in the hotel. The check-in experience was equally impressive. Upon arrival in the lobby, a staff member kindly carried our luggage to the lounge and personally escorted us to the Club Lounge. There, Manager Masyeva assisted us with check-in with great care and warmth. From the very first moment, we felt that “this place is truly special.” We were especially moved by the thoughtful arrangement that allowed us to spend two of our five nights in the Imperial Suite. The room experience exceeded our expectations. The towel decorations prepared on the bed touched us deeply. It was more than just decoration—it conveyed a genuine sense of welcome. Dining experiences were also remarkable. On our first evening at Daily Social, Manager Iori surprised us with a beautifully decorated plate to celebrate our anniversary and birthday, while Manager Yuto kindly took photos for us. These small but meaningful gestures showed how much the staff truly cared. At breakfast, Managers Yuki and Waka, along with all the staff, greeted us warmly and served us with genuine kindness. The wide variety of dishes was delightful, but what made each morning so memorable was Manager Yuki’s thoughtful gesture of personally bringing us coffee every day. It was the perfect way to start the day. The overall service of the hotel was flawless. No matter where we went within the Sheraton Kagoshima, every staff member’s smile and heartfelt hospitality made every moment feel special. The five nights passed by far too quickly, and leaving was truly bittersweet. We are already planning to return on December 3rd with our family of ten to celebrate my 60th birthday, and we are very much looking forward to it. We are deeply grateful to Sheraton Kagoshima for making our precious time so meaningful, and we wholeheartedly recommend this hotel...