GEN HOTEL KAMAKURA — Hotel in Kamakura

While the location is excellent, I would recommend staying somewhere else. I stayed here two nights with my partner on a short vacation. The property is in an excellent location which is one of the reasons that we choose to stay here. The property is basically unstaffed; check in is automated through a kiosk, although you do have to talk with a human over an intercom to check in. This is where the service quality left much to be desired. There was no polite greeting, just a demand that I upload a photo of my passport. While part of the responsibility for that exchange lies with the Japanese government for deputizing hotels to verify travel documents, my address was clearly listed as a Japanese address and I booked my reservation using a Japanese card, so it should have been obvious that I'm a resident of Japan. After that the person demanded that I show my residence card to be able to check in, which isn't supposed to be a requirement for local residents. However, with our vacation on the line I reluctantly complied with the request. The room itself was a simple bed with a cheap mattress where you could feel the coils through the sheets. For the price I would have expected something a bit nicer. I don't plan to...

I was really skeptical of this hotel after seeing so many bad reviews, but I ended up having a fine experience. I normally don’t post but I thought I’d share this for anyone else also skeptical- So the check in process is unstaffed and done at a kiosk but if you read the email they send you beforehand, then you should have no problem. At the kiosk, use the check-in code they give you in the email instead of your phone number or QR code. Also make sure to enter each party members identification verification online beforehand (link for that in the email) - this streamlines to check in process. The lady I spoke to virtually was quick and it took only 3 minutes to check in following this process. Then, as for the hard and uncomfortable beds - they are futons on the floor like traditional Japanese ryokans, not beds. So naturally they will be harder. Lastly, I did not find this place dirty (I usually have high standards for that too). There were 3 people in my group, and we found it big enough but we only stayed 1 night so I can’t speak to staying here for...

Self checkin has a number of issues and we waited for their staff to follow up on the matter standing at the front door for 40 minutes. Their intercom failed constantly: connection was bad and voice quality was bad. The staff does not understand English well as well and also was IT incompetent - they didn't know what they were doing and they hardly knew anything about their own system.

The room has a smell of urine when you entered; there were also spots where cigrattes scent could be clearly smelt in a non-smoking room; worst at all - there was a leftover sock probably from the previous staying guest nearby the bed. There are also bedbugs. yes, bedbugs.

Except the location, I don't know what to compliment about the poorest experience I have ever...