Hotel Monte Hermana Kobe Amalie — Hotel in Kobe

Less than a 10 minute walk from Sannomiya Station (Port Liner Station, major bus stop, Airport bus stop, JR Line). It is a bit head uphill past the Tokyu Hands store and Ikuta Shrine.||||We arrived at approximately 10:30 am on a Sunday so the staff stored our luggage in the room next to the reception desk.||||Lots of shopping and restaurants nearby. ||||Unlike some hotels that require placing the guest key card in the elevator before entering the floor/level, the security feature at this hotel consists of electronic doors on each floor. This way, the guests exit the elevator into a vestibule, then tap their key card on a console to open the doors. No need to fumble around locating the key card inside the elevator. ||||The double room for two persons we booked was well equipped and comfortable. Our window overlooked the Ikuta shrine complex which allowed us to get maximum sunlight as there were no tall buildings blocking our view. The shared space between the two beds had a handy alarm clock, one two-prong electrical outlet and two USB charging outlets. We were provided with two complimentary 500 ml water bottles which we kept cool in the handy refrigerator. There was also a mobile phone available for guest use.||||We paid the equivalent of $90 for one night including taxes. The cost for the prior weekend, which was when the Kobe Festival took place,...

I chose the hotel for its location near JR Sannomiya Station.

I was taken aback to find a strand of hair on the table besides the desk lamp. I visited Japan a few times in the past years. The standard of hotel room hygiene was high. Everything was in order and clean then.

One way to maintain high standards of hygiene in hotel room is to hire local supervisor who has the Japanese work attitude of paying attention to every details to closely check on the work done by foreign workers, train and improve the workers work attitude to maintain high standard.

I checked in the hotel at about 7pm on 22/1/2023, I was served by a 25+ looking male Japanese front desk staff. Besides him was a woman front staff. I think he was senior to her. This man could speak English.

But I did not like that he 1) did not smile to greet ASEAN guest like me b) a lofty attitude c) told me to move my luggage when there was a Japanese woman guest came, he assumed my luggage was in the way of this guest. He did not come and see the that actually I put my bag away from front desk, it was near lift lobby passage and not blocking any guest passage.

The hotel management must improve the young front desk staff work attitude to tell him to show equal attitude to guest from ASEAN , just like when he was serving Japanese guests. Regards, Leow ban joo. Solo traveller...

The Good: location is decent for Kobe and you can walk to anything you need or want that Kobe has to offer. The shrine opposite has a nice atmosphere. Hotel is clean.

The Bad: several rooms that I checked have old sagging mattresses which would hurt to sleep on. Overall the style of the hotel is poorly conceived as a kind of a hodgepodge nautical theme with stuffed animals and cartoon art. It is quite tacky and outdated - like the owners stopped paying attention after the mid 90s.

There is a lack of attention to the little things that matter to me- like having blackout curtains that don't fit the windows and let in light. The alarm clock next to the bed is so bright I had to work to block it. TV is small and entertainment options are pretty limited.

Given that I just left Kyoto and stayed at an awesome stylish hotel there which was cheaper but way more thoughtful and cool, I think the Hotel Monte Hermana needs an injection of money and passion to make me actually ever want to stay here again. There are other options in Kobe that would appeal to me much more. It's not terrible but it's definitely not...