When you are in Fukuoka City, the most prosperous and convenient place to base your explorations would definitely be the area around Tenjin Station. Whether you're here for one day or a long stay, with numerous buildings and their countless numbers of shops and restaurants inside, Tenjin is a busy place where people from all over Fukuoka gather. Along with nearby Hakata, it’s the main transportation hub and shopping area for the city. That is why when you are staying in Fukuoka, deciding on a hotel among this area is the best option.
Ark Hotel Royal Fukuoka Tenjin is is not too big but not too small, located less than a ten-minute walk from Tenjin Station. Although it is placed in the busiest part of Fukuoka City, the hotel does not face the massive streets with loads of traffic, but instead lies on a rather small, quiet, and peaceful street near a temple. It's a little set back from the high traffic areas, so it is very quiet and calm during the night. In addition, there is a small grocery store right in front of the Ark Hotel, which is really convenient. I had not a single problem getting around while staying at this hotel – in fact, everything I needed or wanted to do was just there, set right in front of me with many options, and I never got bored.
Other than location, the points on which we rate hotels should most likely be the service and the atmosphere they have. The entrance of Ark Hotel is covered in lush greenery, and as you enter the hotel, the romantic scent of flowers from the flower shop gently wraps up your tired body. As you feel refreshed with the welcoming by the plants, you see the warm smiles of the staff by the hotel lobby and become certain that your stay would be incredible—not an exaggeration. I usually easily become critical of hotel staff, but that never happened in this hotel. Each and every staff member was polite, friendly, and attentive throughout my whole stay, and that impressed me a lot. They have vending machines on every floor so you will never get dehydrated, and they also have a laundry room so you can clean your clothes whenever you want. You are able to buy detergent in the lobby so you don’t have to carry around any with you during your trip. If you book a room from the official webpage, you will get a free buffet-style breakfast every morning as well.
Since I’m female, they let me stay on a women-only floor. I guess this small consideration made my stay very comfortable, too. Although Wi-Fi is not available in this hotel, they do have Ethernet cables, so just make sure you would be able to connect your laptop to those wires, or else you would not have Internet access.
All in all, my stay at Ark Hotel Royal Fukuoka Tenjin was very comfortable and satisfying. I stayed for four nights, but if I had the option, I would have loved to stay here longer. The hospitality was incredible, and I got to go visit many interesting spots without getting too tired, and I am 100% sure that I will come back and stay here when I visit Fukuoka City again.
