I didn't have any specific business in Kokura, but on my way from Hiroshima to Hakata, I somehow decided to stay in Kokura. I had some knowledge of the area, and the station vicinity was easy to imagine. However, it had been a while since I last stayed in a hotel. When I searched on Rakuten Travel, this hotel seemed to be the most reasonable, so I made a reservation online and headed there. Along the way (or rather, passing by the hotel), I stopped by a local bar for some drinks before checking into the hotel. This was my first time staying at this hotel or any hotel in this chain. The impression was like a competitor to Super Hotel, where the staff interaction was kept to a minimum. For those who see the hotel purely as a place to stay, this kind of minimal interaction might be more convenient. Some hotels have overly friendly staff, which can be annoying at times, so finding the right balance between the hotel's status and service is crucial. Breakfast was complimentary (or rather, included in all plans, in my opinion). It consisted of a buffet-style breakfast with minimal options. Since it was free, it was acceptable to have a limited selection. The amount of side dishes was not extensive, and they were replenished in moderate quantities when finished. This is likely a cost-cutting measure to reduce food waste. In a buffet-style meal, I always wonder what happens to the leftovers. By providing minimal options and quantities, like this hotel does, there is less concern about waste. There were always around five side dishes available, and they would either replenish the same item when it ran out or replace it with something else. For instance, when the meatballs were gone, they were replaced with dumplings. One customer noticed this and brought back their empty plate to get the new dumplings. The dining area was relatively spacious with a bright atmosphere. There were enough seats compared to the hotel's capacity, and they even had sofas. You could also grab a newspaper by the entrance and enjoy a cup of coffee while reading it. Overall, Hotel 1-2-3 seems to have locations nationwide, and I would consider it as an option for future stays.

I have been staying at Hotel 1-2-3 Kokura for my business trip. This hotel offers free breakfast, which includes morning curry and various side dishes like broccoli, macaroni salad, sautéed lotus root, simmered vegetables, and meatballs. The curry sauce is on the thinner side and doesn't have many ingredients, but it is still delicious. It's easy to overeat curry in the morning. Thank you for the meal.