Love! But make it Bougie!

Location – Kurume, Fukuoka prefecture

Temperature – 6 degrees

Several months ago, I wrote about my accidental stay at a Japanese love hotel. It was one of the most enjoyable hotel stays I’ve ever had, and it set a high standard for future accommodation. During my trips to Hiroshima and Narita, I stayed in typical business hotels featuring the usual small room layout with a shower. It's well-known that hotels in Tokyo and other big cities often have very compact rooms. After those experiences, I felt like something was missing in my life. I craved a big bed and a spacious Western-style bath or sauna. It was time to return to a love hotel!

Snow and low temperatures had finally arrived in Kyushu, making January the perfect time to seek out a jacuzzi. My second love hotel, chosen intentionally this time, was Hotel Bvljua, which sounded like someone’s cat had landed on the keyboard and the name stuck.

The first thing to note about this hotel was that it could not be booked through the usual websites. They offered either hourly rates or an overnight stay rate, which customers had to pay upon arrival that day. This policy was both a blessing and a curse. For someone like me, who prefers to have everything planned, it was a source of worry. It was a long weekend, and I was concerned that the rooms might all be booked or that the specific features I wanted might not be available. However, the upside was that it likely meant there would be rooms free at some point.

The first thing to note about this hotel is that, like my previous hotel, Sky Paradise, it is located near an interchange, making it accessible by bus or car. Check-in is once again automated and conducted via a screen, which I loved. As someone whose Japanese is quite poor, I found the no-contact service to be a blessing—my limited language skills would likely make an elementary school child laugh! The information can easily be translated using a phone app.

I was able to filter through the available rooms based on amenities. This hotel offers karaoke-specific rooms, which honestly sound so much fun. The screen displays the rates and indicates which rooms are available. Once you select your room, you receive a keycard.

One major bonus this hotel offers is a small store at the entrance, featuring an amazing variety of beauty products for purchase, including bath bombs and scented items. They also have candy, complimentary drinks, cosmetics, and chargers for your room in case you forget something. Additionally, there are plenty of free amenities provided in the room. Everyone loves freebies.

I chose the celebrity room out of curiosity, primarily for one unique amenity: the bubble shower. The website described it as a shower that would cover you in foam, and to my amazement, it really does! The shower envelops you from head to toe in warm foam bubbles. You can easily switch between the normal shower and the foam option. I left this hotel feeling the cleanest I have ever been.

The bubble shower was a lot of fun and was complemented by a jet bath. While the bath wasn’t as large as the one in Sky Paradise, it was still cozy enough for one person. Considering many guests come as a couple, two in the tub would certainly be a snug fit with your beloved. But this is also a welcome change, a chance to revive the cuddly and close side of a relationship that may not always happen alongside the daily grind.

In addition to these two water features, this room offered another: an outdoor jacuzzi! Yes, it was January and quite cold, but for the sake of this blog, I decided to try it out, and it even started to snow! I am dedicated to bringing you the latest updates. The jacuzzi was enjoyable and had lighting settings that created a romantic atmosphere. However, it was smaller than the massive one I had in Sky Paradise. This should not be an issue for couples who enjoy being close, but I think one person could perhaps enjoy it even more. This is the hotel to “accidentally on purpose” get close to that special someone.

I also noticed a slight lack of privacy on the balcony. While you are high up, you overlook a road, parking lot, and several taller buildings, which is different from the wall that provided privacy in Sky Paradise.

Let's talk about the complimentary items provided in the room. It includes bath scents, mouthwash, toiletries, a hair mask, and face masks. The room is equipped with a microwave and a water cooler. While there are drinks available in the fridge, there is an extra charge for them, although the prices are reasonable. The bed was queen size, and I was very happy with that! The room also featured a large TV and a dining area. It felt more like an apartment than a typical hotel room. Since the hotel reopened last year, everything is new and clean, which I really appreciate. The design is modern and quite luxurious.

The room has controls for the lights and heating, allowing you to adjust everything to your preferences. Now, let's talk about food, which is another weakness of mine—I love good cuisine. You can order meals here through a mobile app, which is convenient since it can be translated into different languages. They feature some seasonal specials, and to fully understand the menu, we decided to order several dishes.

The items we tried included steak, tomato gratin, rice, and an English set. For breakfast, we sampled the honey vanilla toast and berry pancakes. So far, my experience with the food at both hotels has been okay. The steak was average, while the gratin tasted better after being reheated. The bread items were enjoyable, but the pancakes resembled sponge cake more than traditional pancakes.

The menu offers a good variety, ensuring there’s something for everyone, but you get what you pay for, it’s certainly not fine dining.

Checkout was easy as you pay up before you leave the room. I liked this and found bar a slight hiccup on booking the day prior the whole process was seamless.

So how does it rate? And how would I compare it to Sky Paradise?

Food wise it will be awarded 6 /10. Amenities wise 8 /10. Comfort and cleanliness 9/10. Location 5/10. I would give this chain a 9/10 for how easy it was to check in and out overall. Enjoyment 9/10 and the likelihood of rebooking this hotel for 10/10. For a score of 56/70.

It moves into rank 1 on my newly formed Love Hotel ranking chart! I will be making a YouTube video to talk about this hotel more so be sure to check that out if you are interested in hearing more.