Kagoshima Dormy Inn vs. Remm Hotel

For 1 night in Kagoshima, we have selected the Dormy Inn with breakfast, but now saw that the REMM Hotel has a lower rate without breakfast. Which hotel is better (for 2 people)/location/room size etc.?

Dormy Inns and Remm hotels are new hotel chains and they are very popular, as judged by ratings in Rakuten travel. Dormy inn Kagoshima is rated 7th in Tripadvisor while Remm Hotel Kagoshima is 9th (among 70 hotels in Kagoshima).

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g298211-Kagoshima_Kagoshima_Prefectu...

Both are located in Tenmonkan district which is the center of Kagoshima city.

As you mentioned, Dormy inn is in general somewhat more expensive, but it has rooftop onsen and free ramen at night (21:30-23:00) in their restaurant on the 1st floor. If you do not want to take onsen or have ramen at night, Remm should be enough.

I've stayed at Remm Kagoshima, and would recommend it, but not stayed at Dormy Inn (in Kagoshima or else where) so can't really compare.

At Remm the room was quite small, but most city center hotel rooms in Japan are. It felt new, very clean, and quite stylish, and the rooms had everything I needed. It is also a very good location, and if the lack of breakfast is putting you off, there is a cafe in the same building. Also, a friend told me Remm has an onsen, but I only stayed one night and didn't investigate if that was true.

thank you - from Kagoshimachuo JR station is there a bus going to the Remm? I know it is only about 20 minutes walk but we have luggage and my husband cannot walk longer distances.

There are buses from Kagoshima-chuo to Tenmonkandori, but it might be somewhat complicated for the first timer. You might better take a city tram.

http://www.city.kagoshima.lg.jp/var/rev0/0036/6737/20116820419.pdf

Closest stop to Remm is Tenmonkandori, which is the fourth stop from Kagoshima-chuo. Take tram to "Kagoshimaeki-mae". The fare is 170 yen, but you might better consider 1-day pass for tram, bus and sightseeing bus (600 yen). If you are planning to go to Sakurajima, you might want to choose 1-day or 2-day ticket including transportation to and within Sakurajima.

We stayed at the Dormy Kagoshima last year and enjoyed it. The onsen was great and the breakfast fairly lavish for the price.
I haven't stayed at the Remm but noticed it looked very modern.
I'd recommend a taxi from the station, we took one and the fare wasn't that expensive.