Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa Review: All-Inclusive Stay Near Fukuoka
Hello everyone! During my trip to Northern Kyushu, Japan, last cherry blossom season, I spent a night at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa, and today I’d like to share my experience. Part of the internationally renowned Accor hotel group, this Mercure resort is known for its all-inclusive packages, which offer a variety of benefits, including access to natural hot springs, dining, and complimentary drinks.
If you’re planning a trip around Fukuoka, the Munakata area and this Mercure resort are definitely worth considering. Let’s take a closer look at what the resort has to offer! 🙂
About Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa
For this trip to Northern Kyushu, I booked an all-inclusive stay at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa, located just outside Fukuoka. Having previously enjoyed great stays at Mercure properties in Wakayama and Beppu, I didn’t hesitate to book this resort as well.
The all-inclusive package covers dinner (including alcoholic beverages), breakfast, drinks and snacks at the lounge, access to the hot springs, and certain resort activities. It’s a great way to relax at the hotel and fully enjoy its facilities and services without worrying about additional expenses during your stay.
We were lucky to have beautiful weather during our visit, which made the scenery around the resort even more enjoyable.
Although we visited during cherry blossom season, the blossoms hadn’t quite reached full bloom yet, which was a little disappointing. I imagine the scenery would be even more beautiful when the cherry trees are in full bloom, so I’d definitely recommend visiting during peak cherry blossom season if you have the chance.
Outdoor Swimming Pool
The resort features an outdoor swimming pool, known as the Garden Pool, which hotel guests can use free of charge during the summer season. It includes both a regular swimming pool and a shallow children’s pool, making it a great option for families traveling with kids.
For the 2026 summer season, the daytime pool is open from July 1 to August 31, while a special nighttime pool experience is available from August 8 to August 15 for an additional fee, allowing guests to enjoy the resort’s summer atmosphere both day and night.
Shuttle Bus
We traveled by rental car, but the resort also offers a complimentary shuttle bus service that requires advance reservations.
The shuttle operates between JR Togo Station (Munakata Taisha Exit) and the hotel, with a journey time of approximately 15 minutes each way. If you’re planning to arrive by public transportation, I’d recommend reserving the shuttle bus in advance.
For more detailed directions and transportation information, you can check the hotel’s official website.
First-Floor Lobby
Compared to a typical Japanese business hotel, the lobby here is incredibly spacious and nicely decorated. We headed straight to the front desk to check in. Perhaps because it’s part of an international hotel chain, the staff spoke English quite well.
The check-in process went smoothly, and since we had booked an all-inclusive package, I’d recommend paying attention to the staff’s explanations about dining arrangements, hot spring access, and other included benefits.
In the lobby, guests can also pick up comfortable loungewear and a selection of complimentary amenities as needed.
Another convenient feature is the express checkout system, which allows guests to simply drop their room key into the designated Key Box without having to stop by the front desk.
Dinner Buffet at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa
Both breakfast and dinner at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa are served at LOCAVORE, the buffet restaurant located on the hotel’s first floor. LOCAVORE focuses on locally sourced ingredients and regional specialties from Fukuoka and Munakata, offering guests a chance to experience the area’s unique food culture.
The restaurant has a bright, modern interior, with large windows offering lovely views of the surrounding landscape. Rather than feeling like a typical hotel buffet, it offers a more relaxed resort dining experience.
Whenever I visit Japan, fresh seafood is always something I look forward to. The sashimi selection was excellent, and the staff continuously replenished the dishes, so there was always plenty available to enjoy.
There were also live cooking stations and a wide variety of other dishes to choose from. I’ll share a more detailed look at the buffet and its menu in a separate post.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend the dinner buffet! 🙂
Facilities at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa
Souvenir Shop
There’s a souvenir shop located in the hotel’s first-floor lobby, offering a selection of local products from Fukuoka and Munakata. The shop sells everything from locally exclusive Japanese sweets and regional snacks to small souvenirs, making it a fun place to browse. ended up buying a few snacks myself, including some senbei (Japanese rice crackers).
The shop is open from 4:30 PM to 9:00 PM and is closed in the morning, so I’d recommend stopping by on the evening of your arrival rather than leaving your souvenir shopping until checkout day.
Spa – Natural Hot Springs and Sauna
One of the highlights of Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa is the opportunity to enjoy natural hot springs without leaving the hotel. Located on the second floor, the resort’s hot spring facility is called Genkai Satsuki Onsen (玄海さつき温泉).
Best of all, hotel guests can enjoy the hot springs and sauna at no additional cost. The facilities are open both in the evening and the following morning, making it easy to fit a relaxing soak into your schedule.
After enjoying the hot springs, guests can unwind in the Onsen Lounge on the same floor. With its soft lighting and comfortable sofas, it’s a peaceful place to relax and enjoy some quiet time after a bath.
[ Hot Spring Information ]
- Location: 2nd Floor
- Opening Hours: 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM / 6:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Last Admission: 10:30 PM / 9:30 AM
- Admission Fee: Complimentary for hotel guests
- Facilities: Indoor public bath, open-air hot spring bath, sauna, and Onsen Lounge
The Lounge
Located on the first floor, The Lounge is a complimentary lounge available to all hotel guests. Guests can enjoy a variety of alcoholic beverages, including beer and wine, as well as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and light snacks, all at no additional charge.
The lounge operates during two separate sessions: Evening Social, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and Night Cap, from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
During Evening Social, guests can enjoy draft beer, sparkling wine, coffee, juice, and a selection of light snacks. It’s the perfect place to stop by for a refreshing beer after checking in, unpacking your luggage, and settling into your room.
After dinner, the Night Cap service begins. During this session, guests can enjoy a variety of alcoholic beverages, including whisky and shochu, accompanied by snacks and light bites inspired by the local flavors of Fukuoka and Munakata.
[ Lounge Information ]
- Location: 1st Floor
- Evening Social: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Night Cap: 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM
- Eligibility: All hotel guests
- Admission Fee: Complimentary
Guest Room at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa
With so many Grand Mercure and Mercure hotels opening across Japan, Accor members now have plenty of interesting options to choose from. I’ve already stayed at several of these properties, and I’m even thinking it might be fun to make it a travel goal to visit all of them someday.
At Mercure resorts in Japan, bottled water generally isn’t provided in the guest rooms. Instead, drinking water dispensers are available in the hallways. That’s why I’d recommend bringing a reusable water bottle or tumbler when you travel.
For this stay, we were assigned a twin room on one of the upper floors. Although the hotel reopened under the Mercure brand in 2024, the room we stayed in was one of the original rooms that hadn’t undergone a full renovation.
The interior design and furniture did show some signs of age, but everything was clean and well maintained, so we had no issues during our stay.
What impressed me most was the generous room size of 36 square meters (approximately 388 square feet). Compared to a typical Japanese business hotel, the room felt particularly spacious, and even with two beds, there was plenty of room to move around without feeling cramped.
The Classic Twin Room features two beds, each measuring 120 cm wide and 210 cm long, making them wider than standard single beds. The beds were spacious enough for two adults sleeping separately, and thanks to the generous room layout, we also had plenty of space to open our suitcases and organize our belongings.
However, the most memorable part of our stay was definitely the view from the room. Because we were assigned a room on an upper floor, we had a beautiful panoramic view of the lush forests surrounding Munakata. With no tall buildings nearby to obstruct the scenery, the view felt wonderfully open, and we could even see the sea in the distance.
We visited in spring during cherry blossom season, but if you come in summer, you’ll also be able to enjoy the outdoor swimming pool visible in the photos.
As for the in-room amenities, everything you’d expect was provided, including a TV, complimentary Wi-Fi, refrigerator, electric kettle, and hairdryer.
The refrigerator was empty, which was convenient for storing our own drinks and snacks, and the room also came with complimentary green tea and hojicha (roasted Japanese green tea) tea bags for enjoying a warm cup of tea.
The bathroom featured a bathtub and shower, along with essential toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and hand soap. Other items, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, combs, and cotton pads, were available at the designated amenity station, where guests could simply take what they needed.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I had a very enjoyable stay at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa. Although the guest room felt a little dated, it was spacious, comfortable, and well maintained, while the beautiful natural surroundings, excellent dinner buffet, relaxing hot springs, and complimentary lounge made the experience even better.
I especially recommend booking the all-inclusive package, as it allows you to enjoy a wide range of the resort’s facilities and services without worrying about additional costs, making it a great choice for anyone planning a relaxing resort getaway near Fukuoka.
