Hotel Dengan breakfast di Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

For just over 1000 yen, getting a one-night stay with two meals for two people, plus a sea view, is incredible value! The dinner buffet, while not huge, had excellent quality ingredients. We feasted on delicious salmon and tuna. The room was spacious. Sure, there were a few minor imperfections in some corners, but for this price, I can't complain. The only real issue was that the hotel only offers free luggage storage until 3 PM. They didn't mention this when we dropped off our bags. Halfway through our Kumano Kodo hike, a friend behind me delivered the bad news. I ended up having to carry six people's luggage to our next accommodation all by myself. It was quite a heartbreaking experience.

For the price, this was a really average stay. The staff were average, as well as the food. The staff were friendly but they didn’t feel genuine. The Temple itself is very beautiful. The rooms are large, however the floor mattresses are completely worn out so you can actually feel the hard floor beneath you. I’ve stayed in a Ryokan before and their mattresses were still soft and comfortable so this Temples mattresses are definitely in need of an upgrade. Would I come here again? Probably not.

Arrive at JR Shirahama Station and then transfer to the taxi for about 4 minutes. It is very close to Toretore market and can be reached on foot. The rooms are panda-shaped and spacious inside. Dinner and breakfast are buffet style 

While this resort aims for excellence in its decor, its target demographic is quite niche, and I wouldn't recommend it for foreign travelers visiting Japan. During my two-and-a-half-day stay, the foreign guests I encountered on the way to the hot springs all seemed dispirited. The lobby manager's attitude suggested he was indifferent to the experience of international guests (or perhaps unafraid of complaints, given that their primary clientele are local middle-aged and older individuals, along with corporate teams). Although the front desk staff were all very friendly and hardworking, if you need any extra help or have issues during your stay, this male lobby manager will make you feel utterly helpless. His arrogant attitude is truly rare in the service industry.

The location would be very inconvenient if you don't have a car. The parking lot is large, so it was very convenient when I visited with a rental car. The dinner and breakfast were very good. The hot springs were too hot to stay for long, but the scenery was very nice.

The room was spacious enough to open our luggage, and the view was fantastic, directly overlooking the Pacific Ocean – an unbeatable sea view on a clear day. The hot springs were excellent, with a public bath offering expansive ocean views and private onsen available for free (first-come, first-served). Dinner was rich in variety and exquisitely prepared. Overall, it was a wonderful stay. It's also conveniently located near Senjojiki and Sandanbeki, just a short walk or one or two bus stops away.

I chose this hot spring hotel in Nachikatsuura for a short trip to the Kumano Kodo. Instead of opting for the most famous Hotel Urashima or the newer TAOYA, I went with a hotel that has a bit more history and unique character. Before coming, I checked its background: it was formerly the long-established Japanese ryokan ”Katsuura Gyoen” founded in the Showa era. It was later taken over and renovated by Mystays Hotel Group, and reopened in April 2024 under its current name, Kamenoi Hotel Nachikatsuura. The hotel (ryokan?) is fairly close to the station, making it much more convenient to get to than Hotel Urashima. It faces the ocean views of Katsuura Bay directly, which must look quite lovely on a clear day, and it's about a ten-minute walk to the torii gate. The exterior of the building isn't particularly striking, but the lobby has likely been renovated recently and looks quite nice overall. Perhaps because the guests are predominantly foreign tourists, the receptionist's English was very clear, and her directions were spot-on. Public facilities focus mainly on the hot springs, accompanied by a time-restricted beverage bar and noodle bar, as well as an entertainment room. We booked a spacious room close to 90 square meters. The door still used a traditional old-fashioned key, and as soon as you stepped inside, you could smell the tatami mats. The facilities are quite dated due to the hotel's age, but everything was relatively clean. For travelers who haven't experienced this kind of hot spring ryokan before, it's quite interesting. Although the room offered a sea view, the glass was rather old and dirty, which detracted from the experience—something I'd recommend they improve. We booked a half-board plan (dinner and breakfast included) with selectable dining times. The portions looked small at first, but they were surprisingly filling overall. While it was great to experience traditional Japanese cuisine, we weren't seated in the first-floor ocean-view restaurant, but rather in a traditional Japanese banquet hall on the second floor, which felt a bit like getting the short end of the stick. The hot springs are located on the second floor; the facilities inside are quite new, featuring both indoor and outdoor baths. The outdoor bath doesn't offer ocean views at night, but if you go late enough, you can get the whole place to yourself. Since the ryokan doesn't have a large staff, I didn't experience any particularly standout service during my stay. Also, watching the price of the room I booked two months in advance steadily drop (even dropping further just a few days before check-in) was honestly pretty frustrating. But overall, as a first-time experience staying in a Japanese hot spring ryokan, it was quite an interesting trip. Due to an aging population and young people moving away, Nachikatsuura itself looks rather desolate. Aside from service facilities and shops, you barely see anyone on the streets, especially young people—most people you encounter walking around are foreign tourists. Still, for travelers, this kind of atmosphere has its own unique charm. That's all.

Highly recommended. Good private location, superb service, big indoor and outdoor onsen, superb view and exceptional service. I stayed during end of Nov. 24. The hotel is value for money indeed. The room is definitely not 17m as it s indicated. It s very spacious with great private sea bay view. I stayed during end here one night and stayed at KAMENOI hotel another night. I truly prefer warmth atmosphere here. The outdoor onsen here is certainly better as well! If I go to Katsuura again, I will definitely stay here.

The hotel has a beautiful environment, and the room is generally clean. However, the facilities could be improved—for example, there is only a power outlet on one side of the bed, which is quite inconvenient. One thing I am extremely dissatisfied with, and I believe both Trip.com and the hotel itself handled poorly: When booking through Trip.com, there was no information about what the dinner included. I was attracted to this hotel after seeing on YouTube that its dinner was outstanding, which is why I chose it. Trip.com should clearly state the dinner menu content. Unfortunately, the dinner I received was completely different from what other guests were served—the presentation and taste were not good at all, and at this price, it was absolutely not worth it. Another issue: I arrived at the restaurant on time at 6:30 pm. Until 7:30 pm, I had only been served salad and soup. I noticed that the food other guests received was completely different from ours. I asked the staff and requested a menu, only then did they tell me that our package was entirely different from the others and there was no menu available. Since that was the case, we had no choice but to wait patiently. By that time, other guests in the restaurant had already finished eating and were leaving one by one, yet it seemed no staff member noticed that we were still waiting and finally the remaining dishes were served after we made a complain to a staff, I can feel that our dishes were missed out because they were busy serving other customers. I may book hotel via trip.com hereafter.

The hotel is situated at a secluded corner of Wakayama prefecture. It is much preferable to drive here rather than relying on the infrequent hotel shuttle. Public transport is otherwise non existent. There are no restaurants around the hotel. However the hotel provides delicious meals with abundant fresh seafood. The in room dining experience is superb. The hotel staff service is impeccable. The room has a spectacular sea view allowing you to see the sunset on clear days. The onsen also faces the sea which provides a relaxing experience. A downside is that the hotel does not seem to sanitize the slippers for indoor use. All hotel guests had to change to their slippers to access their indoor facilities.