SETOUCHI RETREAT by Onko Chishin

住進酒店彷彿住進了一家美術館，非常喜歡灑滿陽光的餐廳，早餐和晚餐非常精緻美味；咖啡廳有很多安藤忠雄的書籍可以翻閲；強烈推薦海景房，直接俯瞰瀨户內海，清晨可以看着大海慢慢的磨豆子做手沖咖啡，好喜歡房間裏的咖啡豆！！走的時候都想買一包帶走了😋服務也非常棒！是非常完美的旅行體驗！♥️

Prior to staying at a luxury ryokan in Dogo Onsen proper (Bettei Oborozukiyo), we decided to check out Setouchi Retreat Aonagi as a means to relax on site and explore Tadao Ando's creation. While there's creativity and uniqueness in the design and aesthetic of the property, it kind of left us cold.... it's a sea of concrete in our eyes. Yes, there are some interesting nooks and crannies that stirred our senses, large windows everywhere let in an abundance of natural light, and the decor was tastefully minimalistic, it still felt as if we were staying in a museum or a European castle rather than a grand and comfortable home. Something to experience once, but not really a place one craves to return - at least in our minds. And given that it's a 25-minute drive away from Dogo Onsen, you really need to be a big fan of Mr. Ando to spend more than a night here. Everything about the property was done right. Service is attentive and prompt, the food was very good (not top class but still a memorable experience) and the view of the Seto Inland Sea is Instagram-worthy. We were able to book the one and only Aonagi Suite, which has a massive 170 square meters of living space and is Maisonette-style with the living room having a very tall, double-height ceiling with double-height windows, allowing for breathtaking views and tons of natural light in the room. If there's one nit to pick, it's the lack of a real Onsen bath in the room, which is a bummer. And while many luxury properties in Japan provide a communal or rental Onsen facility (or both), here at Aonagi they offer a Pool with a Sauna and an Onsen Jacuzzi that can be privately rented by guests staying there. Some might like the idea of an Onsen jacuzzi, but we did not. The Onsen experience is supposed to be calm, serene and relaxing; a jacuzzi exudes more of a party atmosphere, which doesn't fit well under this concept. Also, while stylish, the pool and jacuzzi feel like being in a (artificially created) dungeon. I would've much preferred something of an open-air variety, to be honest. The other curious aspect of the property is the fact that all guests (other than those staying at the Aonagi Suite) are forced to dine in the main restaurant. Given that it has "Retreat" to its name, and caters to celebrities and the wealthy, I would've thought that Aonagi would offer private dining - if not in one's own room, then at least in private "koshitsu" rooms. We knew this going in, so we were thankful that the Aonagi Suite was available for booking for the date of our intended stay. Dinner was excellent, but how could it not be? Seafood caught in the Seto Inland Sea are world famous in quality, and everything from the local Red Sea Bream, Spanish Mackerel and White Horse Head were fantastic. The executive chef was recently transferred to the property from one of the sister properties (Iki Retreat Kairi Murakami), and still maintains connections to Iki Island that allows him access to amazing fish, namely Lon

半露天温泉スイートに一泊しました。 ホテルまでの道中、看板などは見当たらなかったので、到着まで多少不安にはなりましたが、エリエールゴルフクラブを越えて少し行くと特徴的な建物が見えてきました。 正規のチェックイン時間より多少早く着いたのですが、駐車場に車が着くや否やスタッフの方が出迎えに出てきてくださいました。 チェックインもスパークリングワインを飲みながらのものだし案内もとても丁寧。いきなり好印象です。 滞在中のもてなしも完全にプロフェッショナルの仕事で、いいホテルだなと思ってホテルのことを後で調べてみると、温故知新（okcs）の運営なのですね。納得です。 客室は窓がとにかく巨大で、天井がとても高く、とても広々としています。あまりにも客室が広いので暖房がちゃんと効くのかなと思いましたが、床暖房まであってちょっと暑いくらいでした。 客室内の温泉露天風呂もとにかく巨大で、小規模な旅館なら大浴場とでも言えるような広さでした。 このホテルでおすすめなのが完全貸切のプライベートプール。本当にロッカールームまで含めて完全貸切でなんと施錠までできます。プールに自由に使えるブルートゥーススピーカーまで用意されていることには驚かされました。ジャグジーは温泉を使っているみたいなので特におすすめです。 食事は創作懐石といった感じでしたが、飲み物のペアリングメニューが特に優れているのでおすすめです。ソムリエの方の話術もとても素晴らしい。 快適な滞在が確実に約束されている数少ないホテルです。