Hotel Dengan Pools 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.

Taoya Nachikatsuura is a refurbished property with excellent rooms and a great location, making it a VERY comfortable and convenient stay overall. Nice touch with the selection of yukata in chic designs—it adds a bit of personality to the experience. The hotel also offers free-flow alcohol and small bites throughout the day, you need to be careful not to over drink or overeat. Both the dinner and breakfast buffets stand out, offering a wide variety of options with solid quality across the board. That said, the in-room outdoor bath (our booking) felt unnecessary. In our view, it’s not worth the extra cost, as it doesn’t come close to the full experience of the main onsen downstairs.

That ocean view alone made it all worth it! Room Facilities: It's an older hotel, so a bit dated, but it has everything you need and the hygiene was quite good. The best part was having two separate toilets – perfect for families traveling together. The lobby on the ground floor offers free drinks, and complimentary wine is served after 5 PM. They also have delicious Yuasa soy sauce ice cream (extra charge). Transportation: The hotel is just a 1-minute walk from the station, making it convenient to get anywhere. Breakfast: The Japanese-style breakfast, while perhaps not for everyone's palate, offered a wonderful sense of ritual. The sweet pickled salmon was tasty. The Japanese lady at the next table finished everything! The buffet breakfast is good for those who don't eat seafood or cold dishes; while the selection isn't huge, the food tasted good. Onsen (Hot Spring): It was decent, nothing spectacular but perfectly fine. Soaking in the hot spring at 5 AM was incredibly pleasant, and it wasn't overly crowded at 8 PM either. The beach is right downstairs, a mere 2-minute walk from the hotel. You can even buy fireworks and light them on the beach. There are tons of great restaurants nearby, and the lobby even has recommendations for the best local eateries. When checking in, we asked the front desk to book a taxi for our departure. Taxis are really hard to come by here, so if you have a lot of luggage, definitely book in advance, as the buses can get too crowded to board. There's also a 24-hour supermarket, Lawson, and FamilyMart across from the hotel, selling some good beer.

The hotel was perfect! Breakfast with an ocean view was lovely, and the room was incredibly spacious and new, especially compared to other hotels in the area. The 11th-floor onsen offered breathtaking views, and I loved soaking in the beautiful Shirahama sunsets every evening. Ramen shops, convenience stores, and drugstores are all within walking distance. The bus stop is a short walk down to the beach, and all the main attractions are easily accessible from there, which was very convenient. The only downside was the uphill walk, which was quite a struggle when carrying luggage. However, I would definitely choose this hotel again for my next visit.

Oooedo Onsen Monogatari: Not a Resort, a Rebirth* This isn't just a hot spring resort; it's a portal to another dimension. From the moment you swap your clothes for a yukata, the magic begins. You are no longer a tourist; you are a traveler in time. The ryokan experience is pure bliss. Waking up on tatami mats, the world outside feels distant, irrelevant. And the onsens... from open-air baths under the stars to secluded rock pools. Each immersion strips away a layer of urban fatigue, leaving only tranquility. But the true glory is the indulgence. Exquisite kaiseki dinners featuring the ocean's freshest treasures, paired with all-you-can-drink sake, beer, and whisky. It’s a feast for the soul where you never have to say ”no.” You don't just leave this place relaxed. You leave reborn, carrying the taste of a life lived more fully, if only for a weekend. It’s an investment in your soul.

The room is small and the location is remote, but the hotel scenery is really great! The hotel restaurant needs to be booked in advance, and there are no convenience stores nearby, and the restaurant is also far away. Remember to book a restaurant when you check in, otherwise you will have to go hungry. The hotel does not have Chinese service, and English communication is a bit difficult. The hotel's public bathing is free, and there are open-air bath seats. It was windy and rainy on the day I went there, and it was super cold. It was very comfortable to bathe. The location of the men's and women's bathrooms will be swapped, so remember to look at the sign at the door and don't go the wrong way.

The hotel is very close to Shirahama Beach and not far from Engetsu Island. We booked one night's stay including breakfast and dinner. Both were buffets with a particularly wide variety of choices, highly recommended. It was a bit surprising that the hotel didn't provide disposable toothbrushes; I think that's the first time I've encountered that. Fortunately, there's a 24-hour supermarket nearby where you can buy them.

This is the best hotel experience! It's perched on a hilltop in Kushimoto, and the lobby offers an unbeatable ocean view. You absolutely have to choose the one-meal-two-stay package; the buffet dinner runs until 9 PM, which is perfect for a satisfying meal after a day of sightseeing. They have a great selection, including tuna sashimi, a special tea-rice dish, Western cuisine, and more – definitely a top-notch buffet. My favorite part was the public bath. There's an outdoor section with sea views, which is incredibly relaxing. The waiting area is spacious and even has free ice cream bars, which the kids absolutely loved. The most relaxing aspect was the happy hour in the lobby, with unlimited beer, wine, sparkling drinks, and snacks. You can just sit back and enjoy the blissful ocean views. The only downside: there was a strong musty smell, especially noticeable and persistent when it rained.

This is a large and luxurious hotel. Both breakfast and dinner buffets were plentiful and delicious, offering great value for money. However, the hotel is quite old. While it's well-maintained, the rooms definitely show their age. The location is also a bit out of the way; it's fine if you're driving, but I'm not sure about public transport.

不可以說是一間酒店，實際應該是營地旅舍。早餐要憑早餐卷到前台拿取、晚餐則由職員送到房間，然後自行燒烤！早餐食物份量非常豐富、晚餐（bbq)份量一般！職員很有禮親切！房間整潔、但有陳舊痕跡、床褥較硬、枕頭很扁平而且size 很細！垃圾要自行分類處理，拿去指定地方！