Hotel 2-Star di Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

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 

We stayed in this lovely family hotel for a night, we opted for room stay with dinner and breakfast. There's no shops or restaurant near by, so highly suggest to choose the stay with meals option, otherwise there's cooking facility within the room also, so I think it's possible to cook your own meal if necessary. Location - the hotel is just round the corner of the famous Shirasaki Ocean Park, we even had a good view of the park from our room. There's parking space right in front of the hotel building, so it's very handy. We cycled to the Shirasaki Ocean Park then to the hotel, so it worked out perfect. There's a very steep slop going up to the hotel though, but it wasn't an issue for us as we pushed out bikes up. Facilities - this is a family run hotel which believes was built a while ago, so can't compare it to all those new built hotels. The ”room” we stayed is more like a mini flat, it has a big kitchen, good sized bathroom with changing area, a separate toilet, a living room, bedroom and an extra ”sitting” area. The entire flat is in traditional Japanese style which we loved, and it has all facilities that made our stay comfortable. It also has coined washing machine and driers. We could even access to rooftop on the 4th floor to view the sunset. If you're looking for a quiet place to have quality time, then this is a good place to do so. There's also ”public bath” within the hotel, it's small but wasn't an issue for us. There's also shower and bath in the room also if you want some privacy. Food - all food was cooked and prepared by the hotel owner, and she's a talented chef! Dinner was impressive, breakfast was standard. The hotel owner is very friendly and lovely, it's definitely ”the place” to stay if you're visiting the area. We highly recommend it.

Милый отельчик в самом центре Коя-сан. До всех главных достопримечательностей рукой подать. Внутри чисто и аккуратно. Сотрудники приветливы, при заселении всё рассказали, показали. Я приехала раньше времени заселения, со мной также у двери стояли две японки, мы звонили в звонок, но никто не выходил. Тогда одна из них позвонила по телефону, тут же прибежал монах, открыл нам дверь, мы оставили вещи и пошли гулять. На следующий день я оставила в холле свои вещи, пошла гулять и забрала их только в 5 вечера. Всё было в порядке, никто их не трогал и не возмущался, что я их там оставила, хотя уже съехала. Комната приятная, с кондиционером, так что я сразу включила его на тепло и спала с включенным, т.к. было прохладно. Из окна был чудный вид на садик, но, полагаю, это не во всех номерах. В душевой порадовало наличие купели, правда я не особо успела в ней погреться, буквально 5 минут, т.к. поздно пришла с вечерней прогулки. С утра, к сожалению, душевая не работает. Вегетарианский ужин и завтрак были вкусные.

You need to stay at Shojoshin-in if you come to Koyasan! There's an English speaking receptionist when you check in, a Chinese monk and you can always use google translate to communicate with the Japanese-only staff/monks! There's goma prayers at 1pm, a tour of the temple only for lodgers at 4pm, dinner served at 530pm (& the food is super flavourful), you can do sutra copying in your room (pay at reception) and pay for a handwritten goshuin as well! Shojoshin-in is the closest temple to Okunoin's entrance so its super convenient to do a night tour (run by an external vendor). Main doors close at 5pm but you can enter through the side door. I met a Japanese lady whom stays only at Shojoshin-in when she comes to Koyasan every year! I miss this place already :(

Kind of annex of the sister hotel next door. In the annex is an onsen, washing machine and dryer (free to use), vending machines with beer and drinks and noodles. Room is basic. I had a great view on the river. Small balcony, but dirty and no chair. The annex is okay to stay if you are hiking. The best thing is the sister hotel. A great onsen with outdoor bath. Nice souvenir shop with a bit more food. Staff are super friendly and helpful. They also provide bus services (bring and pickup to Hongu Taisha, the other onsen places, the trailhead busstop) which you can use! Just call them if you want to be picked up. I did not realize Kawayu Onsen is a very small place with NO supermarket. If you did not book breakfast (served at the sister) bring your own into town or eat instant noodles. There are 2 small restaurants with delicious local food.

We had an amazing stay at Bakery Hotel Shirahama. The hotel was extremely clean and well maintained, and every corner felt cozy and welcoming. The location is excellent, very convenient and close to everything we needed, yet still peaceful and relaxing. The staff were incredibly kind, polite, and helpful throughout our stay. You can really feel the Japanese hospitality here. The amenities were well prepared and thoughtfully provided, making our stay very comfortable. And of course, the bakery theme is such a lovely touch everything felt warm, cute, and unique. Overall, this place exceeded our expectations, and we would definitely stay here again. Highly recommended for a trip with friends!

The thing that really stuck with me was the giant pandas in the first-floor entrance. 🐼 The two little ones even sat on them for photos. 📷 My neighbor that night was a very nice Japanese lady. 🇯🇵 She mistook me for a B&B staff member and asked me tons of questions. 🙋♀️ Besides us two mother and daughter, there were no other mainland Chinese friends that day. There were plenty of ********* people, and even Europeans. In the middle of the night, after washing up, I ended up going to the wrong room and startled a young lady. It was a terrible mistake.

The hot springs are a bit dated and didn't seem very clean. The toilets were across from our second-floor room, and as soon as we got there, we could smell a strong urine odor. The cleanliness needs to be improved. I came here specifically for the food, which was absolutely delicious. It was definitely worth it. I give it a 120. They put a lot of thought into the preparation, and the portions were generous. It was like a truly luxurious set menu! The service was also very good. I just hope the cleanliness could be improved...

The hotel is very nice and still feels brand new, with a great location close to Kii-Tanabe Station. The staff were friendly, the check-in process was fast, and the room was very clean and comfortable. The laundry facilities, ice machine, and vending machines were all excellent. We also appreciated the free breakfast and complimentary coffee/tea in the afternoon. This hotel is highly recommended and perfect as a starting point for the Kumano Kodo journey. One suggestion would be to offer breakfast earlier or provide breakfast boxes for hikers starting early in the morning. Highly recommended, and we would definitely stay here again.

The staff at the hotel were extremely friendly and approachable. They patiently guided us on all our queries and were always helpful whenever we needed assistance. Our stay was lovely and pleasant, making the experience very comfortable overall. The location is also very strategic — JF Katsuura Seafood is just a 2–3 minute walk away, which was very convenient for meals and exploring the area. Overall, a great stay and we would happily recommend this hotel.