5-Star Hotels in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

After much deliberation between Haizhou and Seamore, we ultimately chose Haizhou because my travel companion wanted to experience a Japanese tatami room. Plus, for a trip to Japan, staying at a Japanese *onsen* hotel just felt right. Since it's a sea-view hotel, opting for a sea-view room was a must, and the room looked exactly like the photos on their official website. It was quite a unique experience to take off our shoes upon check-in, and walking around the hotel barefoot was indeed very relaxing. Based on reviews, the food was said to be average, so we only booked accommodation. The complimentary afternoon tea and late-night ramen were, admittedly, quite ordinary. We also considered that we'd be heading to Kumano Kodo the next day and rushing back to the airport on our last day, so we likely wouldn't have much time for meals at the hotel. In the end, we had all our meals at Seamore, trying both their sea bream noodles and the popular Japanese set meal. The plum water provided in our room was delicious and so refreshing after an *onsen* bath. The private baths weren't as difficult to book as rumored, perhaps because we visited outside of peak season. At night, the sea view was completely dark, but we could enjoy stargazing instead. On our last morning, I visited the large mixed-gender public bath. While I could see the ocean, I also noticed some floating debris in the water, which was a bit unsettling and made me wonder if the baths we used at night had similar issues. Across the road, there's a charming Hawaiian-themed bar, and a few steps further, an artist-run bagel cafe. We had breakfast there on our last day, and the bagels, freshly baked by the artist herself, were absolutely delicious. In summary, this is a well-established, popular *onsen* hotel with a convenient location, decent room views, and satisfactory service. However, the facilities, cleanliness, and dining options could certainly be improved.

The best resort I stayed in Japan, spacial thank you to the stuff at the front desk who had been super kind and helpful. The hot spring which overlooks the ocean is stunning, highly recommended!

Everything was perfect, from the kind monk who showed us the temple (he wasn't part of it) to the morning religious service. The welcome could not have been more friendly, the room comfortable, the view superb, and the meals delicious.

The hardware is unique and beautiful! There are two aspects to the software: 1. If you are a true Buddhist, you will feel that the commercial atmosphere is very strong, and the morning and evening classes are irregular. 2. The basic services are not up to standard, such as frozen food. It is disappointing that hot water or water boiling tools are not provided in snowy weather. of!

訂了H 房，房間內有兩張大嘅雙人床，另外客廳位置可以舖榻榻米，房間裏的衛生程度滿意，但浴室外的溫泉及位置有非常多的昆蟲在天花板及牆身上，check in的地方距離房間需要步行5分鐘的路程，實在有點不方便 房間設施齊全，有溫泉、按摩池、泳池、桑拿、燒烤爐、電器及餐具等，浴室的設備齊全，風筒捲髮棒、面膜、護膚品等一應俱全

The villa is clean and hygienic. The most important thing is that there is a private sauna room. There is a large swimming pool with two large bathtubs. There is a large kitchen for cooking. 👍👍 Next time you can join your family or friends.

On the third day of the New Year, dinner with my mother to feel the sea breeze of Jiyi Peninsula and the cattle in Kumano, 🐼 Japan's only two cities with pandas ♨️ 100% undispensed natural hot springs brought in by a kilometer underground 🏖️ White Beach shipped from Australia 🦞 charcoal grilled Ise lobster and abalone for breakfast on the fourth day of the New Year. Fish eat, the main focus is all kinds of eating and drinking. The hotel will send a business car JR station to pick up and drop off.

The location is close to the beach, making it convenient for self-driving tours. Although the hotel has been renovated, it feels a bit run-down, but the beautiful scenery is enough to complement it. The hotel buffet has a wide variety of dishes and is very satisfying.

Despite a three-night stay, I definitely wouldn't recommend this hotel! Let me be clear about some major drawbacks: First, there's the steep uphill path leading directly to the hotel. Don't tell me taking a taxi solves the problem. While you *might* be able to catch a taxi to and from the hotel or main attractions (if one is available), getting to the beach, Lawson (convenience store), or any restaurants means you absolutely have to walk up and down this very steep and challenging slope. Had I known about this significant inconvenience in advance, I absolutely would not have booked here. As previous guests have noted, the room had a distinct, unpleasant odor, almost like salted fish – I guess we can just pretend it's a seafood hub. On top of that, there were urine stains on the toilet bowl. Despite them knowing we were checking in with children, no children's amenities were provided. You might wonder why I didn't just ask the **front desk**? Well, that leads to another huge point of frustration. The front desk staff's efficiency is absolutely abysmal, and communication was practically impossible, even with translation software. When I inquired about children's toothbrushes, their baffling response was, 'I booked children to stay, so I can't refund the children's money to me.' After going back and forth with them to no avail, I gave up and ended up having to buy toothbrushes, toothpaste, and slippers for the kids myself. The room's soundproofing was incredibly poor. Children yelling was the least of our concerns; we could clearly hear people walking around upstairs and even the creaking of hinges when neighbors closed their doors. The pool was crowded, chaotic, and most importantly, quite dirty, with sand clearly visible at the bottom. To be frank, while I haven't stayed at a vast number of Marriott hotels, I've certainly experienced a few. This, however, was by far the worst Marriott I've ever encountered, which is particularly shocking given that it's in Japan, a country celebrated for its meticulous standards.