Shirahama Beach Hotels

"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."

"Shirahama's value for money ceiling. You can enjoy the hot springs in the main building, and it is very close to the popular restaurants and ramen shops. To the north, you can reach Shirarahama, and to the south, you can reach Sandanbeki. The room is considered large in Japan, and there are many shared facilities. However, the check-in time is strictly controlled after 15:00. If you arrive early with a large suitcase, you can leave it at the hotel first and come back to check in when the time comes."

"This was a very happy journey. The hotel was very comfortable, clean and stylish. You can tell at a glance that a lot of thought was put into it. The room was large and Japanese style. The Chinese lady boss was very elegant and considerate. She patiently introduced the route and food. You can ask her if you don't understand anything. The breakfast was exquisite and delicious. Living here didn't feel like a foreign country at all. I will definitely come here again next time."