Shimoda View Hotel

Day 2 in Izu: Minami-Izu and the next day's itinerary was Mount Omuro, which is far from the Ishirogasaki trail. With my son in tow, I decided to stay overnight in Shimoda. I'd booked the popular Shimoda View Hotel early, spending over 2,700 yen for a Japanese-style room with a stunning ocean view, accommodating three people. Then the nightmare began... 1. I wasn't sure where the hotel's free shuttle bus was located, so I wanted to inquire. I booked through Ctrip, but the website didn't provide a hotel email address, so I had to call the hotel early in the morning. Before I could even finish my explanation, the person on the other end rudely interrupted me and said, "Japanese only!" Okay, so I had to figure it out on my own. At the Shimoda Station information counter, I explained the situation to the staff and showed them the hotel's name. I asked if there was a scheduled shuttle bus location, so we went there to wait. The staff was rude and impatient, saying the hotel didn't have a shuttle and that we had to call ahead to make a reservation! Okay, so how can we, who don't speak Japanese, make a reservation? 2. I gave up on the shuttle bus and hailed a taxi from Shimoda Station to the hotel. It cost 100 yen and was 3 kilometers long. Never mind, I blamed my lack of Japanese. 3. At the check-in desk, a Chinese intern greeted us and was pleasant enough to give us the keys. We were given an ocean view room on the lowest floor. Compared to the sea view shown on the terrace, I sighed. The location was terrible. The door led to the laundry room. 4. My room included breakfast and dinner. I saw that someone listed kaiseki cuisine, so I was excited. The front desk said it was a buffet, so that meant we had a reservation for the second part of the meal. As soon as we walked in, it felt like a cafeteria! All the Japanese people were lining up at the different tables with their plates, grabbing everything as soon as new food arrived! The only free drinks at the dinner buffet were black tea and water. Any soft drinks or alcoholic beverages were charged extra. 5. The hotel is built on a 7-story slope. Without a shuttle bus or taxi to the door, you have to walk up the slope, which is as strenuous as climbing a small mountain. 6. The hotel's breakfast buffet was also outrageous. It started at 7:00 PM. We arrived at 6:58 PM and there was already a long line. The dining process was similar to last night's dinner buffet: queue, scramble, queue... The air conditioning in the room was as noisy as in the video. Even at minimum volume, it still resonated. It rang all night and made me withdraw. 7. This hotel is subpar from the inside out, from the amenities to the service. While it's understandable that they look down on Chinese people and prioritize them, it's so overt and intrusive that it's extremely uncomfortable. I urge Chinese people considering booking this hotel to think twice.

The room was very comfortable, the sea view was beautiful, and the staff were very helpful. There is a shuttle service!