Couldn’t deny that the onsen is probably the best that I ever been! And there are few to choose from which are really nice. The room itself however is pretty old. Food is really good and great selection both for morning and dinner in buffet style.
Hilltop view is also the best in the area.
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.
We landed at 8 PM, boarded the JR at 8:40 PM, and reached Wakayama Station by 10 PM. The hotel's location was incredibly convenient – just about 100 meters to the right after exiting the central gate.
The receptionist was Chinese, exceptionally friendly and welcoming, which really helped us relax after a long day of travel. They also provided us with a local map and recommended places where we could still find yakitori at that late hour.
The room was relatively spacious, and having triple rooms is genuinely convenient for families traveling together.
However, the breakfast, which came highly recommended by others, set my expectations a bit too high. Personally, I found it relatively simple with limited choices, though it was sufficient to fill you up.
This has to be one of the most spacious rooms I've ever stayed in in Japan. Our twin room had enough extra space to comfortably fit 6-7 28-inch suitcases, plus a small sofa.
It's a little far from the JR station, so I'd recommend taking the bus. There are many routes available, and it only takes about 10 minutes to get there; walking would take around 30 minutes.
The cleanliness was also excellent. If your room doesn't have a view of Wakayama Castle, don't worry; the restaurant on the 3rd floor features floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a great view of the castle.
The breakfast selection was very extensive and included many local specialties, such as salted plums (umeboshi) and whitebait. I recommend trying them at the hotel first to see if they suit your taste; that way, you'll have a better idea when buying them at souvenir shops outside. The Western breakfast options, such as bread, were quite standard, but the Japanese options were fantastic.
I visited once in the summer of 2019 while pregnant with my second child, and it was a wonderful experience. The place was beautiful, clean, with excellent service, and the food served was delicious. This year, with my younger child grown, we wanted to revisit and relive those memories, but it was quite disappointing.
The room was untidy, and the cleanliness had significantly deteriorated. Sleeping on the tatami, I woke up at 4 AM due to intense itching on my left shoulder, neck, and side. I suspect it was fleas, perhaps from the old tatami mat or mattress, as I tend to sleep on my left side. I didn't get any good sleep that night.
The food quality had drastically declined; it felt like eating in a large cafeteria. The restaurant staff's attitude was also quite perfunctory; not outright rude, but it left a very poor impression. The humble service, smiles, and respect we experienced during our first visit were completely absent.
We stayed for two days, and Saturday, our second day, was even worse. The Japanese dinner was supposed to be served course by course, meaning one dish at a time, with the next served only after the current one was finished, a plate per person, paced according to the guest's eating speed. Instead, a small dish was served to everyone, which we quickly finished. We tried to ask for the next course, but it didn't come. We were left waiting awkwardly for a long time, and then only a tiny bit more food would arrive, which we'd devour instantly. Then we'd be back to staring with pleading eyes, practically begging for more food.
Finally, we realized that it wasn't about our table finishing a dish before the next was served. It was a mass cafeteria system, with over a dozen tables and families. Dinner started promptly at 5:30 PM, and even if we ate quickly, we had to wait for all the other tables to finish their first dish. Then, a cart would be brought out, and all tables would be served the second dish simultaneously. We were all separate parties, but families with kids who ate faster still had to wait for groups that were drinking to finish their first course before our second dish arrived. This is absolutely not Japanese dining service; it's a completely militarized cafeteria system. You have to wait for all fifteen-plus tables to finish their first course before the second one is served. Traditional Japanese meals are usually served individually, often in small portions. Here, if you eat quickly, you'll be left with nothing, just sitting there watching others drink and chat. Their 'Japanese' style amounts to serving you a single bite, and once you're done, you just stare at everyone else, because you won't get a second portion until they decide it's time. Having degenerated to this point, I will never eat their food again. It was sheer torment.
The hotel's direct access to the beach right downstairs is a definite geographical advantage. We might consider staying here again if the kids specifically want to play in the sand, but if they're not keen on the beach, I will definitely not return. What a pity! I wanted to find a photo to post, but frankly, there was nothing worth sharing. Perhaps I should just post a photo of the broken TV, which they claimed had a loose connection and needed the cabinet dismantled for repair.
Facilities: Japanese-style design
Sanitation: Clean and tidy
Environment: Central location of Shirahama, next to Shirarahama Beach, every room can see the sea, super beautiful
Service: Upon arrival, they actively helped with luggage, every aspect was very delicate, the hot spring was very comfortable, and dinner was ordered when checking in, one night and two meals is great
Value for money. For the price paid. Can't complain much as got free driving from Kada station to the hotel.
Cons is need to get the pic from train station to call as the number on the Google map and the banner can't go through.
Recommended to use the hotel transport as walking is too far.
Pros everything. There is a laundry coin as well which save our life alot as we travel 3 weeks to Japan. Do note the awajima shrine is just beside this hotel. Must visit and do see the sunset and sunrise.
Cons far from station
A clean and relatively modern hotel sitting on top of a hill with a spectacular view of the harbour. There is an indoor/outdoor onsen on the ground floor and free alcohol and snacks from 3 to 5 pm every afternoon! Great value for money, and a great place to relax and ease back into civilisation if you’ve just come out of the mountains after doing the Kumano Kodo.
Close to Bus stop, Lawson and many restaurant nearby. Staff are very nice and helpful.
Room is fairly clean but it smells like its not yet been used for a while, old and not eough air flow. Even the air freshener machine cant help.
Also, there is no lift to annex building, be aware if you carry large suitcase.
I stayed in room 204. Behind the small forest is the sea. The hygiene is OK and clean. I will choose this hotel again in the future.
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GGuest UserThe highlight of this hotel will be the seaview onsen. It’s huge with 3 floors. Service is very welcoming. The lobby, lounge area and restaurant are all very bright, modern and stylish. The rooms are however like entering a different world from 30 years ago, which definitely needs a major lift. The stains on the brown colored carpet are very eye catching. The beds are comfortable. We tried both the breakfast and dinner buffet, I suggest you may try to eat outside unless you really want to stay in the hotel for the rest of the day.
GGuest UserThe service was great. The Ocean View was set up like an inlet, more like a small lake than the sea. The room had been renovated and was clean, but it had a strange smell that was bothersome, probably because it was old.
The food was delicious, there was all-you-can-drink, and the bath had a strong sulfur smell that was very pleasant! I'd like to stay at Taoya in other areas as well.
AapplesspI stayed for 2 nights and experienced two different room types: an ocean-view tatami room on the 7th floor (pictured) and another ocean-view tatami room on the 1st floor (with a private hot spring bath).
**Pros:**
1. The location offers stunning ocean views. Just a short walk from the hotel (turn left, then left again), you'll find expansive ocean vistas; even if you haven't booked an ocean-view room, you can still enjoy the sea here and take evening strolls along the coast.
2. Complimentary hot and cold beverages are available, though with time restrictions.
3. There's a public hot spring bath (onsen) on the 2nd floor, complete with yukata (Japanese robes) and a comprehensive range of toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial cleanser, makeup remover, toner, and lotion. A special touch is the selection of nearly 10 different brands of shampoos and conditioners you can choose from. For rooms with a private bath, Refa hairdryers are provided, and you can enjoy both indoor and outdoor bathing options. It's lovely to soak under the stars at night.
4. Complimentary ramen is served at 9 PM. During my two-day stay, it was 'black ramen' both nights.
5. The front desk staff primarily speak Japanese and English (no Chinese), but simple English communication was smooth. Overall service was excellent. Despite the remote surroundings, the hotel interior felt vibrant and welcoming. The dinner and breakfast staff were also very attentive and particularly friendly towards children.
6. The hotel is conveniently located less than a 10-minute walk from Kii-Katsuura JR Station, making it easy to visit the Whale Museum in Taiji and explore the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes.
**Cons:**
1. The walk from Kii-Katsuura JR Station to the hotel with luggage was quite challenging. The pedestrian path is narrow, with cars driving by very close, though thankfully there wasn't much traffic. The hotel also does not offer a shuttle service.
2. The room facilities are a bit dated and show their age, but they remain fully functional.
3. Since we stayed in tatami rooms, we had to lay out our futons ourselves each night.
4. Due to booking two different room types, on the second day we had to check out by 10 AM, store our luggage, and then re-check in at 3 PM. Luckily, we were out exploring for most of the day, so it wasn't a major inconvenience.
5. The rooms use traditional keys (not key cards), which means you have to remember to manually lock the door when leaving. This felt a little inconvenient.
**In summary,** this is a charming onsen hotel offering pleasant scenery and warm, attentive service. I would highly recommend it.
GGuest UserWe 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.
CCEL_LI was about to give bad reviews due to some poor check-in experience, but everything after check in is so good that compensates this journey.
First, the check-in process that brings me with bad experience: it is self-served and there is no any staff. By rights you should receive an instruction email with check-in PIN in advance, which I heard from other guests. However, I didn’t receive anything but Trip’s confirmation letter and I was unable to check in. And my sim card in Japan is just an internet card unable to make phone calls, which means I have no way to contact the hotel directly. My partner and I were desperately locked out of the hotel in the evening, after 7h hiking, with no other available hotel in the mountain. After waiting for over 1 hour, other guests helped us to enter the admin room where there is an ipad to call the hotel (why not make it available to guests without checking in?), and with the help of Trip’s agency, we finally checked in successfully.
Then here is the staying experience: so good that makes me almost forgive the poor check-in experience. Each room is a spacious individual house and ours has a garden for BBQ. The food is also self-served, with the cooking stuffs and ingredients in the fridge. It was unexpected that you need to cook yourself (I don’t think it was listed on room info when I booked it), but it’s not bad that Wagyu, chicken, and vegetables are served. The rooms are big and cozy, and you can do the laundry after hiking.
Everything is good about the hotel itself, just be aware of the self-checkin process and make sure you get the instructions before that.
GGuest UserOverall, I was extremely pleased with the hotel. It's essentially a one-stop shop for food and beverages. Breakfast and dinner menus changed daily, and they offered afternoon tea, complimentary ramen available after 10 PM, a wide variety of snacks, and an all-you-can-eat minibar in the room. There was no need to even leave the premises to fully enjoy our stay. We timed it right to get the private hot spring key and enjoyed a relaxing soak in the private bath. The natural spring water truly makes a difference! My only minor suggestion would be for a more complete sea view from the room. The room we were assigned this time had a slightly obstructed view, and I hope on our next visit we can be allocated a room with a truly panoramic sea view.
GGeraldLim1Beautiful Ryokan! The room I stayed in had tatami floors and western beds. The doors slide instead of open outwards like they usually do. Toilets are relatively small, but the shower had great water pressure and temperature! However we did not shower much because.. We showered at the Onsen instead since we were there to spend time! The Onsen is tattoo-friendly as confirmed by the check in staff, and the water really had skin smoothing effects. Yukatas are available at lobby area for all guests, and level two has a restaurant with microwave and ice machine outside for your konbini meals. No view from the room, but that's fine cos the Onsen itself was worth a visit. Steep short hill up to the lobby, but if you drive then that's fine. Free to use outdoor BBQ area, but didn't have the chance to. Rooms were comfy, sleep was good with minimal disturbance. Side note: my underwear got stolen at the onsen and I never managed to find it back again but that's fine cos it was worth the Onsen experience. Stayed two nights here, no regrets, would totally do it again! Oh and Onsen area has got numbered lockers to store your belongings but not your undies!
KKwong88102oVery good. The room is very large. There is a hot spring bath. It is very clean. There are also attractions nearby. There is a microwave, oven, and coffee machine in the lobby.
SSing.WIt's great. The room has a view of the courtyard, and it's beautiful to look out through the window. The staff is very friendly and there are staff who can speak Chinese. Nishizenin is on the side of the path, very quiet, especially in winter, there is no noise at all.
The food is good. The dinner is different for two days. The first day is vegetarian, with vegetarian eel and sashimi. The second meal should be pure vegetable. I personally like the second meal.
There are morning prayers, paid copying of sutras, drawing of Buddha statues, and Aji Kan meditation.
The location is convenient, not far from the gate of Rikoyasan, you can take a bus to Okunoin, and then walk all the way back, without going back.
ЮЮрий555Grampus Shirahama A modest hotel right near the ocean. The room was clean, but the air conditioning was all dirty. I wouldn’t want to stay here in summer. The breakfast was nearly the same as in every other hotel in Japan, though the grilled fish was a bit stale. The dining room has a wonderful view over the ocean. The staff almost didn’t speak English but tried to help anyways. Plus: the hotel has its own onsen. Minus: no bathroom in the rooms, only toilets on the floor, no shower.
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