Shirahama Beach Hotels

"I've been wanting to visit Shirahama for almost 10 years, so I picked this onsen resort, rumored to be among Asia's top 11. For Japanese onsen hotels, all-inclusive is a must! However, my overall experience was just so-so, probably because I've stayed at so many Japanese onsen hotels before. It definitely boasts an unbeatable sea view; I booked a garden view room, and when I tried to upgrade to a sea view at check-in, the front desk attendant said none were available. Yet, when I entered my room, I could still see the ocean! The sea view here isn't as breathtaking as in Izu. From Shirahama Station, there's no shuttle, so we had to take a taxi, which was about 2500 yen. The most impressive part of the hot springs here is the co-ed open-air ocean view bath – the scenery is truly incredible! The food was only decent, incomparable to what we experienced at Kusatsu Onsen, Yamato no Sato in Izu, Lake Kawaguchiko at Mount Fuji, or even Gero Onsen. The staff weren't particularly enthusiastic either. There were a lot of Chinese tourists, some from Hong Kong and Macau, but very few Japanese tourists, mostly elderly ones. This onsen hotel seems to be a popular spot hyped up by Chinese travelers! If you're only visiting Kansai, Shirahama is definitely worth a trip. But if you're going to other parts of Japan, it might not be worth making a special journey for."

"The hotel is located near the Shin-Yuzaki bus stop in Shirahama. It's accessible by walking up a slope. Because of its hillside location, ocean-view rooms offer a great view, overlooking Shirahama Beach. The walk to Shirahama Beach takes about 15 minutes, passing the Shirahama Seafood Market and a FamilyMart convenience store. The hotel has a restaurant, offering a simple but acceptable breakfast, and three set menus for dinner. The Japanese-style rooms feature twin beds, a tatami mat, and a balcony, perfect for both living and sleeping. The bathrooms have bathtubs and are quite comfortable. The hotel has a large public bath on the first floor, featuring an indoor hot spring area with a massage area, a hot and cold dual-use pool, and an outdoor soaking pool. There's a dedicated area on the first floor where guests can choose from complimentary yukata robes, coffee and tea bags, and disposable toiletries. October 4th, Tanabe Beach hosted its annual fireworks festival, and I was able to see the fireworks from the hotel's guest balcony. Upon departure, the front desk helped with luggage storage and taxi hailing. I was very satisfied with my stay."

"Although the hotel is relatively old, it is still a pleasant surprise overall. The room is very good, the beach is just outside, the price/performance ratio is very high, and the overall travel accommodation experience is very good."