Grampus Sea

Pros: 1. Excellent value for money. 2. There's a bus stop (for Senjojiki-guchi and Sohara-no-yu) and a ramen shop (serving decent food) conveniently located right in front of the hotel. Additionally, a truly delicious sea bream dandan noodle shop called "Dakishime Tai" is just a 600m walk away – the Japanese wordplay on its name is absolutely hilarious! 3. The hotel features an outdoor bath (rotenburo), and the men's bath was almost always empty, offering a peaceful experience. 4. It's frequented by mostly local guests, contributing to a quiet and relaxed atmosphere. 5. Famous attractions like Senjojiki and Sandanbeki are located nearby. Cons: 1. It's quite a distance from Shirahama Station, and bus services are infrequent. If you wish to avoid a long and tedious bus ride, taking a taxi is recommended (you can Google "Meiko Bus" for taxi reservation phone numbers). 2. The hotel breakfast was mediocre.

The room was a bit small, and the bathroom was shared. However, the hot springs, with both indoor and outdoor baths, were a real highlight! Senjojiki is conveniently located just 200-300 meters to the right, offering breathtaking sunset ocean views. It's also very close to Sandanbeki.

I come to Wakayama every month, and this is always my go-to hotel. The reasons are its fantastic location, spacious parking, a wonderful onsen, and complimentary breakfast. Plus, it's very affordable! The only downside is that the toilets and washbasins are shared facilities located in the hallway on each floor, not available en-suite.

Facilities: The onsen is a traditional Japanese hot spring. While the outdoor bath doesn't offer scenic views, the water temperature was perfect. We stayed in a Japanese-style room this time. The occupancy was low, so it was peaceful and uncrowded. Cleanliness: It was spotless and met all standards. Environment: The location is fantastic! It's right next to Senjojiki and just a 3-5 minute walk from the only small restaurant in the vicinity.

The room was small but spotless. Do note that the bathroom is shared – if that's a deal-breaker, you might want to consider other options. The hot spring, however, was fantastic; I absolutely loved it!

The hotel's ambiance was pleasant, especially its spacious, on-site hot spring area. The experience was further enhanced by the lack of crowds. However, the guest rooms do not come with private bathrooms, which was quite inconvenient.

The hotel rooms were very comfortable and the service was incredibly attentive. Breakfast was excellent, and the hot spring baths were a real highlight. Plus, it's conveniently located right next to the scenic area. Overall, a fantastic experience!