Atami Spring Terrace Hotel

This is a Japanese-style hotel on a very steep slope, and the road is narrow. At night, be especially careful around the sharp bends and when meeting oncoming cars. The hotel's parking costs 1000 yen, so I left my car on the roadside instead. There didn't seem to be many guests, and at night the only sound was the Shinkansen passing. The front desk is unstaffed after 9 pm, so late arrivals have to check themselves in on an iPad. There's no elevator. If your room is on the third floor or in the villa area, you may have to carry your luggage up two or more flights of stairs.

The private onsen was a lovely extra, quiet and just the right temperature. The hotel is extremely close to the station, though it's up a steep hill, so I'd take a taxi with heavy bags. At night, we found it easy to walk to dinner or bars. Our room was spacious and very clean, with a traditional style living area I really liked. It also had a washing machine, which came in handy after a long sunny day at the beach. We had a fantastic stay.

Atami was new to us, and we're glad we chose this place. It was cozy and comfortable for a relaxing trip, which is just how Atami felt to us.

It wasn't bad, though it's not the best hotel either. With the toilet and bathroom (onsen) shared, it felt more like a hostel. The hill is extremely steep and long, so take a taxi even if you only have a small bag. There's also a tunnel on the way that feels a little scary to walk through at night.