Soratoniwa Atami Izusan

The location is a long way from the center. You’re looking at a walk of over 1 km uphill, or a bus that costs 450 yen to get into town. I asked a staff member about dinner when I arrived around 1 p.m., but he didn’t mention that dinner reservations aren’t accepted after 4 p.m. Check-in starts at 3, and when I came back for my room after 4, they turned down dinner. That policy is crazy, especially since I’d already asked. The staff couldn’t speak English and seemed passive. As a foreigner, I asked how to use the onsen and about other things, but they couldn’t explain and didn’t seem willing to show me. Not worth the money. I wish I hadn’t picked this hotel. Worst hotel experience so far.

The Japanese breakfast was excellent, and my room was spacious and clean, with a gorgeous sea view. Wi-Fi was a problem: there’s supposed to be free access in the lobby, but it didn’t work, and there’s none in the rooms. Could be a good place for a digital detox. It’s on a steep hill and hard to reach without a car, though the hotel offers free shuttles for arrival and departure if you reserve ahead. There isn’t much around the hotel, so arrange dinner in advance, since lunch isn’t available, or take a bus to the station for food. Buses are infrequent and stop fairly early, so check the schedule to avoid missing the last one back.

We got to the hotel at 7 p.m. and were told they couldn’t make dinner because we hadn’t reserved it. At minimum, the hotel should tell guests when they book that this might happen. If we’d known, we could have eaten at the station or arranged dinner. Instead, we ended up eating instant noodles at a resort, with no convenience store or restaurant nearby. Before that, we’d tried everything to reach the hotel. The phone number on the website didn’t work, and even a local person couldn’t get through when we asked for help calling. We also tried Instagram and the website, with no response. They say they provide free transport from Atami station, but we couldn’t even contact them to arrange it. The receptionist spoke only limited English and just kept saying sorry, without offering a solution. The service didn’t match what they charge. The experience was the worst of my life. This place might be fine for local guests, but they clearly don’t have the ability to host foreigners.

It’s a beautiful place, and the staff are incredibly gracious and thoughtful. Getting there by bus can be confusing, since the route isn’t listed quite the same way at the stop outside Atami station. Take Bus 4. There is Wi-Fi, but only in the lobby and restaurant. You need to reserve both breakfast and dinner 24 hours ahead to eat at the restaurant. Breakfast costs ¥2100, while dinner runs from ¥7000 to ¥12000. If that’s too much, getting food means taking a ¥2100 taxi back to the station. The rooms don’t have showers, either. Most of these complaints are on me for not checking properly beforehand. The staff couldn’t have been more hospitable, and the place really is beautiful.