Hotel Ofutei

Nearly everything was close to perfect, from the staff and room condition to the rooftop outdoor onsen and the food. If you're staying with kids, check whether their dinner and breakfast are included. My three- and six-year-old ended up with just fried rice for dinner and plain rice for breakfast.

I heard recently that Ofutei had added a vegan menu, so I went to try it with my vegan friend. Staying guests can have both dinner and breakfast, and the vegan kaiseki dinner was a whole sensory experience. It looked beautiful, had loads of flavor, and tasted fantastic. It felt just as satisfying and elegant as traditional kaiseki. My friend was impressed and happy, and so was I. You can feel how much the professional chefs care about food diversity. I honestly hadn't expected to find such an authentic Japanese kaiseki meal that was fully vegan. If you're visiting Tomonoura, I'd highly recommend staying at Ofutei and trying its Setouchi-style vegan kaiseki. It was a fantastic experience, and one I'd strongly recommend to anyone.

It feels like a luxury place, with lovely furnishings inside and excellent food. I stayed one night, enjoyed the view and the quiet, and visited the island out front. Don't be put off when you first see the hotel from outside.

We had a great stay. The service staff were very polite and good with children, including our 10-month-old son. Our room on the seventh floor had an amazing view, and the food was really good. I'm not Japanese, so I can't judge the food's quality, but I thought it was delicious.