BiBi Hotel FUTENMA

Really nice.

The room was clean and quiet, with a kitchen and washing machine, and I ended up thinking it was a good find. I couldn’t find an affordable hotel in Naha, so I had to look elsewhere, but it turned out to be the right choice. Futenma Shrine is about a five-minute walk away. Getting there without a car would be difficult, but if you rent one, Times is a one-minute walk away and costs 550 yen for 24 hours, cheaper than parking in Naha. I arrived at Naha Airport in the evening, rented a car, and drove here to check in. Chatan is a short drive away, so I parked in a coin lot, wandered around American Village, and had dinner nearby. I planned to check out and head north the next day. Next time, I’d like to stay for several nights and try the local restaurants.

The room is roomy and has a kitchen, and Futenman Shrine is very close by. I especially liked the huge bathtub and the separate wet and dry areas. You can adjust the hot water temperature, which made taking a bath in winter really comfortable. The only drawback was the tiled floor, which felt a little cold underfoot in winter. Otherwise, it was great.

The room was so spacious and clean that I could open my suitcase without worrying about getting in anyone’s way. The blackout curtains helped me sleep well, and the amenities seemed complete apart from pajamas. There’s no hotel parking, so I used the coin lot diagonally across the street. At 550 yen for 24 hours, I thought it was cheap compared with hotels charging 1,000 yen a day. Just note that it doesn’t take new banknotes or new 500 yen coins. Check-in is self-service: scan the QR code at the touch panel, follow the steps, and the key comes out. Checkout was just as simple, since I only had to drop the key in the designated box. I liked not having to speak to anyone. There’s no room cleaning service. If you need to, you can leave used towels and garbage bags in the designated area on the first floor. When I came back, fresh face and bath towels were in a bag on the doorknob. There’s one dryer on the floor. My sweatshirt dried in 30 minutes on the turbo/intensive setting, though the dryer is small and might not do well with a big load. Dish soap and laundry detergent weren’t supplied in the room. For the price, it felt well worth it. I only stayed two nights and wished I’d booked longer. I’d definitely come back to Okinawa and stay here again.