Izu Inatori Sports Villa

The capybaras were the big reason we came, especially for my daughter, and the overnight stay lived up to that. There are about a dozen on site, gentle and curious, and our kids, 12 and 10, loved watching them. From the huge bay window we could see them at a comfortable distance against a lovely forest view. Our room was spotless and comfortable. I think most of the one-star reviews are unfair and could put people off a really unique, enchanting experience. Sure, there are tennis courts, but you can find those lots of places, at least in America. I don't know another place where you can spend an extended time watching capybaras in peace and go down to interact with them. The buffet food is perfectly decent too, and the chef and staff seem to take pride in it. And the rooms don't smell like air freshener or zoo animals, they're spacious, nicely appointed hotel rooms with capybaras right outside. I hope people come and leave honest reviews that balance out the undeserved bad press.

The location worked well for visiting nearby places with kids, but the rest of our stay was disappointing. Getting to the cabin meant a tough walk, and it was a long way from the main facilities. With toddlers and bad weather, that wasn't ideal. The cabin also wasn't very clean. I found two spiders right above my bed, which made sleeping hard, and dinner felt low effort and underwhelming. I'll probably choose somewhere else next time.

The capybaras were friendly and seemed well cared for, and the staff were polite, spoke decent English, and gave us lovely souvenirs. Our suite was clean and comfortable, dinner and breakfast were great, and the traditional robes made things feel cozy. The Capybara Villa was a dream come true, and we'll remember this stay for life.

Meals were generous and had good variety. Breakfast was Western-style, fresh tasting, light, and well prepared. Dinner was Japanese-style, flavorful without feeling heavy, and nicely balanced. The staff were friendly, polite, and spoke good English, which made things easy. I stayed in the F1 independent villa, a standalone house with a big floor-to-ceiling window facing the capybara area. You could watch them eating, resting, or wandering right outside, with a little hut next to the window where they sleep. They provide carrots for feeding, the only food you're allowed to give them, and the capybaras are gentle and come close when you hand-feed them. A relaxing, unusual stay.