Ibusuki Phoenix Hotel

We chose this hotel during our visit to Ibusuki because it has its own sand bath. The staff were friendly and helpful, but I was disappointed that they said dinner was fully booked and couldn't provide it. The hotel looked only half occupied to me. The sand bath shares the public bath facilities, and ¥1200 for 15 minutes felt a bit steep.

We stayed one night and found the hotel much older than expected. During heavy rain, water leaked through the ceiling. The staff were good and spoke fluent English, and our room had a nice view. Good value for the money.

The great view and friendly staff were the upsides. Communication in English was difficult, though I know some Japanese and could ask the basics. The bus that passes the hotel doesn't come often, so we took a taxi a few times. The rest felt mediocre. We visited in autumn, while it was still hot outside, but the pool was empty. I knew that might happen, though I still wished I could swim. Breakfast was so-so, and parts of the room and hotel felt outdated and in need of refurbishment. Our non-smoking room smelled of smoke when we entered, and we could hear the neighbors quite clearly.

The traditional room was really spacious and had a great ocean view. The onsen and sand onsen were fantastic, and the included set breakfast was fine for me. It could be difficult if you don't like traditional dishes like cod roe and pickled vegetables. There weren't many other food options. The hotel has a 60s resort vibe and could use some updating, but I liked it. There was no WiFi in the rooms, though the lobby had it, which didn't bother me. I spoke with about four receptionists. They didn't have much English, but a little Japanese was enough for me. It might be hard for a tourist to manage without someone who speaks Japanese.