Hotel Miyahira

The room and location worked fine for me. Hotel Miyahira is right across from the ferry terminal. But two things seriously spoiled the stay. I asked to leave my suitcase for one day while I took a one-night trip to Iriomote Island, and even offered to pay. I’ve had hotels do this in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hakata, but they refused outright. For a port hotel where travelers may have the same need, that felt like a major lapse in hospitality. The other problem was the supervisor’s attitude. The English-speaking woman at the front desk was patient and helpful, but the bald man in his 50s standing beside her was the most unpleasant person I’ve met in more than a dozen hotels in Japan. He reminded me strongly and unsettlingly of Chun Doo-hwan (Chun Doo-hwan), both in looks and in his cold, authoritarian manner. He never looked up at us, smiled, or showed any apology. He just told the clerk it was the “Rule,” like an autocrat, and ignored the hospitality I’ve experienced elsewhere in Japan. So I had to take my 20kg suitcase to Iriomote. On that trip I found the warmth of Yaeyama hospitality I’d hoped for, from the hiking and snorkeling guides to hotel staff who chatted sincerely and arranged smooth transfers. I absolutely love and recommend Iriomote Island. Hotel Miyahira’s management is a disgrace to Ishigaki’s reputation. People in Ishigaki’s service industry should learn from Iriomote.