Ryukyu Hotel & Resort Nashiro Beach

There’s not much to do at the hotel in the evening once the pools and ocean close. The jacuzzi gets so crowded that I was surprised there was only one for the whole hotel, and people were lining up. The children’s area has slides, with an indoor pool and jacuzzi as well. Outside, there are two shallow pools, one more for children and one for adults. The ocean water was very clean, and we saw staff cleaning the net in the water and picking up trash along the shore. There were lots of loungers with umbrellas, and rinse-off spots, restrooms, and watersports rentals were all within walking distance of the beach. We wanted a relaxing break, so the drive to this hotel was worth it despite the distance from Naha. We only learned later that the hotel offers an airport shuttle. We took the city bus instead, which took about three hours, and arrived worn out.

The bedrooms are lovely, the service is amazing, and the hotel looks grand, but for Aussies this felt like a tourist trap. The beach out front is very shallow at low tide, and there aren’t local beaches where you can swim. The big central pool is reserved for VIP guests, as is the only bar. Even when a musician was playing there, nobody was watching. You also have to pay to use the cabana by the pool. The place is in the middle of nowhere, so getting food means taking a bus or Uber to Naha. The restaurants are very expensive and not that good, and the convenience store has very limited food, though its locally made souvenirs are nice. They seemed to charge for everything. One restaurant called our room to confirm a booking, and that call appeared on our bill. The BBQ restaurant was misleading too. You have to cook everything yourself, so after we sat down and realized, we decided not to go ahead. They were going to charge a fee, but let us move the booking to their soba noodle restaurant instead. The chocolate truffles were tasty but very rich, and they wouldn’t let me take the uneaten ones away.

Fantastic breakfast, good rooms, and a well-presented property. It’s a great five-star hotel for anyone wanting to get away from the city, though we only realized after arriving how far off the beaten track it is. As frequent travelers, this was the first five-star place we’d stayed at with no room service. Restaurants only open at set times. Lots of potential.

I left early because I felt so uncomfortable here. For an expensive five-star resort, this was by far the worst stay I’ve had in Okinawa, despite having visited before and stayed at other Japanese resorts. I wouldn’t recommend it under any circumstances, and I’d give it zero stars if I could. The departure day policy was shocking. My flight was at 18:30, and when I asked about late checkout, they quoted 250 euros per hour. Four extra hours would have cost 1000 euros. Even the employee explaining it seemed uncomfortable. They said I could stay in the lobby after checkout, but couldn’t use the beach, pools, or any other facilities. I’ve never encountered such a restrictive policy at a resort. Most facilities were closed in winter. Despite temperatures around 22 degrees, the beach was closed and most pools unavailable. Only a small indoor pool was open, mostly full of children, leaving virtually nothing usable for adults. The gym didn’t open until 8:00, which felt unacceptable for a modern five-star resort where 24-hour access is increasingly standard. The constant cleaning made it impossible to relax. Staff swept, wiped, and raked all around me, even when I was alone on the beach. Someone raked an entirely empty stretch of sand, and floors around the pools were being wiped nonstop while guests couldn’t use the pools. It felt tense and monitored, almost absurd, like a Stepford Wives scene. Check-in was cold, and the whole place felt rigid, impersonal, mass-oriented, and bureaucratic despite the premium price. The decor and concept seemed kitschy and outdated, without warmth or sophistication. Music played everywhere, sometimes several conflicting tunes at once, which was irritating rather than calming. Breakfast was crowded, loud, and chaotic, more like mass processing than a relaxed resort meal. The food itself may be acceptable, but the experience was stressful. Staff seemed uneasy and guarded, so I felt watched instead of welcome, while loud, disruptive guests in public areas were apparently left alone. Given the overall experience, in many places I’d seriously consider asking for a refund.