Spa Resort Hawaiians Monolith Tower

There’s a lot of walking between areas, and a few elevators weren’t working properly, which made getting around with a large suitcase difficult. I could see the facility has had renovations and additions over time, and I’d like to come back and try a better room. The Japanese-style rooms feel dated for the price. The pools were crowded, but still fun, and the shows were entertaining. Some arcade machine arms need adjustment because they aren’t calibrated properly to move the items.

I went on a weekday in June, paying 2000en/adults with goto for free. At 3pm it wasn’t busy, so slide lines were short at the cheaper price. Construction was going on, though, and many food courts, the slides, and the lazy river had closed by 5. You can pump air into the donut tubes, but there’s nowhere to let it out. Parking at 2500¥ is too expensive. Next time I’ll use the 24hr free parking farther away. Eating outside at Denny’s or an Indian restaurant was cheaper.

Midweek with kids is the way to do it. There are loads of pools and slides for adults and kids, and after going on a Friday I can’t wait to return. I tried a Saturday once and hated everything about the place, then waited two years before daring to come back.

The resort is huge enough that you might get lost, though there are plenty of signs and friendly staff around to help. We had lots to do, including crafts, shopping, the onsen, and swimming. The pool stayed warm even in winter, and the heated resort was comfortable even in a swimsuit. There’s also a 40 degree celsius pool if you feel cold. We stayed in a very spacious Japanese-style room. For our family of 3, it had two rooms, a shower and bath, and a separate toilet. Getting there was easy: we took the free shuttle bus from Shinjuku, and booking didn’t cost extra. You do need to reserve a seat in advance. Seats are assigned, so you aren’t placed with strangers, and solo travelers get a seat with nobody next to them.