Ibusuki Bay Hills Hotel & Spa

The kindness of the staff really stayed with me. After our two nights at the amafuru, I got an email after checkout saying we'd left something behind. I said not to trouble themselves if sending it was too much, but they offered to drive it to my next destination. Such a surprise and so thoughtful. The hotel has excellent amenities, and we'd definitely like to return to the amafuru oka. Thank you to everyone there.

The views are heavenly, and the service and cuisine are top notch. Simply amazing.

The food quality was overwhelming, even surpassing Michelin-starred restaurants. The famous sand baths and ceramic spa were better than I expected and seemed to melt away my everyday tiredness. We had great weather, and the hilltop location was one of the best I've stayed in. A really satisfying stay for anyone wanting nature, relaxation, and a break from daily life.

Dinner made with local ingredients was delicious, and the drinks were great too. Breakfast was rice balls with a range of toppings to choose from, which was fun and got me eating well right at the start of the day. The staff were friendly and gave me room to relax. I'd happily stay here again on a trip to Kagoshima. I came to visit the Chiran Special Attack Peace Hall. The mountain road made access a bit challenging, but the hotel more than made up for it. It was foggy when we arrived, and the sparkling central atrium entrance with swimming carp looked magical. The fog seemed part of the show. By the next morning the sky had cleared, and the view of Kagoshima Bay from the large public bath was breathtaking. I'd recommend the hotel to people visiting Chiran or Ibusuki's sand baths. The staff recommended the ceramic spa, and I was surprised by how good it was, a different kind of comfort from the famous sand baths. The private family bath had a high temperature spring that warmed me from the inside out. Our room's open-air bath also had free-flowing spring water. Soaking there with sweet potato shochu highballs was blissful.