Zaimokuza Seasons

A cute little place, with a lovely beach view to wake up to. There are lots of nearby local shops and restaurants, and people around here are friendly and helpful.

The room was freezing in winter, with cold air coming through the terrace doors and no double-glazed windows. The terrace itself is shared along the row of rooms, so people walk past the large door-windows and can see inside. It also isn’t much of a beach view from the first floor, with a noisy avenue between the terrace and the shore. The website mentioned terrace stoves, which was one reason we booked, but when we asked, we were told there were no stoves this year. Getting to the room means passing through a tiny cafe space, squeezed between glasses and the cash register. The shower is so cramped I could barely fit, and I’m not a big person. The bathroom tap makes a strange, very loud noise. A light above the mirror, connected to a plug, kept flickering on and off, so doing makeup there was impossible. The walls are paper thin. We heard the neighbors laughing and yelling until 3 a.m., and management leaves at 8 p.m., so there’s nobody to ask for help at night. This was easily one of the worst places I’ve stayed in Japan, and I live here and travel quite a lot.

We only stayed one night while touring Kamakura, and I wish we’d booked longer. Our first-floor room had a glass slider facing the ocean and an outdoor patio seating area. It was clean, the staff were accommodating, and there’s a bus stop nearby. The beach is under a five-minute walk. We didn’t eat at the hotel, though we had good drinks at the cafe. I’d seen comments about noise. I could hear traffic from the main road, but it wasn’t too much and didn’t keep me from sleeping.

The road running right past the guest house is the one drawback. Otherwise, it’s a very nice place near the beach, with friendly, helpful staff and a room equipped with what you need. Fresh towels and amenities came each day. Breakfast was good, and it’s a short walk into town, to the temples, and to the Great Buddha.