Kominato Onsen Miiri no Yu Homeiden

Peaceful, great service, and a relaxing place near Sea world. Remember, there’s no Wi-Fi. The private Onsen was lovely.

The staff were warm and friendly, and made a point of talking to our child. They gave us a kids' chair and tableware at dinner, which we really appreciated. Dinner was in a tatami-floored hall, with sashimi on a boat-shaped platter, simmered dishes, tempura, chawanmushi, and dessert. It was all delicious and more than enough. Breakfast's freshly grilled fish was tender and delicious, and the other dishes made us want more rice. We were glad to have coffee in the lounge afterward. Our room was Japanese-style with a wide ocean view, and the futons were already set out. We were traveling with our 1.5-year-old, and they provided an Anpanman pillow and a diaper bag, which helped a lot. There was no clock in the room, but the front desk called before our private bath and meal times, so we didn’t have to keep track ourselves. We had booked the private bath and picked a 3 p.m. slot at check-in. It had both indoor and outdoor baths, at around 40°C, comfortable for long soaks and for the kids. The women's baths, Tsuki no Yu and Umi no Yu, had a lovely atmosphere and felt cozy and relaxing. The hotel is about a 10-minute drive from Kamogawa Sea World. When we pulled into the parking lot, a staff member walked us to the front desk.

There were lots of monkeys in the mountains in front of the inn. That was interesting, but a little scary too. There are hardly any cars at night, and there was a sign warning about animals, so it may be best to take care when going out. The room itself was clean and looked well maintained, despite the inn seeming quite old. The air conditioner also appeared relatively new, so I felt okay using it. The private bath reservation was first come, first served at check-in, but nobody explained that until I asked. It cost 3,300 yen for 45 minutes. The website didn’t show a price, so I assumed it was free, especially since it was first come, first served. I chose this inn for the private bath, so that was a big shock and miscalculation. I wanted to try the hot springs first, but they were quite small and shabby. The windows were fogged over, so I couldn’t see outside. One shower, on the far right in the second-floor bath, never got hot and seemed broken. I gave up on using the private bath, though I still feel a little regretful about it.

It’s in a peaceful, comfortable spot, and just being here feels relaxing. I’ve stayed twice, and it’s the best hotel. The rooms are clean, service is wonderful, and the food is incredibly good. I think it’s great value for the money. I want to come back.