La Teada Kume-island

For people who want more privacy than a minshuku or guesthouse offers, I recommend this hotel, even though places like Eef Beach Hotel can stretch the budget. The clean, spacious rooms and the price felt well balanced. The front desk gave me a map showing nearby restaurants, their hours, and holidays, which was really helpful. Lots of places are within walking distance, including Kumejima's well-known restaurants around Eef Beach. Namiji and Umibozu are especially famous and were just diagonally across the street, about a 1-2 minute walk. There's also a Family Mart right next door for drinks and snacks. The balcony had a clothesline and clothespins, though they were old, so I could dry my swimsuit. The toilet and bathroom are separate, and the bathroom has a washing area that makes it easy to bring a baby. The Badehaus shuttle bus picks up at the hotel. It was also right in front of a bus stop, which as of July 2017 had moved about a minute away because of road construction. The place matched our needs so well that I couldn't think of anything else to flag.

The staff at the front desk were all young and really friendly. I had a non-smoking room on the third floor, though it seemed smoking was allowed in rooms on the second floor. It wasn't a fancy hotel, but it was comfortable. My plan didn't include breakfast, and the convenience store right next door made it easy to shop in the evening. It was handy to come into the hotel while wet and hang clothes on the balcony. The toilet and bathroom were separate, and the tub could be filled with hot water, which was great for divers.

I stayed in a single room during the off-season and was able to relax. It was spacious, clean after the new owner renovated the hotel, and had room on the balcony to dry wetsuits. There are lots of izakayas nearby that make evenings fun, and a Family Mart is next door.

The service was disappointing, and the hotel needs to rethink how it operates. The manager-like person spoke so quickly that I couldn't follow what they were saying. My room was worn, with tape over the AC vent as if it had been repaired, even though other rooms were available. It was okay for just an overnight stay, but at that price I only stayed because of the rate. This was my second visit, and I'll choose somewhere else next time. I can understand getting that room if nothing else was available, but there were other rooms. Quite a letdown.