Toba Saichoraku

The buffet had plenty of choices at both breakfast and dinner, though the food itself wasn't anything special. What stood out was the incredible view from the room and the onsen. After a busy day at the resort, the massage chairs and ice cream vending machines were a great way to wind down. The onsen water comes from sakakibara and felt really good on my skin.

The baths were a highlight for me. In the public hot spring area, three people can lie down at once; there was a smaller cold pool as well as a larger hot one, and the temperature felt just right. I stayed in for around 30 minutes. A mother with kids seemed surprised to find a cold onsen, which I guess isn't common at these hotels. There's also a foot bath by the lobby, with little towels to dry your feet. Sitting there with the ocean and sky in view was lovely. Our room was spacious, probably 8 or 10 tatami, with a small spot to look outside. It had a little washroom where my husband could bathe privately, and the beds were comfortable. The buffet was good for picking what I wanted, but the dishes didn't change much. My husband got tired of the same food by the second day. I liked being able to cook my own fish at breakfast, which was fun. The front desk staff's English was very limited, but they tried hard to communicate. We even went to the computer room together to use an online translator. They use Yahoo instead of Google, apparently. There's a shuttle from Toba station in the afternoon about every half hour or hour, and one back in the morning. Another shuttle goes to their other onsen hotel in Shima, but there's just one departure, around 4:30 p.m. There is a 24-hour hot food vending machine and a manga room with loads to read, if you can read Japanese. It's a remote and quiet spot, so walking to the hotel takes a while. The shuttle from Toba station makes getting there easier, and the setting is peaceful. This is one of the budget hot spring hotel chains, with a special rate of 7,800 yen per person for a night's stay with two meals. I'm not sure if you have to book ahead for that price, but it seems like the usual deal. The buffet meals make it decent value. I'd stay again, but probably not for two nights since the food gets repetitive. I did enjoy the baths and foot bath.

The sea views from most of the guest rooms are wonderful, and it's a lovely place to spend a couple of days unwinding. The service has always been good. The hotel is temporarily closed for renovations and is due to reopen in 2020. We'll definitely return for a third stay and see the renovated resort.

Everything else was good during our two-day, one-night stay, but I forgot something valuable. On August 13, 2024, I realized I'd left my HAORI behind. I called the hotel the next morning, August 14, and they told me they hadn't found it. I felt sad, though I still believe it'll find its way back into my arms. This is Japan, where honesty is number one.