Wakamatsu Chita Hot Spring Resort

A nice local hotel with lovely onsen. The staff were really friendly, and the free ride from the station was a welcome bonus.

Sea view, Owen, good food, and excellent staff...

I didn't expect to find such a nice inn so close to home, and it was just right for making summer memories. The beach is right in front, so the room has a pleasant view and feels set up for relaxing. The kaiseki meal was carefully arranged and lovely to look at. I was a little let down by the hot spring view I'd been looking forward to. Maybe the experience depends on the time of day...^^;

The inn is right by the ocean, and I made a day of it before checking in. I walked from Utsumi Station to Utsumi Shokudo, stopped at the supermarket, then went to the beach. There is a free station shuttle, too. I called from the station and they said they'd arrive in about five minutes. I got there around 2:30 PM, when a few groups were starting to check in. They served matcha and seasonal sweets while I checked in. I was a little nervous about booking a private bath at that point, but I got the pre-dinner time I wanted. Each group gets an hour, with slots at 3, 4, 5, and 6 PM, so only four groups can reserve one. There usually aren't TVs in the rooms, but they lent me a free TV tuner when I asked, so I could watch on a large iPad screen. It was late June and the beach was already lively before the official season. I considered bringing a swimsuit, but I was there to unwind and just looked around. There were hot showers and portable toilets, and I could imagine it getting much busier in season. I'd like to swim there someday. My one-night stay flew by, so I made the most of the short visit.