Phoenix Seagaia Ocean Tower

The ocean-view rooms have outstanding scenery, just breathtaking. It's a landmark hotel in Miyazaki with a real resort feel. The grounds are expansive and beautifully designed, with a pool, a large public onsen with several soaking pools, and private onsen baths for a more exclusive experience. There are also several restaurants on site, so there's plenty of choice for meals.

We stayed four nights and had a lovely time. The rooms are large, with a wonderful sea view. The building is old, as other reviews mention, so you don't have to insert a card to turn on the lights or use the elevator. I liked walking to the onsen along the covered path, which has some cute art about it. The train station shuttle was useful every morning; we took the local bus back to the hotel. We also used the convenience store and the laundry room downstairs. For breakfast and dinner, I recommend the Japanese restaurant. We had an excellent meal at the Chinese restaurant too. Pine Terrace has a great range of food, though the buffet can get crowded and some things weren't always warm.

The only change I'd make next time is to book a forest-view room. We chose ocean view, but the sunrise-facing sun gets so intense that I couldn't even look out the window. The blackout curtains didn't block it, so we kept the blinds shut all morning and into early afternoon. That's just our preference, since I'm not really a morning person and we weren't in the room much anyway. Even so, I don't want to leave. The beds were comfortable, the showers were great, breakfast was amazing, and the onsen was comfortable and easy to get around. We picked different pillows at the pillow bar and slept like babies. We had lovely dinners, cocktails, and quiet, dark mornings in the room. The body products, sheets, and drinks were natural and high-end. The club lounge check-in was one of the loveliest I've experienced, and service was more than lovely throughout. The lounge staff were kind, intuitive, accommodating, and very efficient. When I had a cut and said nothing, the hostess brought me a band-aid. So many little moments add up to a place you don't want to leave. People who say the onsen is far are just plain lazy, in my opinion. This was my first time here. From other reviews, I gather it used to be a luxury resort and has been “converted” to a family resort. We were welcomed as soon as we reached the second-floor check-in area, and someone helped us upstairs to check in at the club lounge. Maybe it isn't the Four Seasons, but I've had it all and I'd come back in a heartbeat. I plan to. Thank you, everyone.

It was hard to leave, and I'll be back. This was my first time in Miyazaki, and staying here was a great choice. The staff were excellent, always around to help or answer questions. There are several good restaurants and amenities at the hotel, including an onsen pool. We had an ocean-view room and, as morning people, loved watching the sunrise, though the room heats up quickly. There's also a bar with a live singer for drinks and relaxing. My only complaint was light pollution from the rest estate, which made stargazing from the room less possible. Big thanks to the staff member who helped book my ferry when I was having difficulty.