Magachabaru Okinawa

We had a perfect stay. For a private, upscale family vacation somewhere secluded, this is a great choice.

We had plenty of privacy because the location is remote and the buildings are far apart. We could have fun and play music without worrying about bothering anyone. The pool and terrace are spacious, and the building is stylish with Asian-style furniture. The beds, though, were a bit hard and didn’t feel right for a villa. We had a barbecue on the terrace, which cost 14,000 yen per person. That felt expensive, so we expected better ingredients and were disappointed by what we got. Honestly, buying everything ourselves at a supermarket probably wouldn’t have cost 7,000 yen per person. Breakfast was very good, and we were very satisfied with it.

That night swim in our own pool was probably the most memorable part of our family stay. We could dip in whenever we liked, morning or evening, without worrying about other guests. Our villa stood among Okinawan forest, where the kids could run around freely, and even the geckos made the place feel close to nature. It was wonderfully quiet compared with the city. We came to MAGACHABARU OKINAWA for our wedding anniversary and a family trip, and the attentive, thoughtful service made us feel welcome throughout. Dinner was a highlight too: the Agu pork shabu-shabu came with three cuts, and the ingredients really came through. The next day we grilled good meat for a BBQ and relaxed over a chat in the gazebo. A lovely stay, and one I’d like to repeat in another season.

The little things the staff did made this stay special. They even cleaned bird droppings off the rear window of my rental car, something other hotels with valet parking had ignored. They were polite, easy to talk to, and very welcoming. I also spotted a rare mongoose while riding in the cart to my villa. Thank you for all the help. The villa itself was spacious and quiet, with a simple bar, kitchenette, fridge, microwave, and a small cooler with ice. The drinks in the fridge were included, along with snacks and cup ramen since there’s no lounge. The only alcohol supplied was one Orion beer. There’s no alcohol for sale, so bringing your own seems possible. The nearest convenience store is about a 10-minute drive, and my Docomo signal kept dropping calls. Wi-Fi was just about usable. Apart from the pool, there aren’t many facilities, so this is mainly a place to stay. The lobby has a high ceiling and a refined look, and I got a tropical welcome drink when I arrived. It was refreshing and good. The pool was big and deep, and warm in the September weather, almost like it was heated. Shorter women might find the water up to their noses. We swam a lot, and there were swim rings and float beds. The bathroom was huge, almost like another living room, though the tub itself wasn’t very large. The room’s AC worked well. Having a washer and detergent was handy for washing and drying our swimsuits and other laundry. With the pool as the main activity, even putting the laundry out was kind of fun. We chose the chef’s dinner course. There was plenty of food, but the flavors felt a little bland and lacked delicacy. Maybe I’d have liked it more in my twenties, but I’d hesitate to call the meal delicious. The warm bread, which you can get refilled as often as you like, was great. I’m on day four in Okinawa with two days left, and I always hate leaving. It’s rare to find a destination that makes me feel that way. Even with the food, this was a luxurious, enjoyable trip.