Hotel Kaibo

For what you get, this hotel is far too expensive. The sea-view room overlooks a completely ordinary estuary, with no sunrise or sunset view. The Japanese-style room is fine, though the air conditioning is awkwardly placed and uncomfortable. The private dining room is really just part of a big, noisy dining space. Dinner and breakfast were good, nearly very good. Still, it’d probably make more sense to book a superb kaiseki restaurant and stay somewhere with a better view or a lower price.

It was quiet and clean, with a nice view from my room and a good location in Wakura machi. The staff were friendly and the service was great. Dinner and breakfast were nicely presented and delicious. Such a lovely place to stay, and there were fewer foreigners around. I’ll come back with my family. Thanks for the warm welcome.

The balcony and private onsen tub in room #315 looked out over the bay and Noto Island Bridge. We loved the view, and the waitress at dinner kindly showed us how to eat all the local seafood specialties. Dinner was excellent and served in our own little private dining room in the restaurant, which felt very Covid friendly. Breakfast was huge as well. The room with the balcony onsen also had its own sink and toilet. The staff laid out the futons while we were at dinner, and they were comfortable. Both meals were big, so if you don’t eat much breakfast, you might want to skip it and grab something quick at the nearby convenience store. If you can, I’d splurge on the room with the private onsen tub. It felt worth it. Sunday to Thursday stays may cost a bit less than Friday or Saturday nights. Wakura Onsen town was sleepy and seemed past its prime. We visited in early June rather than peak summer, though, so there weren’t many other tourists. The front desk clerk kindly gave us an English map, and we walked around town, followed the Seven Lucky Gods Path, and relaxed in a few of the free foot baths. If you want a busier town and sunset views over the open ocean, Wajima Onsen may suit you better. Or stay a night in Wakura, drive around the tip of the Noto Peninsula the next day, and spend the second night in Wajima Onsen to see both sides of the coast.

The older block has an amazing view, and the staff were friendly and helpful. This is a traditional ryokan with Japanese-style rooms and hot spring baths. The men’s bath is on the first floor, open to the sea and the stars at night. The women’s bath has glass panels, so you can see the sea, but there’s little breeze and no nighttime view. Both also have indoor baths. The onsen is open daily from 3 pm to 10 am. Breakfast and dinner are traditional Japanese meals, with some dishes cooked in front of you with help from the hotel staff.