Vacation Villa Blue Lagoon

The biggest thing I'd change is the lack of privacy. Nearby houses and pensions can see straight in, including toward the sleeping area in the luxury rooms, which has no blinds or curtains. The lounge has no curtains either, and the large public bath has no partition, so it can be fully visible unless there's enough steam. I hope they add some privacy in the rooms. The slope leading up is very steep and may be hard to manage depending on your car. The road splits near the entrance without signs, so it was confusing which way to go. One route leads to a facility under construction, and then you'd have to come back down another difficult road. A 7-Eleven is some distance away, so buying groceries on the way isn't easy. Stock up on essentials before arriving. This place is unusual compared with an ordinary inn. The lounge has room for everyone to gather, the kitchen is large and professional, and there's a reception desk, so it feels more like renting a whole pension than a regular villa. It has one luxury room and six triple bedrooms and seems set up for around 20 people. There are two public baths, one large and one small, plus a barbecue set and a bar counter. The ocean view is panoramic, and on a clear day you can see Mount Fuji from the luxury room. It may feel almost intimidatingly spacious if you're with a small group, but I think a big group or someone looking for a different sort of stay could have a great time. It seems to be closed much of the time, so it can be a little dusty, but it still feels very clean, never dirty.

We'd planned a BBQ with the kids, but there were houses nearby and "Please be quiet!" signs all over the rooms. It was a letdown having to be so careful about disturbing people during our trip. At similar, slightly cheaper places, we hadn't been expected to clean the grills and equipment, but here we had to put everything back as we found it. We separated the trash and washed all the dishes ourselves. Washing dishes is expected, but it felt like everything was left to the guests. We'd told them ahead of time we'd be late for check-in, but that message hadn't been passed along, and another staff member asked when we'd arrive. At checkout, we understood that official-site bookings allowed until 11am instead of 10am. Even though we'd booked on the official site, a staff member came at 10 and entered through another entrance using what I think was a master key, without our knowing. They seemed to notice my family inside and hurried out, then came back through the main entrance to say it was time to check out. I told them checkout was at 11. There was some back and forth, then they checked with the office, apologized, and left. It seemed they waited near the building until the time came, then suddenly appeared from behind it without saying anything. My family was frightened by the unauthorized entry through another door with a master key. The rooms had peeling paint in places and stained carpets. For the price, it was disappointing that we had to watch out for the surroundings, there were no signs to guide us, and the route up was very steep and too narrow for low-clearance cars.

The view is amazing, and the facilities aren't old or unattractive. Still, I wouldn't really pick it for a date. It seems better suited to club activities or a work training camp.

It wasn't clean, and bugs seemed to come out everywhere.