Yumotokan New Hamajima

After visiting Ise Shrine and Yokoyama Observatory on the coldest day of the season, I was glad the air conditioning was working so well inside. The view of the ocean from our room was lovely in the clear weather, and there were two large, convenient bathrooms. The route from the front desk past the bathing area to the dining room felt a little maze-like. After checking in, Nakai and I went to our room, relaxed for a while, then headed to the baths. Towels and bath towels were waiting there, so I only needed a change of clothes. There was a shampoo bar, and the hot spring water was just right, with a pleasant ocean view. We ate around 6 pm in a room that felt private, though we could hear other diners talking. The dishes and chopsticks were lovely, and the steamed spiny lobster, lobster sashimi, and abalone teppanyaki were all excellent. Breakfast was tasty too, especially the rice cooked fresh in a clay pot. We went to the drink bar afterward.

The meals were overshadowed by the room attendant's treatment and the way dinner was scheduled. Dinner began at 7 pm, but partway through Nakai, the young woman assigned to our room, told us bluntly that they closed at 9 pm and we should leave by then. With only two hours for dinner, we felt rushed from the start. Plates kept being moved around, and the mood seemed to say, "eat quickly." I don't think we behaved rudely, so I couldn't understand why we were treated that way. If the schedule meant guests had to hurry, they shouldn't have accepted a 7 pm start. The photo opportunity was handled strangely, too. We were told to come take pictures if we wanted, then the grilled abalone was lit at the edge of the table where nobody could see and quickly covered. It's usually the kind of presentation people photograph and share, so it was a shame to see that moment wasted. A dish described as a complimentary service came out midway through the meal, but its presentation and explanation made it feel like an afterthought that had been planned all along. That left me distrustful. There was almost nothing nearby, so this is an inn where you're expected to stay in. The room, bath, and food themselves were fine, and I was satisfied with those. Still, one room attendant and a poorly planned meal schedule spoiled them. I've seen inns get low ratings and eventually decline over problems like this. There are also staff who give excellent service, which makes this all the more disappointing. People and sound operations matter in an inn, and I sincerely hope they improve.

We had a lovely stay, and I'd come back if I get the chance. The room was great, with a lovely entrance, a spacious bathroom, and two sinks. The sea was right in front of us. The staff were kind to our elementary school-aged child, and we appreciated the summer yo-yo and candy fishing games. The selection of games to borrow was much bigger than at other inns we've visited. It would be nice if they offered games and stamp rallies throughout the year, as that would give us a reason to return in any season. The grand piano in the after-bath lounge made for a pleasant place to spend time, though it was disappointing that it wasn't tuned. It would've been lovely to hear amateur musicians play it. Bottled juice was left for the children there in the evening, but adults wanted some too. There was no juice in the morning, which disappointed the kids. Dinner's melt-in-your-mouth roast beef was delicious, but the main course we'd requested when booking was wrong. I pointed it out, and they showed me a piece of paper saying it was correct, so nothing changed. The inn's letter listed the right dish, but it hadn't been brought to the dining room. I gave up trying to explain. Breakfast was the same for adults and children, and our child could find nothing they wanted, so they only ate rice and miso soup. Scrambled eggs or sausages would've helped. Even for us adults, breakfast felt a bit skimpy. I wished they'd saved some of the generous dinner portion for the morning. The panoramic bath was great, and I enjoyed the shampoo bar, but the floor felt slimy and slippery, perhaps because people carried shampoo around. The new changing room was small but lovely. The open-air bath felt more like a pond than an open space, and didn't seem to have circulating or flowing water. There were things floating in it, so I used it only as a footbath and got out quickly.

The annex room was very clean, and the sea-facing inn has a spectacular view. Our Japanese-Western-style room seemed to have been a 15-tatami Japanese room originally, though, so the TV and other amenities felt a bit far away.