Diamond Setouchi Marine Hotel

The ONSEN was the standout for us: clean, roomy, and excellent, with indoor and outdoor hot springs, a sauna, massage room, shampoo, hair treatments, and body lotion. We hadn’t planned our weekend trip to Naoshima very well, but the room size and private bath compared favorably with other traditional Japanese hotels. The hotel is a little remote from Naoshima island, though the beach area is beautiful. The rooms and other facilities felt dated and could use a remodel. The food was a bit challenging for us since most of it was Japanese-style. The staff and their service were excellent, and my overall rating doesn’t reflect any problem with them.

This was my second time at the resort. The onsen is the main draw for me, with a medium-sized pool and a small rock pool outdoors. If the onsen experience feels intimidating, this could be a good place to start. Our room was small, as is typical for hotels in Japan, and the amenities were dated. It did have a USB charger, which you don’t usually find. Breakfast and dinner were buffets, mostly Japanese dishes, with plenty of variety. Parking is available and included in the hotel rate.

Two years ago, my mother and I decided to take a little trip. We couldn't get a seaside room, but we still came away with so many memories: "setoohhashi," "solt springs," and "Halugozen."

There’s a free pickup from Kojima Station, and the rooms with ocean views have nice balconies. A bus stops right at the hotel entrance and goes to Uno station for the Naoshima Ferry, as well as to Okayama Station.