Tentoumi Shibukawa Beach Glamping

The meal service was really convenient and easy to set up, and this place was miles better than many hotels I’ve stayed at. The views are gorgeous during the day, and lying in the hammock to watch the stars at night is incredible. Hearing the ocean from inside and outside the tent was honestly the best part. Please go!

We booked one night through Trip.com with dinner and breakfast included. The day before, we reached the hotel and were told dinner was served from 5-9pm. We mentioned we expected to arrive after 7pm. The car park and campsite were very hard to find, though, and by the time we got settled it was nearly 8pm. My family member, who speaks a little Japanese, went back to the car to get her phone. The walk to the car park is about 8-10 minutes and has no lighting. I was expecting a BBQ meal, but staff then told me our plan didn't include dinner. I showed the booking and they agreed, but kept using a translator to say they needed extra time to prepare the ingredients and that I would have to pay. I asked if they could give us something simple, but he couldn't understand. We didn't want to walk back to the car again, and nothing nearby was open, so we skipped dinner. I complained to the booking agent online later that night. It took Trip.com 6 days to negotiate a refund of less than US$20. Such a waste of time. We were also told the tent lamp would switch off at 10pm, but it stayed on. My family member couldn't sleep in the lit tent, even with an eye mask. I guess I'm done with glamping.

We spent two nights here for our honeymoon and I’m so glad we chose it. It’s easy to reach by direct bus, yet feels secluded, with amazing ocean views. All the food was included, and we loved the unusual breakfast picnics and evening BBQs. Service and facilities were excellent. We used the sauna, which they booked for us on arrival at no extra cost.

The location and views are exceptional, but there are several things that need attention. The tents were humid and smelled, perhaps because of the air conditioners or lack of maintenance. Either way, there’s room to improve. The nicest tents are right at the top. If you plan to swim, painful jellyfish stings can happen. I got stung myself. They know jellyfish are around, but there’s no information about them at the beach or reception, and they aren’t prepared for stings, so you have to find a pharmacy or doctor yourself. That feels negligent, especially since habu jellyfish are found in these waters.