Resort Hills Toyohama SORA no KAZE

We spent one night in a traditional Japanese room and had a wonderful stay. The futons surprised me in the best way, they were the most comfortable ones we slept on during our two weeks in Japan. Dinner was one of the best meals of the trip, too. The hotel provides robes that guests can wear anywhere in the building. I wasn't sure if we were meant to wear them, but everyone else did, so we joined in.

I stayed four nights in a spacious traditional tatami room, and the staff made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived until we left. The kaiseki meals were excellent, with a different menu each day for breakfast and lunch. The public onsen had very good water, too. It's a newly renovated Japanese ryokan-style hotel in Osatsucho, home of the Ama divers. The service was impeccable, and I'd definitely come back.

We arrived an hour late because the pickup never came at the agreed time, and the tourist office at Toba Station had to contact the ryokan to arrange other transport. That left us without time to walk around and explore the beach. The room was nice, and although the onsen was small, it wasn't crowded. The water felt smooth and had a pH of 9.22. The food was well prepared and filling, including lobster sashimi, sushi, lobster gratin, beef, and a plate of complimentary oysters to make up for the missed pickup. The driver was very apologetic the next day.

The staff, including the diver, were always smiling, friendly, and ready to help. I don't speak Japanese, so the receptionist called the Ama huts for me to change my booking time. They also replied quickly to my emails, and the shuttle and extra meal I arranged that way were all sorted out properly. The onsen was comfortable and relaxing, and there was lots of tasty food to choose from. Each morning there was free coffee in the lobby, with free sake served every afternoon. The resort is next to the beach. My highlight was the electric scooter, which guests can borrow free of charge by scanning a QR code or asking the staff. It was very considerate of them and a great help for visiting nearby sights without driving. I really enjoyed the stay. Thanks for the good service!