熱海温泉 実の別荘 — Hotel in Atami

(also posted to Agoda)

This facility and the (assumed) owner provided the exact hospitality and lodging I dreamed about in a japanese-style lodging!

Firstly, the owner. Although he cannot speak english he is very enthusiastic and welcoming, striking up conversations and proudly showing off the facility. He is OK using google translate and extremely hospitable. Our experience in Atami was defined by this gentleman and he was the subject of many pleasant conversations with friends and family regarding our time in Atami. We would gladly return because of his hospitality alone.

Secondly, the lodging. I think there are 4 rooms in the building that all share a common cooking/eating area containing a kettle, microwave, and fridge along with many tables and chairs. The area is well kept and well equipped, we did not find needing to use it a bother whatsoever. The owner provides trays for eating and drinking in individual rooms.

The rooms themselves are traditional Tatami-floored rooms with all wood furnishing. The space was clean and spacious (albeit a little worn from use), the bedding was exceptionally cozy shikifuton that was soft enough to be comfortable for those used to mattresses yet firm enough to enjoy the feeling of tatami flooring. There were 2 chairs and 4 floor cushions to sit on, a large coffee table, a smaller coffee table, a TV, and adequate plugs for everyone to charge their phones close to their bed. A deck and generous windows allowed lots of fresh air in the facility (do bring an eye mask as the curtains are not blackout). Washroom was older but clean, and rather than a shower the building uses an onsen and time slots for bathing.

The Onsen seemed original to the building, using older style masonry and wood furnishing, however it was comfortable and enjoyable. The 1 hour timeslots were perfectly adequate for my party of 4 to shower and bath without feeling rushed. Be aware that there is a small compulsive fee to use the onsen and towels that is imposed by the town of Atami to fund infrastructure for tourism.

The facility is set on one of the many hills of Atami, which meant the building actually commanded an incredible view of the countryside and ocean. It also provided a gorgeous sunset for any early morning photographers.

I only have one criticism of the place, and that is the location.

Getting to the place is a bit of a chore. There are no convenient bus stops to take up the hill so walking is your best bet. From Kinomiya Station it is a minimum 700m walk full of sharp turns, narrow walkways, steep terrain, and uneven stairs that accumulates to nearly 100m of elevation gain. Large suitcases and bulky bags are not recommended, and even after the initial slog the commute still needs to be repeated every time you want to go out to eat or to take the train. This is not a place for people with cardiovascular or mobility problems unless you want to spend the money on frequent taxi rides.

The chore of a commute is dwarfed by the hospitality of the gentleman who hosted our stay. We thank him for a wonderful experience in Atami and being a landmark of Japanese hospitality during our time in the country.

Gratitude...

We had a nice two nights stay here. The owner is really friendly and caring. Using a translator you can easily communicate with him. The room was small but sufficient. In the morning there are two bathrooms available with showers. At night you book a slot for the bath and can take a private 50 minute bath in the Onsen with a view over town. We had the 500 yen local breakfast one morning which was nice and local. We can highly recommend that...

The view of the ocean and mountains was spectacular. The house has clean rooms and clean rest area not to mention easy access to online entertainment such as Netflix, Hulu & YouTube on TV. The hostess was very welcoming providing us with a ride from the station and was very considerate with our wishes. A very welcoming and homey atmosphere, really...