熱海TENSUI — Hotel in Atami

Nothing warns the visitor approaching this "hotel"...it is unmarked, and could be a factory or warehouse. Grey steel doors open automatically, but there are no staff to greet the arriving guest. I wandered aimlessly, searching for a check-in counter...there is none!

Finally, a restaurant staff-person directed me to a desk in the corner; I rang the bell. Presently a check-in manager arrived. He spent nearly 30 minutes showing me through a long list of hotel rules and regulations...but I was so tired and just wanted to get to my room. At last I was given a key and allowed to proceed; imagine my surprise when I found there was already another guest in my room!

I returned to the desk and was nonchalantly given another key -- this time no-one was in my room. The room decor was very ugly: 2 walls were red and one wall was green (the fourth wall was glass). Was it Stop and Go? And if this were not enough, the wallpaper was textured like tree bark.

The room was very warm and so I opened the window...very soon, stinking cigarette smoke slithered in. The neighbour next door was smoking on the balcony! (Entire hotel is posted as non-smoking...) Quality of sleep was very poor; assaulted by red and green walls and unable to open the window for any fresh air.

Early next morning, I went to the bath, hoping to refresh myself. Unfortunately, the highly-touted bath is nothing more than an afterthought, an add-on with space for not more than 2 bathers; 3 if they are friends.

At check-out the next morning, the same middle-aged male manager whom 12 hours before had given me the key to another guest's room stood behind the 'Check-out Desk.' He demanded that I pay an additional 150 Yen in taxes, even though my employer had pre-paid for the room reservation. There was not a word of explanation nor apology for yesterday's room mix-up; he stood in front of me impassively, staring while I searched my bag for my coin purse.

Why would any guest repeat-stay at this hotel? It offers impersonal and unfriendly service; an ugly room with a smoker on the balcony immediately upwind; impersonal and uncommunicative...

The place at the entrance is small but once you enter, you will be surprised by the place. One word for it is SLEEK. The staff is accomodating, can communicate with english and welcoming. They have a tiny but cozy reception area. The highlight for this place is the room and the onsen. The room we got has a outdoor bath so its extra enjoyable. It is spacious, clean and complete with ammenities. Food is beautiful and filling. We also requested to have food substituted (as one of my friends do not eat pork) and they happily complied. (I informed them 2 days in advance)

We rode a cab to go here, you can opt to walk but I would not suggest it as road is pretty steep.

Thank you for...

悪い対応だった。 前日から翌日22時の岩盤浴を予約していたのだが、フロントのミスで予約が取れず、私ともう1人を同じ22時に予約してしまいました。 翌日、予定より早くフロントに行って待っていました、やはり予約が別人になっていることに気づき、スタッフが部屋に入って相談しているうちに出てきた,するともう一人もきて、いつ岩盤浴に行けるかと尋ねました。スタッフは新人なのでまったく対処の仕方が分からず、私もホテルでアルバイトをしたことがあるので、彼女に迷惑をかけたくない、黙って待っていました。だけどもう1人の女性が怒った様子で、「自分が先に予約したから私が先に行く」と言ったので、フロントのスタッフが岩盤浴に連れて行ってくれました。そしてスタッフが間違った時間帯に2人の予約を入れてしまった、それとも23時半にまた来てくれないかと言いました。エレベーターを待っているとき、男性スタッフが新人にこの時間は都合がつかないからどうしようと言っているのが聞こえたので、部屋に戻ってみると、岩盤浴は一時間に一組、一回四十五分、遅くとも23時45分まで、どうしても23時30いけないと思うので、下に行って、フロントでこの状況を言いました。そこで男性スタッフが女性スタッフを呼び出して「ほら、どうする?...