しまの宿 island country inn — Hotel in Onomichi

Let me preface this review by saying that this is my absolute favorite place I have ever stayed at.

Location: The inn is located on Mukaishima, the first island of the Shimanami Kaido. This makes it a prime location for tourists wanting to cycle the Shimanami Kaido cycling route. The inn is situated a short distance to the ferry (100¥) that travels between Onomichi and Mukaishima. Which is perfect as the ferry arrives right next to Onomichi station where it is also possible to rent bicycles to start your cycling journey. The inn is also located a very short walking distance to a supermarket, konbini and drugstore.

Rooms and amenities: When booking this inn you get the entire 2nd floor of the beautifully renovated Japanese house to yourselves. This includes two bedrooms, one with 2 beds and one with 2 comfortable futons. Aswell as a toilet and bathroom. All amenities you could wish for are present. This includes not only the basics such as towels, shampoo (including body soap and conditioner), airconditioning. But also a mini fridge with water, a microwave, water heater, tea, etc... Everything is also very clean.

Hosts and service: This is where this inn really shines. Yuji and Junko are some of the nicest people I have ever met in my entire life. They make you feel right at home and go above and beyond. Yuji picked us up and drove us to the ferry multiple times. Yuji and Junko also came to pick us up at a busstop in Mukaishima when we took the bus back from Imabari after cycling the Shimanami Kaido. These were all things they absolutely didn't have to do, but still did for no extra charge. Yuji and Junko are very enthousiastic and gladly give you recommendations for food, things to do, etc... You can also see just how much effort both of them put into learning English, as the language barrier isn't a problem. There is also an breakfast option where Junko makes a delicious, more western style breakfast (toasted bread, omellete, fruits, vegetables and yoghurt), which I highly recommend.

Overall, two amazing people that rent out the 2nd floor of their beautiful house. Good location and very clean. I would personally like to thank Junko and Yuji for this perfect place to stay at. I recommend this inn to anybody wanting to stay near Onomichi or wanting to cycle the...

What a wonderful experience we had at the Island Counrty Inn. Yuji picked us up from the ferry and pointed various places out along the way. Our hosts Junko and Yuji were the very gracious and warm, friendly and also a wealth of information. The Bedrooms modest and comfortable and also the use of the upstairs rooms had a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere. Bathroom and toilet were also very clean. Not only were they great hosts, they had extensive knowledge of local eateries and bike shops, where we hired ebikes. They also drove us to these places and picked us up in their own vehicles. Junko cooked us a wholesome breakfast each day and we rejoiced at the cultural exchange every morning. Also it was so nice to experience a calm and quiet stay, away from the daily hustle and bustle of life. We recommend a stay with Junko and Yuji, if you like a quiet neighbourhood, and a calming environment. Also their pet dog Pooh was quite a treat and took a liking to us. Very cute. Highly recommended a stay at the Island Country Inn. I'm sure we'll stay there again in the not to distant...

Best place I have ever stayed! Great rooms, amazing breakfast (optional), superb location, excellent service, and the friendliest hosts (Yuji and Junko) I have ever had the pleasure to meet! I highly recommend this inn if you’d like to cycle the Shimanami Kaido or just enjoy the amazing scenery this part of Japan...