Shou Sugi Ban House — Hotel in Town of Southampton

Luxury prices without the luxury experience. If anything, this resort was on lists last year due to aesthetics alone. My spouse and I have had the fortune to travel to some of the best resorts in the world and this sadly was not amongst them.||||We were excited to see an onsen-style wellness retreat pop-up only a few hours from the city. Having a high-risk pregnancy, there were few options for a babymoon that seemed COVID-safe and this looked like the perfect fit and we were willing to splurge given we weren't traveling far.||||We booked several months prior to our visit and were asked to fill out an extensive registration survey where we were asked a lot of details about allergies, restrictions, and our goals for the time that we were there. None of this information was followed up on. A few things that we would have expected for ~1500/night:||||+ Tell us that the spa was going to be closed BEFORE we arrive: The Spa, and about 90% of the treatments, was closed for two of the three days of our stay. Given that this is a significant portion of the experience, I would have expected that we have either a reduced rate or prior notice, especially given how far in advance we booked.||||+ Attention to allergies: My spouse has two small but severe food allergies and was actively served dishes he is allergic to by staff. Luckily these were easily separated, but it makes it easy to question cross-contamination.||||+ Attention to restrictions: We picked Sugi Ban House because of its COVID cautions and, as I said in the survey, I have a high risk pregnancy. Their indoor mask policy changed since booking for guests and staff and I had to continually ask staff if certain things were pregnancy safe (i.e Herbal Teas served with meals, Herbal Bath soaks, mushroom blends)||||+ Outreach prior to check-in beyond the survey: For a place that is offering personalized, holistic retreats no one reached out with dining options, agenda options, etc. After this survey. We had to initiate all of this and spent multiple days playing phone-tag with the front desk to answer basic questions.||||+ Check-in Process: There was no one to greet us when we checked in or to guide us through the process. Someone took our bags but didn't direct us to our rooms. The property is a bit confusing so it is hard to understand where to go and it was alarming to have our bags taken immediately.||||+ Ambient Noise: What is not pictured is that the property is fronted by a busy highway and backed by a rail line. Expect pre-dawn and late night rumblings. This is a beautiful property that gives the illusion of seclusion without the realities of it.||||+ Extremely inconsistent communication: While I love that they offer to text you to manage your stay while you are there, we just saw very inconsistent behaviors versus follow through. Small details like being asked to leave trays of food outside but then not having them picked up for a full day.||||Overall - an incredibly disorganized, disappointing, and underwhelming experience.||I will caveat I do not like to typically write reviews like this but here was the final straw: my spouse also wrote a review last week where the owner of this page said they would follow up. They did not. The only communication we received was a follow up of the final bill with the additional charges. ||||We had multiple couples reach out expressing interest in our stay and stating they'd want to go (who wouldn't? the photos are beautiful) but we have actively advised them...

Luxury prices without the luxury experience. If anything, this resort was on lists last year due to aesthetics alone. My spouse and I have had the fortune to travel to some of the best resorts in the world and this sadly was not amongst them.

We were excited to see an onsen-style wellness retreat pop-up only a few hours from the city. Having a high-risk pregnancy, there were few options for a babymoon that seemed COVID-safe and this looked like the perfect fit and we were willing to splurge given we weren't traveling far.

We booked several months prior to our visit and were asked to fill out an extensive registration survey where we were asked a lot of details about allergies, restrictions, and our goals for the time that we were there. None of this information was followed up on. A few things that we would have expected for ~1500/night:

Tell us that the spa was going to be closed BEFORE we arrive: The Spa, and about 90% of the treatments, was closed for two of the three days of our stay. Given that this is a significant portion of the experience, I would have expected that we have either a reduced rate or prior notice, especially given how far in advance we booked.

Attention to allergies: My spouse has two small but severe food allergies and was actively served dishes he is allergic to by staff. Luckily these were easily separated, but it makes it easy to question cross-contamination.

Attention to restrictions: We picked Sugi Ban House because of its COVID cautions and, as I said in the survey, I have a high risk pregnancy. Their indoor mask policy changed since booking for guests and staff and I had to continually ask staff if certain things were pregnancy safe (i.e Herbal Teas served with meals, Herbal Bath soaks, mushroom blends)

Outreach prior to check-in beyond the survey: For a place that is offering personalized, holistic retreats no one reached out with dining options, agenda options, etc. After this survey. We had to initiate all of this and spent multiple days playing phone-tag with the front desk to answer basic questions.

Check-in Process: There was no one to greet us when we checked in or to guide us through the process. Someone took our bags but didn't direct us to our rooms. The property is a bit confusing so it is hard to understand where to go and it was alarming to have our bags taken immediately.

Ambient Noise: What is not pictured is that the property is fronted by a busy highway and backed by a rail line. Expect pre-dawn and late night rumblings. This is a beautiful property that gives the illusion of seclusion without the realities of it.

Extremely inconsistent communication: While I love that they offer to text you to manage your stay while you are there, we just saw very inconsistent behaviors versus follow through. Small details like being asked to leave trays of food outside but then not having them picked up for a full day.

Overall - an incredibly disorganized, disappointing, and underwhelming experience.

I will caveat I do not like to typically write reviews like this but here was the final straw: my spouse also wrote a review last week where the owner of this page said they would follow up. They did not. The only communication we received was a follow up of the final bill with the additional charges. We had multiple couples reach out expressing interest in our stay and stating they'd want to go (who wouldn't? the photos are beautiful) but we have actively advised them...

We decided to visit for a 24 hour staycation, signing up for 2 hydrotherapy sessions (this is just access to a room with steams, sauna, hot/cold dips for $100/pp), a facial, a soundbath, and a private session with the practitioner of the moment. We also reserved for the 6:30 seating of dinner (one seating). Prices are at the level where one expects great service and to feel respected, yet we were treated with a great lack.

After our hydrotherapy finished, we headed to our room with a half hour to get dinner ready. The shower was only providing cold water. Three calls and one email later and 15 minutes of hoping later, we quick rinsed in cold water to make dinner. We found we were one of two tables (the other allegedly the owner who was also our breakfast neighbor and never said hello while we actually did make friends and exchange info with other guests) I was freezing (chilled to the bone as they say) after the hot/cold experience followed by a cold shower. I was told they couldn’t turn the AC to a warmer temp or it would be stuffy. I used a thick blanket and cup of hot water to take the deep chill off but sat through two and a half hours of dinner with goosebumps. The boiler was fixed, and I was told “thanks for being so cool about this.” The next morning when checking the bill I asked if anything was being done, and the response was, “Didn’t they fix it?”

The fix didn’t change the disturbance it had created and my serious discomfort for over three hours until I could take a hot bath. I was told they would look into it but nothing changed. I called to follow up, great apologies, we’ll look into it, nothing changed. After spending money on food (lovely dinner, the $50 dollar rice bowl for lunch was great, but really?), 4 services, and a high priced room one would expect perhaps a small gesture to ensure satisfaction. (Perhaps a small room discount, or waive the hydrotherapy service that was not using staff resources). As a business owner, I am shocked, as a customer, appalled, and as someone who has been trained in many and taught a few types of yoga, baffled at the lack of actual spiritual respect, kindness and appreciation that should be a the foundation of a place like this. I will spare details on the other services, and say the facial was very good. The sound bath, who knows, my husband snored and the practitioner didn’t think to turn or adjust him so it was a struggle for me. She mentioned in groups they have ways of dealing with it, guess i would have been better off not having the private experience. I would have maybe gone back, but prefer to take business someplace that actually appreciates their customers. This left us with the opposite feeling. It’s unfortunate that a small gesture that had to be asked for (yes that feels gross but we felt our stay was greatly disturbed) is ignored leading to feeling like a google review is necessary. I would look elsewhere for a spiritual spa experience. Oh, and to avoid yoga in a room that is wall to wall rubber, and smells like...