SEN.RETREAT TAKAHARA — Local services in Tanabe

A horrible experience at Sen-Retreat.|We could never recommend Sen-Retreat. It was an uncomfortable,overpriced, badly situated place to stay with the most ridiculous and convoluted check-in process imaginable. Instead of being sent a four digit code to open the front door, despite already completing an online registration form days earlier, we were sent a code to open the telephone booth style check-in box where only one of us fit while the other stood out in the rain,and were expected to work through a series of steps that required us to identify, correctly, various codes from among the total of five four-digit codes that were associated with our booking. Perhaps this was easier for Japanese speaking guests, but we were finally forced to call the help number. |We were tired from hiking all day, wet from the rain and frustrated by a test that we were, despite being lawyers by profession, failing. The rude woman we dealt with tried to force us to jump through the hoops of the check-in booth, as a way to vindicate their system, but in the end, after making sure we felt like idiots, simply told us the door code and the room code.|It begs the question, why wouldn’t she simply tell us the codes to start with and, indeed, why didn’t Sen-retreat just send us the codes in a clear, uncomplicated way, when they received our pre-registration and payment?|After finally getting into our room, we discovered that the futon beds were packed away in the cupboards, with the fresh linen folded in a pile on the floor. Given this place had already made things as difficult as possible for us as guests, we shouldn’t have been surprised that they expected us to construct and make our own beds. |We also discovered on a table in the warm room our dinners, which included meat and seafood that clearly should have been refrigerated. Our breakfast consisted of eight small bread rolls, with butter sufficient for only two of them, some drinks, that didn’t include a teabag of any kind. Coffee drinkers were well catered for. In our extensive travels, we have never been promised breakfast and been given only bread. Considering the price of this accommodation, even something simple like a boiled egg and a piece of fruit might have been expected.|There was a private toilet attached to the room, but the shower, with its wet floor mat from a previous guest’s use, required an excursion outside in the weather to another building and, you guessed it, a door code. It was the room code, but we incorrectly guessed the front door code first. |The blinds in our room didn’t close completely until we spent time and effort adjusting the mechanism to give ourselves privacy. Anyway, the blinds were paper thin and we were disturbed by the light from the shower block all night. |The bedding was the most uncomfortable we’ve slept on, even compared to the traditional bedding in much less expensive accommodation. |We wouldn’t recommend Sen-Retreat to anyone who wants convenience, polite service, decent food or comfort...

My friends and I stayed here last month on the first of four nights along the Kumano Kodo, and my only real regret is not also booking the sauna to use while we were there.

We only reserved a single room to share, but ended up having the entire property to ourselves. The house is beautifully designed, well appointed, and nicely maintained, and by the end of our short stay I was basically ready to move in. The bedroom and living room were both very comfortable, and the kitchen and bathrooms were exceptionally clean. The stairs to the upper bedroom are a bit steep and may be a challenge for small children or older adults, but I suppose if you can handle the trail to get there they won't be a problem.

The only point of frustration was the remote check in process, as it required first unlocking the tiny booth outside the main house, and then using the tablet inside to connect to a call center for reservation and passport verification. My friend had some trouble getting connected initially, leading to a bit of momentary dread that we might be stuck locked out of the house – not the most relaxing way to end the day, especially when everyone is sweaty and tired from hiking all day. From a logistical (and business) standpoint I guess it makes sense, but getting checked in to unlock the house initially was the low point of an otherwise great experience. It was fun hearing the Skype ringtone again, though.

A delicious bento-style dinner was waiting for us on arrival, and must've been dropped off just before we arrived as it was still warm (even after struggling through the check in process for some time). We were also pleasantly surprised to discover complimentary drinks in the mini fridge (a beer, bottle of water, and pocari sweat for each of us), which really hit the spot.

Besides being a nice place to stay while hiking the Kumano Kodo, I could imagine this being a great spot for a relaxing weekend getaway for a group of multiple couples/families, with time to enjoy the sauna, bbq, fire/stove,...

I have mixed feelings about this property. It has so much potential but lacks in many aspects.

First, let's talk about the good. The house very well designed and has a very quiet and quaint surrounding, the aesthetics reminds me of some of the minimalist houses you see in magazines. Kitchen is well equipped and there're many additional amenities (more on that later). Each room has a mini fridge that's well stocked with various beverages with no additional cost.

Now, the things that need improvement: First of all, there's zero personal interaction. You check in at a hut, which requires a code to get in. Once you figure out how to get inside, you follow the instructions to check in. Not exactly welcoming and user friendly if you arrive after dark in the rain. And if you have any follow up questions, you have to run back out, get back in the hut, and talk to someone thru Skype if they're in the mood of picking up. And then there's the sauna. It's listed as a standard amenity on the listing with no mention of any reservation requirements. It wasn't until I arrived and talked to their representative on Skype in the hut when I was told you need to reserve a week in advance. There were 2 other parties staying at the house that night and nobody knew anything about it. It's almost like they don't want you to use it unless you're a repeat customer and know your way around the house. Now, the food. I'm sure others had better experience. But after a day of hiking in the rain, we were greeted with 2 cold bento boxes that's been sitting in room temperature for who knows how long. Would've been nice if they at least give you some instant soup packets if they're unable to serve warm food.

Overall I understand this is a relatively remote location and I'm not expecting the Ritz, but there are some minor adjustments they can make to provide a much better...