The big resort style hotel, the only real hotel in town I think, is overpriced for the dated feel. Although given the number of guests at breakfast it seems to be very popular with the Japanese. Looks and feels very Asian but more Southeast Asia rather than swanky Japan.
Rooms are a decent size but beds are not very comfortable, a springy mattress that doesn’t feel very solid. The twin room had two oversized twin beds, no king rooms were available. Bathroom is average but adequate. Service was helpful and spoke enough English to get things done.
Dining
Ramen
After getting in so late the first evening we waited around for their Chinese ramen service, available only between 9:30 and 10:30. Served in the Japanese restaurant there isn’t much of a choice other than what size bowl you want. The servings are pretty generous and include sliced pork in a nice broth. Hits the spot when you are not in the mood for a big, multi-course dinner.
Kaiseki Dinner
The second night we went back to the Japanese restaurant and had their traditional Japanese kaiseki dinner, a multi-course affair. No English menu is available nor does the wait staff speak much English. We picked our menu options based on the menu pictures and although we ordered two different menus we were served pretty much the same things.
Don was served a few extra things and in a different order than mine. We both got an assortment of appetizers and sashimi. His sashimi came with the appetizers mine came after.
Then a small whole fish with a crispy salty skin, soup (mine came in a small tea pot that I didn’t know you needed to use the top as a cup to drink the tea), and a gooey but tasty pumpkin dish. Don’s came with tempura vegies and fish.
The main event was an assortment of vegies and beef that you cooked yourself over a small table top burner. Don’s came with more vegies and a few morsels of lobster.
Dessert was ice cream, a gooey fruity gelatinous treat and two plumb grapes.
A fun experience although the service was pretty much all Japanese with just a couple of words of English. The quality of the food was nice, but not exquisite and seemed somewhat overpriced.
Breakfast
Breakfast is large buffet with both western and Asian dishes. On a Sunday morning at 7AM the place was buzzing with Japanese guests. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a buffet that busy that early. We were the only Westerners in the place. The men like to where their yukata (Japanese dressing gown) to breakfast. Actually they wear them just about everywhere in the hotel.
The food is typical buffet fare, not that great but a wide selection of items, even a few bread products and an egg station that serves eggs, sunny side up or omelet.
For a description of the hotel onsen (public bath) and Tea House and Garden see the previous post.
September 23, 2017
For links to all the posts in this series see the Japan page.