Hotel Urashima

The 2 Cave onsens were out of this world. We could stay in the onsen forever watching the waves. The caves were also well ventilated and not hot like other indoor onsens. Ample soap, shampoo, conditioner like the rest of Japan. This hotel also generously supplied facial wash and all sorts of face, hair and body lotions at the onsen area. Very thoughtful to provide a basket for every guest to visit the onsen. We booked the Jap room at Nissho Kan building. It was spacious & has a small dressing area with sliding doors for privacy. Separate WC & bath & basin areas Room had an amazing ocean view, with waves splashing right at us. Saw the sun rise over the sea right from our room one morning. Enormous hotel complex with 4 separate buildings. It will take you at least 5 mins to walk between the onsens (2 cave onsens & 2-3 indoor onsens). 2 restaurants, a Lawsons & other souvenir shops inside the hotel complex. Superb breakfast buffet with plenty to choose from. We loved the Japanese egg rolls (freshly made by a chef there), potato salad, cream pasta, butter croissants, mirin mackerels. There is even soft serve ice cream & beer. Enjoy your breakfast as you watch the waves splash up meters from you. More than enough coin-operated washing machines cum dryers. Machines will automatically dry the clothes at the end of the wash. (You can change for coins at the reception.) Excellent staff. One morning, the sun shone very brightly onto us during breakfast. One second later, a staff magically appeared and lowered the blinds for us. Our mattresses were folded in the mornings and laid out in the evenings.

Love the old 50's/60's style decor, and the absolutely outrageous design concept. 4 separate buildings on a small peninsula with tunnels cut through the rock connecting the 4 buildings. We stayed in a building with a view of the harbour. Very spacious room (10 mats to my recollection, with an annex of 4 mats), with ensuite and toilet. The views were good and the sea cave onsens were amazing. The buffet dinner and breakfast was extensive and really not too bad considering the scale of it all. The vibe was cruise ship on land. Other great things - the indoor amusement arcade, indoor shopping arcade in one of the tunnels, onsite combini, and of course the onsens. There is also the outrageous escalator which ascends some 80 metres through the rock. Absolutely worth visiting for the vibe, the decor, the architectural concept and the cruise ship on land feel. The description of "Bond Villain lair" which has been used definitely fits.

The resort nature of this place was fun and unusual--I didn't expect the massive arcade and shopping lane! My Japanese-style room which overlooked the ocean was spectacular, and the cave onsens were remarkable and a really special experience. Staff were very helpful and both parking and train station access were easy. I was here to walk the Kumano pilgrimage trail and it was convenient for a visit to Nachi Falls. Overall I do recommend this place if you're a bit of an adventurous traveler and want a unique experience.

You get to the hotel via a ferry boat shaped like a turtle! It runs often so you are always connected to the main pier next to the train station. The location is one of the highlights of the hotel. In the middle of the sea, you can go to the top and be amazed by the views (ocean, forest, mountain....). The best part of course is the onsens. The hotel has been built on top of the natural hot springs that created the famous onsen of which the hotel is proud of. The best ones are the two overlooking the ocean (part indoor part outdoor). They are clean and full of amenities (creams, shower caps etc). The size of the room is generous and they provide bottles of water and snacks. They also give you yukatas and slippers to go around the hotel and trust me when I say that it is super huge!! You may get lost but it's fun to go and explore the areas. The buffet breakfast and dinner is full of choices. If you are vegan or vegetarian you will find many options and the food is tasty and fresh.