HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island

I used this place for my honeymoon. The standout feature was undoubtedly the fantastic customer service. If you're planning to visit Taketomi Island, spending a leisurely day here would be perfect. For those seeking a luxurious and indulgent experience, this is the place to be!

I don’t know where to begin with this. We’d been to Ishigaki Island before but wanted to try somewhere more isolated this trip so booked in a few days at Hoshinoya Taketomi. It was incredible. The pick up at the port is efficient and fast. The arrival and welcome is like a warm tropical hug. Aya who greeted us and checked us in was so delightful and explained absolutely everything we needed to know. She was a real star throughout our trip and a testament to Hoshinoya’s impeccable levels of service. You get driven around the site on golf buggies which I always enjoy - although I felt guilty making the team carry my heavy suitcases around (I stopped them when I could!) The rooms are individual Okinawa-style houses and they are what really makes Hoshinoya special. You get a home away from home that is exquisitely designed, modern yet traditional, private, and well-equipped. The bedroom has an incredibly large bed that makes it easy to sleep. The bathroom is huge and really makes you want to spend time in it. We did in-room dining a couple of times and it is definitely not room service. It is next level. As guests stay in proper homes it really feels special. The menu features mainly Okinawa Japanese favourites and they’re all great. We had the beef sukiyaki on the last night which was one of the best meals of my life. The pool is a really unique feature of the property. It’s huge! The photos we saw online don’t do it justice - it is so welcoming and fun to spend time in. The only thing I wish they has was a way to have drinks outside by the pool - which is currently difficult given the issue the island has with overly friendly crows (Hoshinoya is apparently getting a hawk to deter them though). The lobby where guests congregate is a real centre of the hotel. They run lots of guest activities here such as daily Okinawan music shows, awamori tastings, and more. You can also get complimentary coffee, juices etc here. It’s great. The gift shop in it is awesome, too. The property is located within walking distance of everything on the island - although they run all sorts of convenient shuttle services to and from the beaches and central village. I really didn’t want to check out of this place that really felt like heaven on earth. I’d love to get back there someday. Thank you to the whole team - especially Aya and Yuki!

We stayed for 3 nights, and had such an excellent and relaxing stay. The island itself is beautiful, with a very laid back atmosphere. The hotel is spacious, and you feel like you have the place pretty much to yourself. The staff were gracious and kind, and really go out of their way to make you feel special. There were a few things I’d change, which could make the resort even better than it already is: - it seems odd to have the pool area with sun loungers but not be able to order drinks to enjoy in this space. It’s pretty standard to have a cocktail by a swimming pool in a tropical resort. - the public lounge area feels a little soulless, kind of like a gift shop in an airport business class lounge. I’d definitely recommend staying here if you’re in Ishigaki/Taketomi, and would love to return one day.

For now, I have been visiting Japan from London to see my family (Tokyo) and I wanted to visit Taketomi Island which I never did before. I am still in the hotel (staying for three nights) and I already have two big complaints. First, when I talk (sitting down on a chair) to the staff member either at the reception or at a villa where I stay at, they kneel down to talk to me. I immediately said to them, "please don't do so, you are not my servant, have a seat, then please tell me about the hotel". They were immediately embarrassed and told me, "no, I must not do it. This is how we should communicate with our guests". Being served at the hotel should not bring 'hierarchy" between the guests and the staff member. I do not need a servant and I would like to talk to them in productive ways. Then, I could enjoy my stay with them better than being served by the servant who would not be allowed to show their personality. From my point of view, forcing their staff member to kneel down to the guest is to send the wrong message to wrong guests. I am convinced that the management of Hoshinoya company believes, "This is the Japanese OMOTENASHI and we should show it to the world". It is wrong. Taketomi Island is a tiny one. Before I arrived there, there were already two big typhoons passing over the island. There are some disadvantages to operate hotels, such as how to appropriately organise the amount of the food and how to avoid the food waste. Maybe, this could be a reason why Hoshinoya Taketomi has only one dining area for all the guests. If you want to eat your dinner at the only dining area, you are forced to book "Ryukyuu French", which is not cheap. Do I want to eat French food in Taketomi? No way! Because the hotel is located away from the main street of the island, I wanted to have my first supper in the hotel. I ordered a simple one (which is not cheap either) and expected to be offered a table in the dining room. Then, I was told that I should eat it at the villa where I stay. Really?, although I spent a really good amount of money, I am not allowed to eat my supper in the dining room? Do they inform you of this situation on the website? No. This is NOT the quality of the hospitality when the cost is at such a high level. The young staff members seem to deliver the hospitality for the guests as much as they want. I enjoy talking to them. However, because they are FORCED to follow the manuals, they were panicking when I asked them about something which they are not taught. Sad. Just in case, the villa that I stay in is wonderful, worth paying the cost. However, that's it. I immediately fell in love with Taketomi Island. In a way, it does not show you jaw-dropping nature. However, when I was taking a walk, there were endless singings from birds and insects, with many many flowers and trees. Although it is good to talk to the islanders, I know that they do not do so. It does not mean that they ignore you. They have their own life and I thi