Hotels With Pools in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

Staying alone on a weekday during the off-season, I was given a room on the lowest floor, the 3rd floor (later found out this entire floor was occupied by Chinese guests). There's a platform outside the window that people can walk onto once the window is opened, essentially making it a public balcony, which is a huge safety concern. The overhanging eaves outside the window also felt quite oppressive. However, considering the price of over 700 including two meals, I decided to put up with it. Other aspects, though, were quite good. The dining was excellent; the dinner kaiseki and breakfast buffet were among the best I've had at any onsen hotel. The lobby bar also offered complimentary drinks at night. The staff's attitude was superb.

A clean and relatively modern hotel sitting on top of a hill with a spectacular view of the harbour. There is an indoor/outdoor onsen on the ground floor and free alcohol and snacks from 3 to 5 pm every afternoon! Great value for money, and a great place to relax and ease back into civilisation if you’ve just come out of the mountains after doing the Kumano Kodo.

A very good experience. The house is very clean and can accommodate 6 people. But the house agent can explain clearly where to get the house key, but the email instructions are unclear. Otherwise very good.

The location is far from the city, but the hot spring swimming facilities are very good, and there are free snacks at the water bar, which is suitable for a relaxing trip for the whole family.

It was a great experience. The hotel has a shuttle bus to and from the JR station. The buffet dinner was very rich, just like a luxurious buffet. There were also many entertainment activities, such as table tennis and KTV. The room was also quite large. There was also free-flowing drinks, beer, and ice cream.

I was in Osaka for the weekend and decided to take a spontaneous trip to Wakayama and Shirahama. To my surprise, hotel prices in Shirahama had significantly increased, and some were even fully booked. I figured it might be due to Halloween. The Shirahama Marriott is one of the few international chain hotels in Wakayama, located right next to the famous Shirarahama Beach. The price wasn't too outrageous, so I quickly booked a package that included dinner and breakfast (one night, two meals). Overall, it offered decent value for money. We arrived in Shirahama quite late. It was less than a 10-minute taxi ride from the JR station. Check-in was quick, and they acknowledged my Marriott membership, but unfortunately, there were no benefits offered, which felt a bit stingy 😅. I booked a basic city view room. It was indeed a rare spacious room for Japan and quite clean. However, we were given the lowest floor with no view to speak of, and there was a slight, odd smell in the room. While it wasn't a major issue, it did detract a bit from the experience. The dinner included in the package was a Japanese Kaiseki meal, which was excellent. Each dish was served with a strong sense of ceremony, and although the portions were small, the presentation, plating, and taste were all superb. There weren't many guests in the evening; only 2-3 tables were occupied in the large restaurant, making for a quiet and enjoyable meal. But I wondered, if the hotel was full, where did all the other guests eat? 😂 Breakfast was a Western-style buffet with a good selection, including some Japanese dishes. The taste was average, but it was perfectly fine for a filling meal. The hotel's top floor features a public onsen bathhouse and private onsen rooms. I visited both in the morning and evening. There weren't many guests. The onsen had both indoor and outdoor pools, which were very pleasant for soaking in the early autumn weather, as it wasn't too cold outside. From both the onsen and the adjacent relaxation area, you could see the beautiful Shirarahama Beach in the distance. I went up early the next morning to watch the sunrise. The sunrise itself was good, but the morning glow was absolutely stunning. Under the dazzling fiery clouds, the sea was tinged red, gently lapping against the pure white sand. It's only a 3-4 minute walk from the Marriott to the beach. The beach is beautiful, not very long, with a perfect bay shape, and the sand is incredibly white and fine. It's so clean that it almost feels unreal. A stroll along the beach is nice; Engetsu Island isn't far and is worth seeing. Along the coast, there are several free public foot onsen, and the historic Sakinoyu Outdoor Onsen is just a short walk further.

I had a wonderful stay here and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Shirahama for a relaxing getaway. First off, the location is fantastic. The bus stop is right in front of the hotel, and after taking bus #12 from Shirahama JR Station, you get off directly at the hotel. The hotel staff are very welcoming and were at the entrance to help with luggage – super friendly! Across the street from the hotel is Shirarahama Beach, which is stunning whether it's cloudy or sunny. The white sand paired with the blue ocean is a real treat for the eyes. Shirahama is very quiet at night, and shops close early, but within a five-minute walk, there's a FamilyMart, Lawson, and a 24-hour supermarket. So, if you need snacks or drinks, these are great options. The hotel also has a microwave on the first floor for heating food. You can even buy fireworks at the supermarket to enjoy on the beach. Room: The room was very spacious with plenty of space and directly faced the beach. During my two-day stay, I spent time just relaxing in the room, watching the sunset, observing people on the beach, or heading downstairs to cross the road and lie on the beach or play in the water. It was incredibly relaxing for both my mind and body. The room had both a bathtub and a shower. The bathtub was right next to the balcony, so you could soak while enjoying the view. The hotel also has indoor hot springs, but unfortunately, I couldn't use them. Service: Most of the staff were middle-aged men and women, very kind and gentle. There was also a Chinese-speaking girl with a particularly soft voice who always greeted me with a smile. The service was excellent. Although breakfast was the same every day, it tasted quite good. Overall, I was very satisfied with my stay and would definitely choose Sanrakuso again if I come back to Shirahama.

The view is stunning, but taking the bus to Oura Station means you have to drag your suitcases up a bit, or catch the 6:00 PM shuttle bus from Shirahama Station. It's worth checking the shuttle bus schedule beforehand; the last one seems to be around 5:00 PM. The bathroom facilities are a bit dated, but the other services are good. With fewer Chinese tourists, it's mostly Japanese families with children. The indoor pool is a bit small, mostly occupied by the children. The breakfast was okay and filling, a typical hotel buffet, but they do offer mentaiko and tuna. On the way back, the hotel booked a taxi to the airport, which took 10 minutes. It's a bit far from Shirarahama, Senjojiki, and Sandanbeki, so it's best to get a timetable and have change ready if you're taking the bus.

Fabulous seaside view and nice Japanese traditional style onsen with Seaview. They also switch male and female side every day so you can enjoy both onsen in one trip. Their check out time is 10am and check in around 15:00 so the time you can enjoy is a little limited. But I would recommend you take the breakfast and dinner inclusive to have the whole experience and it is quite far away from any food and no convenient transport except transfer to city center every morning.

Summary: 1. Airport transfer to Shirahama needs to be booked in advance via email. 2. The hotel is excellent and newly renovated. The hot springs are fantastic. 3. Transportation is inconvenient, but there's a shuttle service to Shirarahama Beach. 4. It's about a 15-20 minute walk downhill to a convenience store. The distance isn't actually that far.