Shiraraso Grand Hotel

The location is a bit remote, so driving yourself might be more convenient. When we arrived at Shirahama Station, there were no taxis left, so we called the hotel for help. They said they would help book a taxi, but we waited for almost an hour. We're not sure if it was the taxi we waited for or one booked by the hotel, but we made it safely in the end. The hotel is fantastic. Compared to the Yunohana Onsen we stayed at later, I think this place is much better in every aspect—from the service and facilities to the amenities provided. The beach is also wonderful.

Convenient transportation with easy access. Right out the back door of the hotel is Shirarahama Beach. However, the hotel's buffet breakfast ends at 9:00 AM, which feels a bit too early, and the food quality was just average.

We didn’t book the hotel’s buffet, but the onsen (hot spring bath) was excellent. There’s also a shared laundry room with free massage chairs to relax in while you wait. The location is superb: although the public bus service to Shirahama ends early, the ‘Bus Terminal’ right in front of the hotel operates later. A Lawson convenience store is just next door—and uniquely, this Lawson sells the Meikō Bus One-Day Pass (available only here and at the train station). FamilyMart is nearby too. Right beside the hotel is Ginza Shopping Street, though many shops close early. For dinner, head to the seafood market—it’s your best bet.

This was the worst room I've ever stayed in during my four trips to Japan. The hotel's exterior looks 100 out of 100, and the lobby, while you can sense something's a bit off, still scores about 70-80. However, the real problem is the room's cleanliness. If all the other rooms I've stayed in scored 95 or 100, this one gets a 50. The room is incredibly old; I checked, and the last renovation was in 2016. It's clear this room has truly been in use for 10 years. The interior decor and overhead lighting are very oppressive, all the plastic parts are yellowed, and the sink is also yellowed. Things like the knobs really show their age. Being old isn't the biggest issue; the main problem is that it wasn't cleaned properly. There were brown water stains in the sink, and a large patch of mold on the wall in the corner of the room. It's just very, very dated. A tiny 13 sqm room for 1400 yen a night. And the soundproofing is terrible; I barely slept all night, even with earplugs. I don't know what was making noise upstairs, but it was a continuous banging sound that lasted all night. I can't tell if it was other guests or something blowing in the wind, but it went on from 2 AM until 9 AM. This was genuinely my worst experience in Japan. I only ended up here because I couldn't find any other hotels for that night. Furthermore, the outdoor bath and other hotel facilities were also just 'old' and not very clean, maintaining the same standard as the room. It's obvious. While it might have been great when it was newly renovated 10 years ago, it's now at the very end of its cycle. It feels like they're trying to squeeze out some money before the next renovation, so I'll consider it again after they renovate.

We booked the Japanese-Western style connecting room this time. The room size was very satisfactory, perfect for a family trip, and it had two bathrooms. The beach was right outside our room, and you could buy fireworks at the hotel, which was very convenient. The hot spring on the 2nd floor offered distant ocean views, but there were so, so, so many sea cockroaches.