Hotel Urashima

I have always stayed at Hotel Urashima whenever visiting Katsuura in Wakayama, and this time I stayed for three days and two nights. I relaxed in a spacious room on the top floor of the main building, enjoyed all the baths, and even received a prize. The buffet offered an abundance of dishes that were more than enough to satisfy me. Every year, I look forward to staying here again next year. I had a wonderful time with my father. Thank you very much for everything. Looking forward to visiting again!

I stayed at Sangokan for a Multiple Night Stay. Arriving by sightseeing boat is a unique and enjoyable approach that you don’t often find at other hotels. The boats run frequently, so you don’t have to wait long. However, there is no way to get from the pier to Kii-Katsuura Station except on foot, which could be difficult with heavy luggage—I think it takes more than five minutes even if you walk quickly. For reference, the luxury hotel on the neighboring island offered a Shuttle Service from the pier to the station, which reflects the difference in price.The Hotel’s standout feature is the bath at Bokyoto Cave—an open-air bath that has been here for nearly 70 years! On this day, strong easterly winds sent powerful waves crashing against the rocks in front of the cave, and even sea spray reached inside, making it very impressive. The changing area feels outdated, and especially the locker keys were loose and rattly. There was also a rock bath near Nisshokan, but it’s far and not nearly as dramatic, so it’s probably not worth going out of your way.Dinner is a buffet, but it’s more of a half-buffet style: five kinds of sashimi plates including tuna and Kumano beef shabu-shabu were already set on our table. The desserts were also high quality. Dinner times seem to be managed by Reservation slots every 30 minutes from 6:00 p.m., which likely helps seating go smoothly without waiting. The buffet lines never got long enough to be stressful, and table spacing was comfortable.After dinner, there isn’t really anywhere to spend time—just karaoke and table tennis. Even if you start dinner late, you’ll finish shortly after 8:00 p.m., so after that your options are basically bathing or using paid massage chairs. Given the Hotel’s capacity, I’d like to see some additional ideas or facilities for evening relaxation.