My husband and I were looking for a quiet beach getaway to celebrate our first anniversary. We wanted something not too far from where we live (in Japan) and not too expensive.

There is a free shuttle bus from Toyohashi station, however, it only runs twice a day (around 11 am and 3 pm, I believe). There's only one shuttle back to the station from the hotel, which leaves at 11:15 am. There is ample parking, so if we had a car that may have been a better option. The shuttle bus ride is about an hour and 10 minutes (and at times, somewhat sickening with all the curvy roads - typical in Japan).

The view was absolutely gorgeous. We watched the sunset both nights we were there, from our room, the rooftop, and the spa. The hotel sits up on a cliff/hill, overlooking the ocean. The hotel staff are kind and helpful, per the usual standards of service in Japan. I don't know if any of them speak English, but it's likely that someone does, as the signs and information often have English on them.

The room was outdated (looked like it came from the 70's) and was quite small, but that too is normal in Japan. They provide yukata and slippers to wear around the hotel. Tea and a hot water maker are also provided, as usual. Though the room was fine, we asked to be put in a non-smoking room, and it seemed that the floor was a mix of smoking and non-smoking rooms, so sometimes we had to stuff towels below the door to keep the smoke from coming in.

The spa was the highlight of this hotel. It is new, modern, spacious and gorgeous. Giant windows that span from ceiling to floor. There are several indoor baths and saunas, as well as a jacuzzi. There is one outdoor bath that looks like an infinity bath, overlooking the ocean and sunset. If I could, I would just go on a day trip to this spa because it was truly amazing. My husband also reserved a private bath one of the nights, which also overlooked the ocean. I highly recommend the spa.

The downside to the hotel is that there isn't much around. The beaches are nice, and clean, which is also somewhat unusual. There weren't a lot of people around. However, there aren't many restaurants in the area. There also isn't a convenience store anywhere nearby. We rented bicycles (the mama-chari) and rode for 45 minutes before we found a convenience store. Most of the place is farmland, so I wouldn't recommend going anywhere aside the beach areas near the hotel. There's also a bike path, which is nice. Although, the hill back up to the hotel is steep and so you have to push the bikes up (takes about 10 minutes).

There is some curry and noodles at the ferry terminal (about a five - ten minute bike ride) but it didn't look particularly appetizing. There's a souvenir shop, but the hotel also has one. The only other restaurants are some seafood places, although we didn't try them. We found some vegetable/seafood stands near the beach later.

The hotel offers buffet type meals and also has a cafe with meals. We ate the breakfast buffet, which had a typical western/Japanese spread. Wasn't spectacular. The cafe food was pretty good and affordable, although I was sick of eating it after a few meals.

The pool is only open in summer, so wasn't available to us. There were also tennis courts, a large observation deck, tearoom, karaoke rooms, and a wedding chapel.

The price was quite expensive even though we got a deal for two nights, and I think with how outdated the hotel is, a bit overpriced. The buffet is expensive, as expected. Although, the view and spa are definitely worth the price.

I doubt I would stay the night again, unless we drove. I would also go for a day trip. They offer day packages throughout the year (such as, picking strawberries, lunch, spa, etc).