Resorpia Kumihama

“Quiet and secluded getaway”

The best thing about this hotel is the nice view of the Kumihama bay and that it is far from the maddening crowd. It has a nice in-house Japanese restaurant too. This hotel is great for couples who just want to chill out and not rush for time. Kumihama is a dead town during April, which presumabl… more

The best thing about this hotel is the nice view of the Kumihama bay and that it is far from the maddening crowd. It has a nice in-house Japanese restaurant too. This hotel is great for couples who just want to chill out and not rush for time. Kumihama is a dead town during April, which presumably will come to life only during major holiday seasons. The bonus was the Sakura blossom which stayed in bloom with the cooler temperatures by the bay. Set your expectations correctly and with some careful planning, you will have an enjoyable stay. Firstly, get yourself a pre-paid data plan. The hotel has free wifi in the lobby only. I picked up a b-mobile 1GB 30-days pre-paid data plan for about USD40 in Osaka. You can buy it off the rack from Yodobashi or Bic Camera electronic stores in major cities but it requires a local Japanese mobile phone to activate the SIM card. Alternatively, you can buy the SIM card online and pre-activated, and pick it up at the airport when you arrive. Secondly, use the Hyperdia website to plan your train routes and schedules. For outlying places like Kumihama, the trains do not follow a fixed time schedule throughout the day. Check for different time departures to get the fastest train to your destination. Japanese trains are very punctual, so be there on time. Give yourself time to move between platforms in the large train stations in major cities. English is not commonly used and signboards in English are not always prominent. We spent a couple of days in Osaka city before heading to Kumihama, so it was a good balance of the bustling city and the quiet seaside town. The nearest town centre is Kumihama (10 min drive) and the nearest good size town is Toyooka (20 min drive). The hotel arranges 2 morning drop-offs (9:45 am and 10:45 am) and 2 afternoon pick-ups (3 pm and 5 pm) at both Kumihama and Toyooka. Bookings are necessary. Try to use these pick up services, as the taxis are expensive. I did not see any bus services outside the hotel. Head out to the Tourist Information Centre at Toyooka station for some maps and things to do around the area. Highly recommended are Amanohashidate (Stairway to Heaven) and the local Onsens. Toyooka is also quite charming with its shopping street of single-storey shops. We had upgraded ourselves to the larger suite room for an extra USD20 per day. It was worth paying for the additional space. The bathroom was small but functional. It's best feature was the heated toilet seat, and warm water wash while sitting on the throne. The highlight was the in-house restaurant that offered a variety of Kaiseki courses. They were reasonably priced from USD35 per head upwards and must be booked the night before. While not cheap, they were great value for the quality and quantity compared to major cities. Other than that, nothing much nearby in terms of activities or amenities, not even a 7-11. So, treat yourself to different Kaiseki courses every night, just like my wife and I did. You won't regret it if you like Japanese seafood. If you are a steak and burger kind of guy, this restaurant is not for you. Save your money on breakfast though. Buy some buns or pastries from the Japanese bakeries in the towns for breakfast. They are relatively cheap and delicious.

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