Ishigaki Seaside Hotel

“Remote, Clean, Beautiful Surroundings, Good Value”

We were pleasantly surprised by ISH. Maybe I shouldn't admit that we felt like we were staying at the island version of the hotel in The Shining, as we were clearly at this huge property in the middle of nowhere in the off-season, and we were among only a few guests at this large hotel complex. The… more

We were pleasantly surprised by ISH. Maybe I shouldn't admit that we felt like we were staying at the island version of the hotel in The Shining, as we were clearly at this huge property in the middle of nowhere in the off-season, and we were among only a few guests at this large hotel complex. The benefits of being at this property during the off-season were numerous and obvious: there weren't crowds of tourists anywhere, we were the only two people enjoying the nice Japanese spa, the only two people at the lobby bar, the gift shops and the restaurant buffet were not full of people, we didn't have to wait at the front desk, and we were given an amazing room with a balcony on the top floor that provided incredible views of undeveloped Kabira Bay. We felt that we played it right one evening by buying dinner in town and eating our meals sitting on the hotel's lounge chairs on their white sand beach while watching a beautiful sunset over what we knew was Iriomote in the distance (and also knowing that Taiwan and China were father west but out of sight). This property is in a beautiful remote location; it's surrounded by a nice white-sand beach and wonderful aqua-colored sea on one side, undeveloped hills to the south and north, and vast farmland to the east. We also noticed that the property offers a large pool (between the hotel building and the beach), which was full of water and open (even during the off-season), we saw dive tanks and gear for diving, volleyball nets, and even a large swing next to the beach. We were told that the hotel was built in the 80's, and it definitely had 80's vibes, but it is clean and well-maintained, The lobby area beyond the main entrance seemed grand but somewhat cold and cavernous, and just beyond the lobby in basically the same cavernous area is a waiting area with chars and bicycles, beach/pool access doors, a nice little bar (with a very friendly and talkative bartender), elevators in the center (of course), and a couple of vending machines and small shops. The large restaurant and spa (separate spas for men and women) are on the second floor. We liked this hotel and felt that the value and environment were worth the short drive from the downtown area. ISH might be quite different in the high-season, but we enjoyed staying here in March, and we would stay here again.

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“Ishigaki Seaside Hotel – A Peaceful Escape”

I absolutely loved Ishigaki Seaside Hotel. It’s tucked away on the northern end of the island, about a 10-minute drive from Kabira Bay, and the location is just stunning. If you’re someone who enjoys being surrounded by nature and doesn’t mind being a bit off the beaten path, this place is ideal. … more

I absolutely loved Ishigaki Seaside Hotel. It’s tucked away on the northern end of the island, about a 10-minute drive from Kabira Bay, and the location is just stunning. If you’re someone who enjoys being surrounded by nature and doesn’t mind being a bit off the beaten path, this place is ideal. The hotel sits right on the beach, so you can literally walk out of your room and straight into the sea. It’s perfect for snorkelling and diving—there’s so much marine life just metres from the shore. I spent hours just soaking it all in. I stayed in the main hotel and my room was a lovely surprise: Not luxurious, but really spacious, spotlessly clean, and the balcony view was incredible. Waking up to the sound of the ocean and that view every morning was a highlight of the trip. There’s a restaurant on-site which is handy, but there aren’t any food shops nearby, so I’d definitely recommend picking up supplies before you arrive. Having a car is a must, not just for getting to and from the hotel, but also to explore the island properly. There’s so much to see, and driving around Ishigaki is part of the adventure. It’s not a flashy resort, but it’s peaceful, beautiful, and has everything you need if you’re looking to unwind and connect with nature. I’d go back in a heartbeat. In fact I'm planning to next year.

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“A perfect week in a beautiful location”

We really enjoyed our week at Ishigaki Seaside! I chose the hotel because of the proximity to the manta diving sites in Kabira bay and because it is away from the city right on the beach. It is hard to describe how beautiful the private beach is - a BEAUTIFUL place and perfect for children as there… more

We really enjoyed our week at Ishigaki Seaside! I chose the hotel because of the proximity to the manta diving sites in Kabira bay and because it is away from the city right on the beach. It is hard to describe how beautiful the private beach is - a BEAUTIFUL place and perfect for children as there are no waves at all, ever, it’s like a pond - and a netted swimming area. We chose a beach villa which I would highly recommend, we had lots of space and our own outdoor bath. We went on an excellent snorkelling adventure from the hotel beach led by Yuko - seeing sea snakes, rays, turtles and plenty of tropical fish. I was impressed by how safety conscious this trip was and how much focus was put on good technique. Our son is 5 and was the youngest on the boat and Yuko made sure he got to see everything first before the rest of the group. She was amazing. The hotel was popular with Japanese families but plenty of the staff were able to speak English and were very friendly and happy to help us. One night my son fell on the steps of the hotel and a staff member came straight out to make sure he was ok. We ate at the hotel’s BBQ night which was great fun, cooking our own meat. We loved the toasties at lunchtime especially. There are also plenty of excellent restaurants nearby - the hotel rents bikes but very strongly recommend you HIRE A CAR to get around, buses are infrequent. We came in August - it was extremely hot but the air con worked perfectly. Thank you to all at Ishigaki Seaside.

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