IKI RETREAT by Onko Chishin

Simply the place to stay on Iki Island, if you look for a luxurious Onsen Ryokan. The property has heritage but is very well maintained. We liked our room with private onsen with a spectacular view over the bay, a spacious sitting area and very comfortable beds. High quality toiletries are provided. The minibar was included in the rate and gets daily restocked – nice! There is a bar/library area, where you can order drinks or enjoy free coffee. Upon check-in we were told there is water and sparkling wine as well, but we never saw any – guess only on offer during a narrow timeframe. There are some larger onsens which you can book (nicer during daytime, as the view at night is limited), and you can visit the gender-separated public baths at any time The hotel has a couple of electric BMWs you can rent, so very easy to explore the island and be back again for dinner. Of course, transfer from and to the ferry is provided as well. A small town with some restaurants is a short stroll away, should you fancy to eat/drink out.

Iki Retreat Kairi Murakami opened in 2018 after Onko Chishin bought out the property and extensively renovated it (I'm assuming "Murakami" is the name of the original owner as well as the property name.) It's located on the Northwest side of Iki Island, with commanding views of Yunomoto Bay - each of its 12 rooms face the Bay, all but the entry level "Corner Tatami Room" have Western beds, and each room has a private, open-air Onsen (straight from the source) bath on the deck. Speaking of Onsen, the hot spring turns gold in color upon being exposed to air, due to a high concentration of iron - this is not unlike the gold Onsen found in many parts of Arima Onsen near Kobe. Aside from in-room baths, Iki Retreat also has large, gender-segregated communal baths as well as a private bath that can be rented in 45 minute allotments. Guests looking for a unique Onsen experience in a remote part of the country will undoubtedly enjoy staying here. The property itself is a hybrid ryokan/hotel type - while robes are provided in the room and can be worn throughout the property, they are more of a casual, "Samue" type of outfit.. it's far less stylish than a Yukata but more comfortable when wearing it. Like most small ryokans, Iki Kairi lacks a gym and pool. Unlike traditional ryokans, shoes don't come off until you get to the guestroom (similar to Fufu) and doesn't have a garden. This is compensated by the view of the ocean, which is reminiscent of Bouyourou, Sui Suwako, Migiwatei Ochi Kochi and the two Amane Resorts in Beppu. We stayed in the top category room, the Kairi Suite, which offers 120m² of indoor living space and the only one that features both a Japanese-style tatami room and a living room with couches (in addition to a separate bedroom.) No other rooms have a Western living room, so if the idea of sitting "on the ground" in a tatami room isn't to your liking, be sure to seek out the Kairi Suite. For just one year - beginning on the day we arrived - Onko Chishin has collaborated with Kateigaho to redesign the Kairi Suite in a modern, Japanese-stylish way and have dubbed it the "Kateigaho Suite." Kateigaho is a renowned publication that caters to a high-end demographic and focuses on Japanese art, architecture, food, travel and fashion. The Kateigaho Suite in its current form will be in existence from June 16, 2023 to June 14, 2024. The main aspect worth mentioning are variety of decorative crafts and art by traditional Kyushu artisans, especially the wall exhibit of tea cups in the tatami room (guests are free to use them during their stay.) Overall, we felt the room was tastefully designed and furnished, with a nice blend of traditional and modern Japanese interior look and feel to it. Two things worth pointing out, for what it's worth: the bathroom has a men's urinal (in addition to a standard, Toto toilet), and - curiously - there is only one sink. Otherwise, what you see is what you get. Iki is famous for its seafood, local produce as well