Romantic Hotels in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

"I chose this hot spring hotel in Nachikatsuura for a short trip to the Kumano Kodo. Instead of opting for the most famous Hotel Urashima or the newer TAOYA, I went with a hotel that has a bit more history and unique character. Before coming, I checked its background: it was formerly the long-established Japanese ryokan ”Katsuura Gyoen” founded in the Showa era. It was later taken over and renovated by Mystays Hotel Group, and reopened in April 2024 under its current name, Kamenoi Hotel Nachikatsuura. The hotel (ryokan?) is fairly close to the station, making it much more convenient to get to than Hotel Urashima. It faces the ocean views of Katsuura Bay directly, which must look quite lovely on a clear day, and it's about a ten-minute walk to the torii gate. The exterior of the building isn't particularly striking, but the lobby has likely been renovated recently and looks quite nice overall. Perhaps because the guests are predominantly foreign tourists, the receptionist's English was very clear, and her directions were spot-on. Public facilities focus mainly on the hot springs, accompanied by a time-restricted beverage bar and noodle bar, as well as an entertainment room. We booked a spacious room close to 90 square meters. The door still used a traditional old-fashioned key, and as soon as you stepped inside, you could smell the tatami mats. The facilities are quite dated due to the hotel's age, but everything was relatively clean. For travelers who haven't experienced this kind of hot spring ryokan before, it's quite interesting. Although the room offered a sea view, the glass was rather old and dirty, which detracted from the experience—something I'd recommend they improve. We booked a half-board plan (dinner and breakfast included) with selectable dining times. The portions looked small at first, but they were surprisingly filling overall. While it was great to experience traditional Japanese cuisine, we weren't seated in the first-floor ocean-view restaurant, but rather in a traditional Japanese banquet hall on the second floor, which felt a bit like getting the short end of the stick. The hot springs are located on the second floor; the facilities inside are quite new, featuring both indoor and outdoor baths. The outdoor bath doesn't offer ocean views at night, but if you go late enough, you can get the whole place to yourself. Since the ryokan doesn't have a large staff, I didn't experience any particularly standout service during my stay. Also, watching the price of the room I booked two months in advance steadily drop (even dropping further just a few days before check-in) was honestly pretty frustrating. But overall, as a first-time experience staying in a Japanese hot spring ryokan, it was quite an interesting trip. Due to an aging population and young people moving away, Nachikatsuura itself looks rather desolate. Aside from service facilities and shops, you barely see anyone on the streets, especially young people—most people you encounter walking around are foreign tourists. Still, for travelers, this kind of atmosphere has its own unique charm. That's all."