Hotel 4 Season
It's that time again I am reviewing another Japanese love hotel to see if the rankings for top love hotels have changed. I visited the Miyazaki Hotel 4 Seasons, which is located near Aoshima. It’s about a twenty-minute walk from Aoshima Island and Shrine, where you can check out the distinctive washboard effect I wrote about in my last entry.
The hotel can be reached via a scenic local train, followed by a ten-minute walk along a beautiful rural path that offers nature, and the sound of crashing waves. This hotel resembles a motel more than any of the others I have stayed at. I learned that this is a specific style of love hotel where guests drive their cars directly to their apartments, which are more like individual units. Rooms are treated as self-contained spaces, and the hallway in the centre is designated for personnel and service staff. You can only access your room via the staircase.
In terms of location, this hotel scores an 8, thanks to a train station just ten minutes away. However, you should remember to grab snacks or drinks from a convenience store before arriving, as there isn’t one close by. The hotel does offer food and has vending machines, but if you're looking for something specific or more affordable, it's best to bring it with you.
Ease of access is an important factor for me. I booked this hotel through Booking.com, it's also available on other booking sites, which adds to its convenience. However, upon arrival, I found that guests need to speak with the front desk, the hotel does not offer the usual electronic board system for viewing and reserving rooms. This will also mean you need a basic handle of the language or a good translate app. Google lens has a very good speak option which listens to the person and translates as they speak. This save me at recent health checks, I would advise bringing an app if you cannot speak the language.
I chose a room with an outdoor jacuzzi and was directed to the staircase leading to my room, marked with a label saying "VIP." The hotel has a tiered room system, and after checking the fire escape floor map, I concluded that there are four rooms with outdoor access. This layout ensures that those with outdoor spaces can enjoy them privately. For ease of access, I am awarding another 8, bringing the total score to 16.
Food is usually an aspect I miss out on since I tend to arrive late. However, the hotel offered a complimentary breakfast. The hotel offered the choice of pancakes for breakfast; I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised; the pancakes were quite good. Normally, I rate hotels a 5 out of 10 for food when I don’t get to experience it, so I don't lower scores unfairly. In this case, I would give the food a 6 out of 10, bringing my overall score to 22.
The room itself was spacious and open plan, combining the living space and bedroom. The bed was large, comfortable, and inviting. The indoor bathroom included the usual complimentary toiletries and featured a jet bath, I assume is standard for rooms without outdoor access. The room also had a good sound system. At love hotels it is common to find rooms set aside for karaoke purposes or girls hen nights. So, if you’re in the mood to sing your favourite tunes or simply abuse the sound system and play your own music love hotels often have you covered.
The outdoor area was the highlight for me. The large jacuzzi was the biggest I’ve encountered at any love hotel in Japan. One of the best features was the unobstructed view of the night sky, as there was no roof overhead. The combination of the sound of crashing waves, the ambient lighting in the jacuzzi, and the bubbling water, all beneath a beautiful starry sky, was breathtaking.
The room itself was nothing extravagant, the outdoor experience was enough for me to feel pleased with my choice of hotel. The pricing was also reasonable; many hotels with outdoor pools charge around 18,000 to 20,000 yen, but this hotel room was more affordable at 14,000 yen. For the amenities offered, I would rate it a 7 out of 10, bringing the total score to 29.
Cleanliness there was nothing major to note the room was slightly older than some of the hotels I have stayed in recently and maybe needs the odd touch of paint. For this I give 7 out of 10 bringing the score to 36.
The next measure is likely to return, but this one is hard to judge. Miyazaki Prefecture is the most challenging to reach in Kyushu. However, if I decide to visit again, I will consider this hotel, as I have yet to explore the Easter Island heads, which are located further south of the city. This hotel is conveniently situated between the city and the heads. I would award it a score of 6 out of 10, bringing the total score to 42.
The final category is overall enjoyment, and I can confidently say that the outdoor jacuzzi experience under the stars was a highlight. I would give this experience a score of 7 out of 10, raising the final score to 49 out of 70. The top rankings remain unchanged; however, this hotel is worth considering if you are in the area.
