In the middle of nowhere – An unexpected find – Hotel Fantasia, Tottori

Stories about Japan’s shrinking population, deserted villages, and houses quietly surrendering to nature are everywhere. While my hotel was in business and accepting guests, its neighbour, a forgotten Love hotel, stood crumbling, slowly vanishing into the landscape. Tottori, one of Japan’s most rural prefectures, surprises with its breathtaking dunes and mouthwatering wagyu. I travelled there to catch the sand museum’s annual exhibit, this time themed around Spain, and to wander the dunes myself. The dunes lie beyond the city, but a fleet of loop buses makes exploring them easy, letting visitors hop on and off as they please. I fully recommend Tottori be added to your travel itinerary if you have the time to do so; the dunes are a unique experience, and the sand museum was amazing, with towering masterpieces sculpted out of sand.

The hotel sits a few bus stops beyond the dunes, tucked along a main road where a handful of hotels, including one abandoned, seem to be slowly fading into the landscape. Tottori is deeply rural, and the few hotels that remain open offer impressively low rates to attract travellers. My room, complete with a spacious open-air bath, cost just 7000 yen. For those eager to explore the dunes and museum, the location is ideal, though it is a fair distance from the main train station and bus service ends early. For location, I give the hotel a 7, since buses still pass through and, for dune-lovers, this is likely the closest option around.

For ease of access, the hotel scores a 6 out of 13, mainly because you can’t book it online, and its existence is barely mentioned on Couples. Still, a handful of glowing reviews about the bath and the hotel’s cult following piqued my interest and gave me hope. I decided to trust the locals and roll the dice on this small cluster of hotels, crossing my fingers that at least one of the three still operating in the area would have a vacant room. The main building is drive-in style, but there’s also a smaller, hotel-style annex at one end. With rock-bottom prices and not a single photo available, the process couldn’t have been simpler: just find an empty room and walk right in, no conversations or check-ins required. When I arrived, four rooms were open, and one sign promised an open-air bath. I had no idea what to expect: would it be a cramped cube, like so many others, or could this faded, cobwebbed hotel in the middle of nowhere be hiding a true hidden gem? The mystery was irresistible.

For comfort and cleanliness, I’d give the hotel a solid 7. The exterior, draped in cobwebs and crying out for repairs, sat surrounded by endless fields, with only a glimpse of the road in the distance. The eerie darkness and wild sounds made my initial approach feel like an adventure. But climbing the rusty iron stairs, I found myself stunned: inside, the room was spotless and far superior to the hotel I’d stayed in the night before. Everything, from the tea-making facilities to the towels, was freshly wrapped and immaculately clean, making the space feel welcoming and safe. The bed was soft, the room inviting, and the contrast with the exterior made the transformation even more thrilling. Yet the biggest surprise still waited, just beyond the corridor.

For amenities, the hotel gets a 6 for a new score of 26; there is no real reception for the drive-in part. Some basic shampoo and conditioner can be found in the hotel building, but it was very limited. The room comes with some freebies to match the usual motif of all love hotels to come empty-handed. There is a good selection, which is unexpected for a hotel in the middle of nowhere. For food, the hotel gets the usual 5, as I did not get a chance to eat as I was full of my yakiniku experience, which was mind-blowing and another reason to visit Tottori. The wagyu was insanely tasty, and it quickly rose to my top 4 wagyu I have eaten in Japan. The hotel offers a very limited menu, so I would advise bringing things with you or eating ahead of time.

For bath size, this hotel really shines. I award an 8 for a new total of 39. The room's indoor bath was the usual small cube, which is almost standard in most Japanese business hotels. But walking down the corridor leading to the outside revealed the biggest secret of them all. I opened the door in anticipation of what awaited me and was surprised to find a paradise in the middle of nowhere.  Outside, there was a massive jacuzzi hot tub complete with one of the best water-pressure showers I have ever had, so powerful I felt like all the dirt on my body was power-washed off. The bath area was cute; it was wooden with a view; the vibe was Bali, and the view would have been amazing if the floodlight directly outside had not been powered by the full force of the sun! Sadly, the view was hidden by the glare. But the experience in the bath was amazing and a little slice of heaven in the middle of nowhere. In the room, there was everything needed for a bubble bath, and the temperature outside was perfect! The wood needed some TLC, but everything else made up for it!

For overall enjoyment, I award an 8 for a new score of 47. The bathing experience was amazing; the size of the bath was perfect. I had space to really stretch out, and it was a nice break from the hot sun experienced out on the dunes. The bed was comfy, and the aircon temperature was easy to adjust. The room was clean, and the whole experience was made more surreal by the fact that the outside of the hotel looks almost abandoned. The derelict hotel opposite really adds to this vibe. The price was unbeatable and made me worry that the hotel was going out of business and unable to charge anything higher. This is the cheapest outdoor jacuzzi I have ever been in. For the likelihood of returning, I award a 7 for a total of 54. If I ever come back to Tottori for more amazing wagyu, I would consider the hotel if there were no space. The hotel was a unique experience, and the surrounding area is very quiet. If you are in the area, perhaps consider staying at this hotel and experiencing the open-air bath for yourself.