5-Star Hotels in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan

We stayed in a triple room this time, which had a balcony. They helped us set up the futons for dinner. The room was clean and tidy, and the sodas and snacks in the room were complimentary. Both dinner and breakfast were kaiseki multi-course meals. The ingredients were fresh and very satisfying. There were two free massage chairs on our floor, and a stargazing area on the rooftop. We could actually see stars at night, and it was incredibly quiet and comfortable. The hot springs offered both indoor and outdoor baths with a beautiful environment and full amenities, including free popsicles. In the lobby, there was a self-serve marshmallow roasting station with unlimited marshmallows. There was also a souvenir shop. A special reminder: the latest dinner time is 7:30 PM, so you must check in early. We drove there, and it was already dark. Be careful to turn at the intersection by the road, as there aren't many lights, and you might miss the entrance.

The room is spacious and comfortable, with wet and dry separation. It is rare that the hot spring hotel room is also equipped with a separate shower room. The hotel is relatively elegant overall, the hot springs are comfortable, and the banquet cuisine and buffet breakfast are also good.

The staff of Olivean Shodoshima Yuhigaoka Hotel are professional and considerable. Their service are excellent, especially 1) The shuttle bus driver (morning shift strong man, forgot asking his name). When we arrived at Shodoshima Ferry Pier at 11:00am on April 7, we found a hotel shuttle bus, but not sure if it's the one of our staying hotel. We asked the driver if it's the one that waiting to pick us up. He said yes, but the hotel check-in time should be 3:00pm in the afternoon. He suggested us to have the sightseeing first and helped register the afternoon time for picking us instead. Also, he suggested taking our hand carry bags to the hotel front desk to avoid we carrying too heavy bags while travelling. 2) The lady staff (sorry for forgetting her name) at the lobby hall, who was very proactive. She came over immediately to help taking photos for us when she found we're taking a selfie. She also served us with free drinks for enjoying the sunset at the hall. 3) The staff at the reception desk are very professional. They helped us for check-in, explained the details of the time for meals, and provided all the information required. 4) The foods for dinner & breakfast buffet are very nice and yummy. The restaurant is clean and tidy. Overall, Olivean Shodoshima Yuhigaoka Hotel is a very professional and comfortable accommodation for stay. We're pleased and feel glad choosing this hotel.

Shuttle Service: When booking accommodations, there were only two ways to arrange a shuttle, and for some reason, my email only linked to a very old address I rarely use. My messages went unanswered. I also tried calling from other cities in Japan, but an automated Japanese voice service picked up. Thankfully, at JR Kotohira Station, there was an Information counter. A young, helpful service attendant who spoke simple English immediately called the hotel for me when she heard where I was staying. The car arrived in about 5 minutes. The shuttle driver, a slightly chubby young man with glasses, spoke excellent English. He was quite chatty and humorous, making the ride enjoyable. He also recommended a famous local udon restaurant and advised that climbing to the top of Konpira-san Shrine would take at least 2.5 hours (definitely allow more time if you want to look around carefully and take photos). Luggage Storage: We arrived at the hotel at 11 AM, dropped off our luggage, and headed straight for a meal before ascending Konpira-san. Upon returning to the hotel, our luggage had already been delivered directly to our room. Room: We booked a bit late, but for this price, in other major Japanese cities, you'd only get a quarter of the space. My friend commented that she could finally spread out her suitcase and organize her belongings. There was also a dressing room/vanity, though the lighting was a bit dim. In the evenings, we enjoyed tea on the balcony, which was a very pleasant spot to relax and enjoy the view. Our room offered a direct view of the hotel garden and pond, a wonderful experience. Restaurant: When booking, I chose the hotel's ”Sanuki Santoku” (Three Treasures of Sanuki) dining plan. The waiter escorted us to a table with a great view and explained each dish. The food was delicious, and I was absolutely stuffed (I have a small appetite). Most of the service staff appeared to be of Indian descent. Other Features: 1) I really loved the public lounge. In the evenings, the spacious design and soft lighting created a wonderful ambiance. It was very atmospheric to sit and slowly savor coffee/champagne (complimentary). 2) Our accommodation included one complimentary 45-minute private onsen session on the same floor as the lounge. It had a sofa and drinks, but only one shower stall, so if there were multiple people, we'd have to take turns. For me, the time was too short, and the water temperature wasn't as high as in the public bath. 3) The public bath had two pools. A smaller one outdoors, where the water was quite hot, and a sauna room, which was also very hot! I personally preferred the public bath.

I was surprised by how small the room was for a hot spring ryokan. With two suitcases, there was barely any room to walk. There was no Wi-Fi signal in the room, and the explanation given was that too many guests were using it simultaneously that night. Wi-Fi was only available in the hallway and lobby. Although the staff tried hard to resolve the issue, there was no solution, so we had to use our own mobile data (as an apology, they gave us a small souvenir when we checked out). Additionally, the 'one night, two meals' package... At over ¥2200, it was ¥1200 more expensive than just the room, but both dinner and breakfast were very mediocre. Compared to a hot spring ryokan I stayed at previously on Shodoshima (which wasn't great either, but at least the food was refined), the meals here were far inferior. There were only three small slices of sashimi, and there were even fish scales on the fish. For ¥1200, two people could have had many better dining options outside. The hot spring was decent, but nothing particularly impressive.

This hotel is definitely one of the best, if not the best, on Shodoshima. They also have a pool with a sea view, but I didn't bring a swimsuit so I didn't go. The room was incredibly spacious with an unbeatable ocean view, and it even came with a washing machine, microwave, and electric stove. Even if the small shops around closed at night, you could still go to a nearby convenience store, buy a bento, and heat it up back in your room. Breakfast was a buffet style with plenty of choices. Note: They offer online check-in (you'll get a link via Trip.com or email), so you can fill out your personal information in advance. Once you arrive at the hotel, you can use the QR code for a quick check-in.

There is a JR station pick-up service ', call early to make an appointment, the hotel is next to Omotesando, the room has a sauna, hot spring', big enough and clean, the front desk and restaurant service staff are very good. But the quality of dinner and breakfast is average, especially the breakfast is very poor, the quantity is large, the food is cool, 'The taste is light, the dumplings are not fresh, the chef please check it out, I have been to many hot spring hotels, even if the ordinary imperial meals, the breakfast is still delicious, this is obviously not to care about the whole. Waste of a good hotel.

The staff were attentive and friendly, paying meticulous attention to every detail, from room service to breakfast arrangements. The hotel lounge offered complimentary drinks and snacks in a comfortable environment. Our group of four enjoyed chatting there every morning and evening during our stay; it was very pleasant.