Nakijin Hotels with Airport pickup service

Long time traveller, first time reviewer. I was absolutely compelled to write this glowing review, as it took a lot of digging to even discover this hotel online, given the hotel's strong Asian focus and our family being from Australia. Indeed, when we were warmly greeted, we were told by our lovely host that we were the first Australian family to ever stay here. So in writing this, I hope it helps the hotel attract more international clientele. From the moment we were greeted (by the wonderful Akiko, who happened to have spent time in Australia and spoke excellent English), to the moment we departed, the hotel couldn't have been more perfect. The architecture and design, the furniture, the brilliant views, the stunning and quaint Kouri Island setting (beautiful beaches, very good snorkelling), all made for a brilliant first impression. Then to our room where the impression continued - spacious, beautifully appointed with many inclusions, and as the hotel was quite new, everything worked perfectly. Next, the restaurant, a beautiful space with stunning views over the ocean, served as a perfect setting for truly brilliant high end Japanese cuisine. Freshness and flavour in the food was paramount and the generosity was almost too much - sometimes we struggled to finish everything. And if you are a wine or sake lover, then you are in for a treat. We took the all inclusive package given the restaurant is quite expensive for Okinawa (but quite reasonable for high-end Japan), thinking of course that the wine and sake included would be modest at best. But we were absolutely blown away by a magnificently curated collection of wine and sake that were all included. Guided by food pairings by the sommelier, we were presented with an amazing selection of top Champagnes, Burgundies, Bordeaux and Italian wines, as well as serious high end sakes. As a wine professional, I was absolutely blown away and it made the whole experience truly memorable, as well as unbelievably good value. One word of advice - whilst the hotel has stunning views of the ocean, it isn't on the beach. However, it is just a 15 minute walk, 5 minute e-bike ride (available at the hotel), or just take a complimentary lift from the resort staff. Thank you to the wonderful staff for a truly memorable stay. I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough.