After two weeks in Tokyo, a weekend trip to the Izu peninsula was was a great way to wind down and relax before flying home. A friend and I spent one night at the Kushiro, before returning to Tokyo via the Kawazu Sakura festival.
We walked to the hotel from the station, though there is a shuttle and taxis available. It really isn't that far, and we didn't have a lot of luggage - the hardest part of the walk is the driveway of the hotel itself, which is steeper than it looks! It's also an easy walk to see the town and the nearby sights, though I imagine that you would need to catch a bus if you wanted to visit the beaches (we were not there in beach season)!
The check-in was straightforward, and staff were attentive and helpful. My friend speaks Japanese, so I cannot comment on whether any of the staff have English skills. I will say that they were all very helpful, going out of their way to help us connect to the hotel wi-fi in the lobby later in the evening.
The decor of the hotel is slightly odd, but I liked it - there's a lot of modern moulded concrete, which was unexpected, and because it's built into the side of a hill, it can feel a little like a bunker in the corridors. But I liked the eccentricity of it, and the rooms were certainly soundproof.
We stayed in a Japanese-style room which was good sized, with a balcony, plenty of storage, a separate bathroom and toilet, and a living area with table and chairs, counter and fridge. Japanese onsen clothing was provided for relaxing and using the baths, and the gentleman who showed us to our room made sure that we had items to fit and everything we needed. He also laid out our beds for us and showed us how to open the sliding balcony doors.
On the night we stayed, the outdoor onsen overlooking the landscape garden was assigned to women's use (the men had the one with the seaview). We stayed in there for a couple of hours and it was wonderfully relaxing - the early cherry trees were tastefully lit and provided for a lovely view from the bath area.
A good long soak was followed by a great night's sleep - we slept so well in fact that we missed the chance to try the seaview onsen in the morning - but never mind, there's always next time!
We did not eat at the hotel, so I can't comment on the food. But overall I have no complaints whatsoever about the hotel and thought it was good value for the service and accommodation we received.
