Itoen Hotels Properties in Shimoda

202***.23 Arrived at Haneda around 5 AM, then at Atami at 8:26 AM, luckily catching the Kinme-no-Tsurugi (golden-eye sea bream) ocean-viewing train. After having sushi at Fumito for lunch, arrived at Izu-Shimoda Station around 2 PM. The hotel was about a 12-minute walk from the station. Arrived at the hotel at 2:30 PM. After checking in, since it wasn't 3 PM yet, they gave me a card to exchange for a room key later. This card was useful for carrying when leaving the room key at the front desk after going out for meals. After arriving at 3 PM, I exchanged the card for the room key. During check-in, I mentioned the second floor, but was politely refused when I asked if a higher floor was possible, as they said they couldn't specify a floor and the upper floors were full that day. Upon entering the room, I found that the view was only a small glimpse of the distant sea, mostly just roadside greenery. The full-length sea view from the windows in the pictures of the superior family room is definitely only available from higher floors. However, after contacting Ctrip customer service about the floor view issue, I stopped worrying about it. Besides, the second floor connects to the public bath, which is convenient. The Japanese-style tatami rooms were quite spacious and very clean. What I liked most was that the showerhead was located outside the bathroom, so I didn't have to shower in the bathtub – that was great! The toilet was in a separate small room. My favorite thing about the Itoen chain hotel was the free karaoke. While the private rooms didn't have the same view as those in Atagawa, each session was ten minutes longer, and it was once an hour. I booked an hour for 4 PM when I checked in, and then booked another hour for 10 AM the next day at the front desk. I could sing all by myself and had a blast. The onsen (hot spring) was also quite large. The outdoor one was semi-open-air with a roof and a thatched wall covering the opposite side. It had been raining these past few days, so the semi-open-air feel wasn't a problem. Aside from the minor issue with the view, overall, it was a very good hotel with great value for money.

There are cockroaches, all kinds of cockroaches. The big cockroaches are spinning in the room, and the middle cockroaches are lying on the ground in the game room. The small cockroaches are drilling in the tatami mats. In fact, the small cockroach is not terrible, but it is annoying that it is possible to climb into the luggage and then follow home. This is more annoying. Others are fine. Hotel service staff is very good. The hotel is right by the sea, convenient, no need to say. If you are particularly afraid of cockroaches, you should find a new hotel. The old hotel may be difficult to have no cockroaches, after all, it is all wood. There is a Keikyu next to it, the price is double, but it is definitely a ”clean hotel”.