Name: Kumano-bettei Nakanoshima
Address: 1179-9, Katsuura, Nachikatsuura, Nachikatsuura, Nachikatsuura, 649-5334, Japan
Rating: 8

Shopping on site

Air conditioning

24-hour reception

Elevator/lift

Smoking areas

Smoke-free property

Heating

Security guard

Gift shop

Garden

Terrace

General

Family room

Indoor Fireplace

Rooms

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Wheelchair Accessible

Wheelchair access to restaurant

Accessibility

Luggage storage

Safe-deposit box

Services and amenities

Coffee/tea for guests

Restaurant

Vending machine

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet access

Internet

Fishing

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Parking

Parking nearby

Swimming pool

Outdoor pool

Pool and beach

Fax and copy machine

Conference Hall

Business

Massage

Sauna

Beauty and wellness

Family/Kid Friendly

Kids

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Temperature control for staff

Personal protection equipment for staff

Extra decontamination measures

Temperature control for guests

Personal protection equipment for guests

Additional measures against COVID-19

Health and Safety Measures

Location

At the guest house

Nanki–Shirahama Airport

Kumano-bettei Nakanoshima

Nachikatsuura

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not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

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pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

Fabulous hotel! Totally refurbished 4 years ago when they reorientated the hotel to the other side of the island which now connects to the main part via a tunnel - so any pics you may have of the facade are completely outdated and the hotel is beautifully interior designed with super spacious communal areas. The staff were delightful, the rooms great with wonderful views out to sea, the restaurant was a culinary feast and the spa spacious and great with outdoor area. Free beer, ice cream, saki all on tap - what’s not to like! Don’t miss this place!  We checked in after a 5 day trek on the kumano kodo - it felt like paradise!

Don’t miss!

I'm extremely disappointed with the hotel's handling of our reservation. We were informed about the building construction and the cancellation of our room just 4 days before our scheduled stay, despite booking months in advance and already paying. It's perplexing that they didn't plan the construction work in advance, leaving us with such short notice. This lack of foresight and consideration for guests raises serious concerns about their commitment to customer satisfaction. It's evident that Nakanoshima is aware of their lack of competition in the area, yet their disregard for guest experience is evident. 

We were eagerly anticipating our stay, but our experience has left us unable to recommend this hotel to others.

Horrible customer’s service and lack of consideration

My husband and I spent two nights at Nakanoshima and were exceedingly pleased with the experience.  It's about a 4 hour ride on a limited express train from Nagoya to Kii-Katsuura, but it's a scenic and pleasant trip. The day we arrived, the first boat to the island wasn't scheduled until 1:30 pm, so a driver met us at the station to collect our luggage (pre-arranged in advance), and since it was raining quite heavily, he then drove us to a nearby pier with a food court and pointed out where to find the boat. We enjoyed terrific sushi at a small counter and then hopped the boat to the island where the ryokan is located. The rain had stopped by then and the brief boat ride was a serene experience.  The public spaces are beautiful and they leave out complimentary treats for guests to enjoy, like ice cream pops.  We booked a standard room with a sea view and were astounded by the gorgeous view of the bay. The room was spacious and comfortable with plenty of storage, a sitting area with a view and a large bathroom with a separate toilet stall and a shower room with a small tub (not an onsen). Everyone we met was very attentive, kind and helpful. The food at breakfast and dinner was delicious and beautifully presented. We booked a private onsen twice for a reasonable fee. It includes both indoor and outdoor onsens with sea views and a well-equipped changing area.  The first evening we went after dinner and watched a spectacular lightning display from the outdoor tub. We booked the boat and a taxi the following morning to visit Nachi Falls and the forest and temples along the Daimonzaka walking trail (a small section of the Kumano Kodo trail). Nakanoshima is a terrific base from which to explore this very scenic area of Japan and a lovely destination on its own if you want to relax and enjoy the hot springs and amenities.

Exceeded expectations!

Excellent onsen ryokan. A few minutes walk from Kii Katsuura station to the pier, the reception staff are very friendly and helpful. 

Location of the ryokan is good, on a silent island. The walkway on the rooftop is also stunning. It takes around 30 minutes to complete a round trip. The view at the observatory is great.

The room is clean and comfortable, onsen is large with wonderful seaview. Dinner and breakfast are good too.

Perfect stay in Katsuura

We wanted high-end accommodations near Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine and Nachi Falls, and through our research, we figured that Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima is really the only choice in the area.

We stayed in a Luxury Deluxe Ocean View Room, which is the second from the top room category (there's only one room in the top category, by the way, and it wasn't available when we tried to book it), and located on the Nagi No Sho wing.  It was modern, reasonably stylish and had a good view of the ocean and the peninsula across the way. The view is partially marred by two large green oil reserve containers located on the peninsula directly across the strait, which is unfortunate but not anything that the property can do about. We prefer suites that offer separated bedrooms and living rooms, which this didn't have, and the lack of a large closet forced us to place our rollerboard luggage on the floor in the living room. Aside from that, the main drawback is the fact that the bath is not Onsen (natural hot springs.) In fact, there is only one room (out of 44) that has in-room Onsen, and that's the top room named "Kihinshitsu" in the Chomontei Bldg.

We have avoided communal baths during the peak of the pandemic (Japan was in its 7th wave at the time we stayed there), but thankfully the property does have a private open-air Onsen bath that guests can rent by the hour - we used it in the afternoon as well as the following morning just prior to check-out. It's a really nice open-air Onsen, and has good views from the bath.

The only other drawback is the lack of an in-room dining option - all meals are served in the main restaurant. The ryokan has a handful of "koshitsu" private dining rooms, which we reserved for both of our meals, but unfortunately, it's not fully enclosed.... the noise from the main dining area pierced through the ceiling-less "private room" in a big way, especially during dinner, when some drunk guests were yelling at a very high decibel. Food wise, it was really good. Given its location, Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima has its pick of the litter, including "Nama Maguro," which is local tuna that never gets frozen prior to being served. It's often made in a cutlet style in the area, and that's what we got for dinner. They also served Grilled Abalone (on the shell) with butter, another delicacy, as well as a variety of other seafood caught fresh from the nearby Katsuura port. While not the most creative of meals, it didn't need to be, and we thoroughly enjoyed the food on offer at the property.

Service is a strong point. Everyone was courteous and warm, and genuinely seemed to care about our experience at the property. The personal touch is not easy to pull off at a property with a (relatively) high room count - we were impressed. That said, I don't think they were even at half occupancy, so that may have had something to do with the high service level.  Regardless, everyone from the manager to the front desk staff to the wait staff were personable, and were really eager to explain details about the area, its history and the ingredients in each dinner course. They also allowed us to check out late, which is something that cannot be taken for granted in Japanese ryokans.

Being a convenient 5 minute boat ride away from the mainland but feeling a world away makes Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima a good choice for travelers seeking high(-er) end comfort, good food and a solid Onsen (though not in room) experience near Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine.

P.S. - for really nice views, take a short, easy hike to the hilltop of Nakanoshima Island. You take an elevator to the top floor, take one flight of stairs to the roof, then follow the signs to a pretty trail that takes you through a dense forest until you're treated to a panoramic view of the surrounding land and sea. There's even a nicely maintained foot bath along the trail, too!

A good, relaxing base to explore the surrounding area

After our 2 night stay, Nakanoshima has quickly become one of our favorite ryokan! The location was perfect, close to the station but peacefully serene after a 5minute boat ride, surrounded by nature, but with all the conveniences necessary. The main building was updated very nicely, and everything felt very zen. The rooms were a little small compared to other luxury ryokan, but we had everything we needed. The baskets for your knick-knacks that you carry to the bath was really cute too! The outdoor bath with the cave was especially impressive (though females do have to wear a cover over since there is the occasional boat in the distance). I also liked the foot bath at the top of the hiking trail. Food was creative and fresh, as they present their local food with gourmet pairings (but the whale is not for everyone...). 

Service was excellent and very accommodating. For those with more luggage (or directionally challenged), you can call them the day before to arrange for a shuttle to and from the pier and the station. The boat was also very smooth and all the staff friendly and eager to help. It's a good idea to call a little earlier to reserve the boat if you're going at a busy time.

Beautiful island ryokan

I first stayed on this wonderful island off Kiikatsura 3 years ago. This time the ryokan was even better and has been completely refurbished. The food and rooms are great, but there are TWO fatal flaws:
1) Although the hotel now has fewer rooms after the refurbishment, they drastically limit how many people can board their small boat back to shore. You may miss one, two or even three of the crossings. There is no alternative and if you have an onward train to catch, that’s your problem, not theirs.
2) In addition to woefully limiting the capacity of the boat, the staff, when faced with many customers wanting to leave at checkout rush hour, completely ignore guests’ concerns and show total inflexibility to customer service, instead hiding behind and pointing to the absurdity of their rigid systems.
Attached photos show the boat en route that the staff tell you it is “impossible” to squeeze an extra passenger on to.
It’s quite an expensive ryokan and one really does expect a better a system and facilities - and accommodating staff attitude if they wish to reap the rewards of their otherwise great investment.

Great Ryokan, but fails on customer service

I wish we had the another day (at least) to spend in this hotel to enjoy all the amenities. It was a great way to end the Kumano Kodo walk.  The staff were so warm, courteous and helpful. The place is BEAUTIFUL!! The view from the room is spectacular.  The hotel is so clean. The food is delicious! I wouldn't mind coming back here and spend another 3 days.

All I can say is WOW!

After 4 days of hiking we arrived here and completely enjoyed our stay. You catch the ferry from the tourist Jerry and from the time you step on the boat, till you step off you are treated well. The rooms all have fantastic views, although we did look over at a dolphin holding pool, which was very sad to see. (Especially being so close to where The Cove was filmed). The outdoor onsens were great - offered 3 different temperatures although the bathing suites for women weren’t my scene. Food was excellent - wine prices a bit steep. The walk to the observation area is worth it, but go early in the day and wear shoes. 

Great way to end the Kumano Kodo

Property is beautiful and modern, wonderfully zen.  The outdoor onsen is beautiful if you can get over the fact that it's not really that private (ships pass by one of them).  I loved how it's not on the mainland and requires a ferry to get to it.  Ferry service was efficient and fast.  Nearby town has some great cheap sushi.  Food in hotel was delicious!

Kumano-bettei Nakanoshima

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