Atami Izusan Karaku
One Michelin Key
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Hotel Details
Location
Atami Izusan Karaku · Atami, Japan
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Key Highlights
- ✓Exquisite Dining: The culinary experience is a major draw, with beautifully presented and delicious Japanese kaiseki cuisine focusing on fresh, local seafood.
- ✓Attentive Service: The staff's hospitality is frequently highlighted, described as thoughtful, considerate, attentive, and perfectly timed.
Expert Review: Atami Izusan Karaku
Atami Izusan Karaku: A Michelin One-Key Sanctuary of Serenity and Splendor
Atami Izusan Karaku, a distinguished Michelin One-Key property in Atami, Japan, offers guests an exceptional ryokan-style experience marked by breathtaking views, luxurious amenities, and impeccable hospitality. It is consistently praised for its thoughtful design, exquisite dining, and the tranquil escape it provides.
1. Overall Rating & Sentiment
The general consensus for Atami Izusan Karaku is overwhelmingly positive, with many guests describing their stays as "exceptional," "outstanding," and "truly wonderful". The hotel's Michelin One-Key designation underscores its commitment to providing a very special and memorable stay for travelers. Review scores often hover around "Excellent," with cleanliness, facilities, and comfort receiving high marks.
2. Key Highlights
Guests consistently rave about several standout features:
- Panoramic Ocean Views: The hotel is strategically designed to maximize its location on a hill overlooking Sagami Bay. All guest rooms, the reception area on the top floor, and the various lounges offer stunning vistas of the water and sky. A reflecting pool at reception creates an illusion of the sea merging with the sky.
- Private Open-Air Onsen Baths: Every single room is equipped with its own private open-air hot spring bath, allowing for intimate relaxation with magnificent views.
- Exquisite Dining: The culinary experience is a major draw, with beautifully presented and delicious Japanese kaiseki cuisine focusing on fresh, local seafood.
- Attentive Service: The staff's hospitality is frequently highlighted, described as thoughtful, considerate, attentive, and perfectly timed.
- Luxurious Amenities: The hotel boasts well-maintained facilities including expansive public onsen baths with saunas, multiple lounges (like AWAI and TOKI) offering complimentary drinks, snacks, and even alcohol, a footbath with a view, a spa, and a fitness center.
3. Room Quality
Atami Izusan Karaku offers 57 sumptuously decorated guest rooms, including Deluxe Rooms (in Japanese and Western styles), Karaku Rooms, Universal Rooms, and Karaku Suites. All accommodations are meticulously maintained, spacious, clean, and designed for comfort. Each room features a private open-air onsen bath and, from the middle to higher floors, offers stunning views of Sagami Bay from balconies or terraces. Room amenities typically include linen service, blackout curtains, air conditioning, television, a refrigerator, bottled water, and a coffee/tea maker. Bathrooms are well-appointed with hair dryers, toiletries, and plush bathrobes. The design blends modern minimalism with traditional Japanese aesthetics.
4. Dining Experience
Dining at Atami Izusan Karaku is considered a "highlight" and an "exquisite experience". The main restaurant, MUTSUKI, specializes in traditional Japanese kaiseki-style cuisine with a strong emphasis on local seafood. Dishes are consistently praised for being "beautifully presented and delicious". Guests have noted a changing menu that features fresh ingredients such as lobster, sweet shrimp, various local seasonal fish, eel, and perfectly seared Wagyu beef. An additional dining option, AIJU, offers freshly made-to-order sushi using regional ingredients. Breakfast typically consists of traditional Japanese-style meals. The lounge AWAI further enhances the experience by providing complimentary alcoholic beverages (including draft beer, whisky, wine, and champagne) and refined snacks, alongside a relaxing footbath area. Another lounge, TOKI, offers coffee, tea, and various snacks, including macarons.
5. Service & Staff
The hotel's service and staff receive exceptional praise. Guests frequently commend the "thoughtful hospitality" and the staff's ability to attend to their needs with "perfect timing". Reviews highlight the staff as "very welcoming, polite, and highly professional". The hotel demonstrates proactive service, such as contacting guests in advance to inquire about heights for appropriate bathrobes and dietary preferences. This commitment to guest satisfaction contributes significantly to the overall positive sentiment, with staff receiving a high rating of 8.7/10.
6. Location & Accessibility
Atami Izusan Karaku is nestled on a serene hilltop along Route 135, offering a quiet escape while still providing access to local attractions. It is approximately 1.9 km (about a 7-minute drive) from JR Atami Station. The hotel offers complimentary parking and shuttle service, and guests have noted the convenience of hotel pick-up from the station. While the immediate surroundings are peaceful, the area is rich in nature and ocean views. Nearby attractions include the Izusan Shrine, the MOA Museum of Art (around a 10-15 minute drive), Atami Sun Beach, Atami Castle, and the Atami Plum Garden.
7. Value & Pricing
As a Michelin One-Key property, Atami Izusan Karaku falls into the luxury segment, reflecting its high-quality offerings and experiences. While specific pricing varies by date and room type, Deluxe Rooms start around 58,300 JPY per person per night for double occupancy, which includes taxes and service charges, plus an additional 150 JPY bathing tax for onsen usage. Guests generally perceive the value to be high given the private onsen baths in every room, exceptional service, gourmet dining, and extensive amenities. The "value for money" is rated at 7.8/10, indicating a good balance between cost and the premium experience provided.
8. Common Complaints
While overwhelmingly positive, some minor criticisms have been noted:
- Room Views (Lower Floors): One guest mentioned that a room on the second floor had a "slightly worse" view compared to higher floors.
- Breakfast Perceived Value: One review indicated that the 3300 JPY breakfast, while traditional, was "mediocre".
- Limited Local Dining Options: Some guests advise booking meals in advance as there are "too few restaurants around" the immediate hotel area.
- Tattoo Policy: Guests with tattoos may face restrictions on using public bathing areas if the tattoos are visible to other guests.
- Children's Stays: While children are welcome, complimentary stays are not offered, and additional charges may apply.
Sources
Points to Consider
- •While overwhelmingly positive, some minor criticisms have been noted:
Google Reviews
86 reviews
Recent Guest Reviews
さふらわあ
I was planning a day trip to Atami, but by chance I found a vacancy here and made a last-minute reservation. I wanted to catch a special train, so I took the bus or taxi from Atami Station, but since it was fireworks day, there were huge lines for both! I thought the bus would be better, but there was traffic and no bus. When it finally arrived, about 20 minutes late, I was surprised to see that i...
A
They were really child-friendly and helpful. I was happy to see a diaper bin and hot water kettle already in the room. The kids' room felt a bit old-fashioned, but I was grateful that they were there. The staff were also kind to children and often talked to them. The view of the ocean from the hot spring was amazing. The food was delicious, and we were able to have seconds. You have to make your...
きは
The hotel is located about a 25-minute drive from Atami Station and in a very quiet environment. The views from the restaurant, bath, and private rooms are amazing. You can see the fireworks and even Hatsushima Island. There's a tennis court outside, so you can work up a sweat before taking a bath. They also lend out tennis rackets and balls. There seems to be a table tennis room as well. You can ...
nagatsu 224
It was about a 25-minute bus ride from Atami Station, but it was a quiet, relaxing inn. With only 11 rooms, the bath wasn't crowded, allowing for a relaxing soak while enjoying the view. The sunrise seen from the open-air bath was truly beautiful. For dinner, I splurged a little and had duck loin shabu-shabu hotpot. The head chef came to our table to show us how, and we made it exactly as instruct...
おにぎりまる
My mother, my husband, and I stayed here as a group of three. We pre-ordered a boat-shaped platter of rice and a two-kind shabu-shabu meat tasting menu. The chef personally explained the meat and how to eat it to us in detail. The portions were quite large, but we were so hungry that we ate it all! Since the number of guests allowed is limited, we were able to enjoy our meal and hot springs at ou...
だいすきれったぁくん
There are only 11 rooms, so you can relax in peace and quiet. The toilets in the rooms are old, but they have washlets. The refrigerators in the rooms are large and have a freezer. Ice cannot be made, but there is a free ice maker on site, which is very convenient. Since you will be driving up the mountain from Atami city, please be careful if you are not confident in your driving skills.
About One Michelin Key
One Michelin Key is awarded to hotels that offer a very special stay. These properties are characterized by their unique personality, high quality, and ability to create memorable experiences for guests.
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