Beach Hotels in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

Grand Mercure Okinawa Zanpa Beach truly impressed us with its spacious, comfortable rooms and stunning ocean views. The well-equipped swimming pool and other facilities make it an ideal choice for family trips. The friendly and attentive staff further enhanced our stay, making it a thoroughly satisfying experience.

Although it's an older resort, it's very clean and the service is excellent. As I'm pregnant, I'd requested a non-smoking room in the special requests section. They not only offered valet parking every time but also provided a pregnancy body pillow. It was also great to be able to check room amenities and activity statuses via a QR code in the room. Breakfast was superb!

I would say it's quite an old hotel but rooms were big. We had a corner room with it's own kitchenette, a sofa area with tv and 2 single beds. We initially wanted to combine the bed as we have a toddler with us but it wasn't a viable option as the bed frames were built attached to the wall. Room is rather dirty even though we requested for room cleaning, I could feel the floor abit dusty and sticky. The bathroom curtains were also cold and had mould at the bottom (the part that's most often in touch with water).

The hotel is located in the city center, right next to a sports stadium. The elevated highway nearby can be a bit noisy due to heavy traffic. The hotel has its own parking, but the fee is a bit expensive at 1500 JPY per day. Overall, it offers medium value for money.

An absolutely delightful choice! The room was spacious, with a separate wet and dry area in the bathroom, a tatami zone, a sofa and coffee table, and a large balcony (which even had a patch of soil for planting!). The hotel's outdoor environment is fantastic, featuring a semi-indoor pool, an outdoor infinity pool, and a specially designated beach swimming area. It’s an amazing experience when the weather is good. Since we arrived just before a typhoon, we were lucky enough to book the last snorkeling trip before it hit (you're supposed to book by 4 PM the day before, but the staff probably offered it because all offshore activities were canceled for the next day). Snorkeling was 6000 JPY per person, and they provided masks, snorkels, fins, and life vests. However, they really didn't teach anything else [facepalm emoji]. But when the two guides came into the water to show the kids sea cucumbers and played underwater, hearing their hearty laughter, I quickly let it go. They probably assumed everyone knew how to do it naturally [dog head emoji]. The kids could stay on the floating board, so the safety factor was quite high. There were 7 of us in total for this session, which lasted from 1 PM to just before 2 PM. For beginners, it was a pretty good experience. The next day, due to the typhoon, all facilities except the semi-indoor pool were closed. We booked the limousine bus at the front desk; they helped us purchase tickets, which were cash-only. It goes directly from the hotel to Naha Bus Terminal or the airport, with departures around 9 AM and at 11:31 AM. It took about an hour to get back to the bus terminal, which was much faster than the OAS bus we took on arrival. Overall, extremely satisfied!

Contrary to my expectations from the photos, the hotel turned out to be a disappointment. First of all, the information on Trip.com does not match reality. The site stated check-in from 2:00 and check-out until 11:00. In fact, check-in is from 3:00 and check-out is by 10:00. The staff gave no explanation for this discrepancy. Secondly, the site confirmed a room in the new building. However, I was placed in the old building, which, judging by the exterior, looks like it was built in the 19th century. The room matched the condition of the building. All the furniture was very old and worn out, some even with mold. The view and access from the window was onto a shared balcony, which meant that to maintain privacy I had to keep the curtains closed at all times. The noise isolation was terrible — neighbors were loud from 7 AM to 11 PM, making it impossible to sleep. Speaking of the beds, the mattress was extremely hard and the pillows were stiff and uncomfortable. As for breakfast: not only was it limited to 7–9 AM, but the website had advertised a buffet with both European and Japanese options. Upon arrival, it turned out that there were no European options at all, only a fixed Japanese set meal. The only good thing was that at least coffee was available. The hotel has no beach, despite being close to the sea. There is only access to a rocky embankment, where swimming is unsafe. I used the coin laundry service, paying 300 yen just for my clothes to be rinsed in water. There was no detergent provided, nor was it sold at the hotel — I had to go out and buy it separately. The dryer only partially dried the clothes, so I had to finish drying them in the room. If you plan to come by car, keep in mind that there is no lighting in the surrounding area, so driving in such darkness doesn’t feel very safe. Overall, if you are looking for a proper rest and relaxation, I cannot recommend this hotel at all.

This is a well-established hotel with a private beach, offering great value for money. Here are some detailed tips: 1. **Transportation**: You can take the Limousine Bus (CD line) directly from Naha Airport to the hotel entrance. The last bus departs at 6 PM. Look for the 'Airport - Domestic Terminal' direction, and purchase your ticket at Gate 2. Cash payment is required. The hotel front desk can book a return bus to the airport/Naha Bus Terminal, but only morning departures are available. The bus stop is located just a short walk to the left after exiting the hotel. The journey typically takes 1.5 hours. 2. **Dining**: I recommend booking a stay that includes breakfast; the buffet breakfast is excellent, and you can enjoy it with ocean views. For dinner, you can purchase the buffet on-site. Remember to use the 10% discount coupon provided by the hotel. Dining options nearby are limited; about 100 meters from the hotel, there's only one shabu-shabu restaurant, which also offers sukiyaki. 3. **Shopping**: The hotel has a souvenir shop and a convenience store, but prices are a bit high. About 100 meters from the hotel, across the road, there's a Family Mart convenience store with reasonable prices. 4. **Facilities**: All water sports activities on the beach incur extra charges, but the pricing is transparent. The outdoor and indoor pools are free, and the indoor pool is heated. There's a fee for the hot springs, which varies depending on the time of day, with mornings being cheaper and evenings most expensive. I suggest going in the afternoon; it opens after 4 PM, there are fewer people, and you can enjoy the beach view. It's located near the indoor pool on the first floor and can be a bit hard to find, so ask a staff member for directions. It costs 600 JPY per person in the afternoon. If you opt out of room cleaning, the hotel provides a 1000 JPY voucher that can be used at the hotel's hot springs, restaurants, or convenience store. 5. **Rooms**: The rooms are generally clean. Remember to request a high floor from the staff, especially if you've booked an ocean view room. Late check-ins might only get lower-floor rooms, but it's worth trying to get a higher floor; while all ocean view rooms offer a sea view, the perspective differs significantly. 6. **Surroundings**: You can take a taxi to Onna Station, which is like a service area with some snack stalls and a supermarket. The taxi ride takes about 15 minutes and costs approximately 100 RMB for a round trip.

✨ Highlights: • The room experience exceeded our expectations! The Coral Wing Selection Room was incredibly spacious, featuring an entryway and a separate bathroom. The two bunk beds were also very wide. Even though it's the Coral Wing, we still had a stunning ocean view with a fantastic panorama. The room facilities were new, and the toiletries were Byredo, which smelled wonderful. • The breakfast was tasty, and the hotel's location was a huge plus: very close to the airport, easy to get a taxi, and within walking distance to Don Quijote and nearby restaurants, making shopping and dining very convenient. • The hygiene and hardware facilities were well-maintained, and public facilities like the pool were excellent. It's a shame we only stayed one night and didn't get to experience them. ⚠️ Areas for Improvement: • The front desk service wasn't very welcoming; there was no guidance at all during check-in. The hotel itself is like a big maze, and it took us over half an hour to find our room, which detracted from the overall experience. • Upon check-out, we were charged an additional resort fee of about 50 RMB per person. While not a large amount, it would be better if it were included directly in the room rate. Paying in two separate installments felt a bit odd. • Some public facilities in the Coral Wing were slightly dated, a bit of a contrast to the brand-new feel of the guest rooms. Overall, the room itself, the location, and the environment were all excellent and up to InterContinental standards. If they could improve service details and check-in guidance, the experience would be much better. It's a good choice for a short, transitional one-night stay.

Compared to hotels in the city center, this hotel is quite good for Okinawa overall. The room is spacious, and it didn't feel cramped for two people. The room amenities and hotel facilities are all excellent. The hotel service is great, and all the staff are very nice and try their best to meet our needs. What I liked most was that you could book snorkeling directly through the hotel. After sending an email, I received a booking link, making online reservations very convenient. The tour departed directly from the hotel's pier, which was hassle-free. The snorkeling instructor was excellent, very patient, and had a great attitude. The hotel's water activities were super fun, and the jet ski instructor was fantastic and entertaining; we had an absolute blast. For breakfast, we chose the buffet, which primarily offered Japanese and Western options. There weren't many Chinese dishes, and no noodle station. There are several restaurants right outside the hotel along the street. The ones across the street have similar flavors. There's also a Lawson across the street, making it very convenient for dining and picking up small items. The hotel is a bit far from Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, American Village, and Kokusai Street. American Village is about a 30-minute taxi ride (1 hour by bus), the aquarium is an hour by taxi, and Kokusai Street is over an hour by taxi. Taking the bus would be very time-consuming.

Wonderful classic Japanese resort hotel. The amenities and facilities of the hotel are perfectly considered for travelers who are looking for a pampered indulgent stay in Miyakojima. I stayed in the coral wing and the room was perfect. It has the classic Japanese bathroom with the bathtub next to a window that overlooks the Yonaha beach. Such an indulgent bathing experience. Service within the hotel was impeccable - from the restaurant, stores, beach house, drivers, concierge at reception and entranceway, housekeeping and more. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and will return to Miyakojima Tokyu the next time I visit MIyako.