5-Star Hotels in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan

I stayed at Shikishima-kan last November and had a wonderful experience. This time, I recommended it to a friend. They booked a one-night stay with two meals and were very satisfied with the food, especially the children's meal, which was delicious and generously portioned. The room facilities are new, the onsen environment is great, and they even offer popsicles after your soak. There's also a late-night snack service.

This 400-year-old onsen ryokan is a bit of a mixed bag. The location is definitely superb, and all drinks in the mini-bar are complimentary. Taking the path behind the ryokan to Konpira-san offers a unique and scenic experience, and the complimentary hiking poles at the entrance are a nice touch. However, I have to complain about the room facilities. The curtains were too sheer, making the entire room very bright in the morning. It seemed like they should have been blackout curtains, but they were faulty and couldn't be pulled down. After a long journey, I was hoping to get some good rest, but the bright curtains made it impossible – instead of waking up with the roosters, I woke up with the light! The food portions were very small, and there wasn't much variety. People with a big appetite would definitely not be full, and even those with a smaller appetite might struggle. Personally, I felt the freshness of the food was a bit lacking, and the kitchen's exhaust system was poor, as I could smell cooking fumes in the room.

Fabulous living environment and extraordinary customer service. The dining is comparatively less attractive though.

I highly recommend this hotel for those seeking a quiet hot spring experience away from crowds. It is located a bit remotely from the city and surrounded by nature, which I absolutely love! Driving here is quite accessible. Since I planned to stay for more than one day, they provided a free pickup from the Kotohira JR Station, which is also very convenient. All the staff members are friendly and helpful. This low-density hotel has around 26 rooms, so it sells out very quickly, especially during peak season. There is a small gift shop, but I found everything I needed there. The room met my expectations, offering enough space with an outdoor deck and a private hot spring tub. I could hop into the hot spring tub anytime. If in the summer, I would be sitting on the outdoor deck to take in the views of the woods and nature, listening to the birds sing. The lotion provided is of very good quality; I use it every time I finish in the hot spring, as it smooths my skin. I should check if the gift shop sells it. The minibar is well-stocked with coffee and tea, and a 2-liter bottle of water was provided, along with a filtered water tap in the washroom. The public hot spring is spacious, allowing for plenty of privacy. One thing I wasn't sure about was that they provided us with a twin bed room. Since I was there with my husband, we expected a double bed room. We didn’t check with them about it because we decided to use the futon bed instead, which was surprisingly comfortable. I ended up sleeping even deeper than on a regular bed.  We were also confused about the futon bed setup requiring an extra charge, guess it was considered an extra bed. However, they arranged it for us without charging extra, which we really appreciated!  The dining experience was fantastic as well. There are different sessions in the restaurant, and they assign different tables for each meal, making it feel like dining in various restaurants. The service was very professional, with the staff explaining each dish to us. Even though one server covered two tables, I felt like they were serving us privately and gave us enough personal time. The restaurant closes after breakfast and before dinner, which gives you a great opportunity to explore the area during lunchtime. There are also delicious udon restaurants nearby. Just a heads up, though—I didn’t notice any room service available, so if you want snacks in your room, it’s a good idea to prepare your own. I am looking forward to staying in their other branches!