Breezbay Seaside Resort Matsushima

For me, walking distance to the main part of town is most important. It is close enough to walk, but the hotel is over a pedestrian bridge and up a steep hill; rolling luggage is possible but not recommended. This is a safe walk if you plan to see the sunrise. They have a van which will take you to (and from, I think- I didn't try) the train station on demand, which is great. It's very possible that I was the only non-Japanese person staying at this hotel, really more of a resort. Shoes come off at the entrance and stay there overnight (slippers are provided). The room was huge, with the kind of mattress I am used to in the US, and there was a balcony overlooking the bay. There was a buffet Japanese breakfast, and the items were labeled, which I appreciated because the labels can be run through a translator. I stayed on a weeknight and the clientele at breakfast at 7am was elderly. Sometimes in Japan there are problems with the smell of cigarette smoke- not a problem here. Both the Japanese and foreign staff were helpful. There is a small area at the front offering non-refrigerated snacks and souvenirs. I did not try the dinner.

We really liked this place. Although it is in no way seaside or “Breeze Bay”-ish, it is a nice hotel situated on the hillside in an attractive forest. I liked that it was only a 5-10min walk from the train station and town. The hotel staff were super friendly and helpful and really made us feel at home. The all day snacks and the free happy hour drinks and snacks were a really nice touch. Our room was clean and comfortable with a couple of windows overlooking the parking area and forest. The wifi and AC both seemed to work great. We made use of the free bikes and went for a great ride around the countryside. They are little fold up jobs but with 5 or 6 gears to help getting up the hills. Overall, a great base for your stay in Matsushima, and recommended to all travellers.