Published date: July 8, 2024
[Accommodation Experience] Shiroyama Hotel Kagoshima
Room Type Stayed
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Experience of the stay
This time, I came to Shiroyama Hotel Kagoshima located in Kagoshima City through HafH.
The hotel is situated in Shiroyama Park, which is 108 meters high, offering a magnificent view of Sakurajima and Kagoshima Bay.
On the day of check-in, I rented a car at Kagoshima Airport and headed straight to the hotel. It takes about 40 minutes by car from Kagoshima Airport to the hotel.
What surprised me upon entering the hotel premises was just how vast it was! There is a parking lot that can accommodate 780 cars without reservation, but it is so far from the hotel that a shuttle bus is needed to transport you,
Moreover, there is a priority check-in for suites and members, and regular HafH members staying in general rooms have to wait! (The check-in time can get crowded, so it can be a bit tough)
Coming by rental car made check-in a bit challenging… It took quite a while before I could enter the room.
The room type was a Comfort Sakurajima View Twin. It was a lovely room with a calming atmosphere.
There were drinks in the refrigerator, and wine was also available, but I refrained from touching them since they would incur charges.. Since I was staying in a hotel with a magnificent view of Sakurajima, I opted for the Sakurajima View Twin, but due to heavy rain and thick fog on the day of my stay, I couldn’t see Sakurajima at all... It was quite disappointing, but there wasn’t much I could do about the weather.
The hotel's hot spring facility, "Observatory Open-Air Hot Spring Satsuma no Yu", was supposed to offer a great view of Sakurajima if the weather was nice, but on that day, it was completely obscured... However, the bath was very spacious and felt great. There is also a sauna, so I enjoyed a long bath there.
The HafH plan only includes a room-only option without meals. The hotel is situated in Shiroyama Park, making it quite challenging to go out for meals in Kagoshima city.
So, I made a reservation in advance for the hotel's restaurant, "Shiroyama Gardens Suiren". I had the Kagoshima Kurobuta shabu-shabu course, which was delicious with good flavor and generous portions, leading to a high level of satisfaction! The authentic satsuma-age I had in Kagoshima was also delicious!
Shiroyama Hotel Kagoshima is a representative hotel in Kagoshima city, with high satisfaction levels in areas such as rooms, hot springs, views, and services. I'm also delighted that the number of HafH bases in Kagoshima City has been increasing. If you have a chance, I highly recommend staying at Shiroyama Hotel Kagoshima!
Experiences during the trip
I stayed in Kagoshima city, but instead of sightseeing in the city, I went to Chiran and Ibusuki.
It is said that if you are lost in life, you should go to Chiran. At the Chiran Special Attack Peace Museum, you can see many letters from special attack soldiers who knew they would die tomorrow. Reading them makes you realize that there is no time to hesitate.
I also had lunch at the Chiran teahouse of the special attack mother, Tome Torihama. This was my first visit, but it might be a good place to visit at least once in a lifetime.
After leaving Chiran, I headed south to Kagoshima and then to Ibusuki. I visited the famous "Sunamushi Kaikan Saraku" known for its sand bath. This was my first experience with sand bathing. The unique pressure of the heated sand warms up my body gently. By the way, Ibusuki is known as an "Eevee town", especially for Eevee lovers. There are many Eevee and its evolution in the city.
The next day was sunny, so I crossed over to Sakurajima and visited some view spots. Sakurajima was full of breathtaking scenery and it felt very refreshing.