During our recent 9-day trip to Ise-Shima we booked a 2 night stay at the Hotel Kintetsu Aquavilla Ise- Shima to be close to the Ago Bay area. This is mid-way between Nagoya and our next stop Shingu. The hotel was chosen for the 2016 G7 summit so I reckon this should be a “safe” bet, and the price wasn’t too exorbitant either. The location is easy to get to by car (GPS: 0599-73-0001) and there are ample parking. Frequent shuttles are also available from the Kashikojima Station about 25 mins away.
The hotel sits on elevated ground overlooking the picturesque isles dotting Ago Bay. Most rooms enjoy a panoramic view of the bay. Since there were 5 of us we booked a cottage unit located away from the main hotel building. It was spacious and comfortably accommodates 5 people. The 2-storey cottage has a living room and bedroom on the lower level and an attic room. There is a small balcony but it was too cold to sit outside for long. Rate is ¥45750 per night inclusive of breakfast for five. Wi-fi is available in the unit.
Facilities and services at the hotel include a hot spring that overlooks Ago Bay, a large Aquapalace with a 25 meter swimming pool, game arcade, bicycles for rental, Karaoke room and even an Observatory with a a full-scale 50-cm astrometric telescope. We had an educational evening studying Rigel,the brightest star in the constellation Orion about 900 light years from Earth; and Betelgeuse, a bright red supergiant 65o light years away.
Buffet breakfast was sumptuous with a wide range of Japanese and Western spreads. Quality of food was average as expected of most hotel buffets.
The hotel is surrounded by a hiking trail leading to various spots around Ago Bay. We had an enjoyable hike along the clearly marked trails. These relatively easy trails takes about 1.5 hours to cover taking you along forest paths, Ago Bay islets and a beach. A good way to burn off the extra calories accumulated from the full breakfast.
- Dalat | Vietnam Trip Part 3 - May 4, 2023
- Danang, Hoi An, Hue, My Son | Vietnam Trip Part 2 - May 1, 2023
- Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels & Cao Dai Temple | Vietnam Trip Part 1 - April 30, 2023