Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto

Had a magnificent one-night stay during mid-November to see the island, Itsukushima shrine and the fall colors. Booked a non-smoking Japanese style room w/private rotemburo (open air bath) facing the shrine, with breakfast and dinner. Expensive (almost $1k) as this was during a peak time (fall), but I was willing to splurge as staying overnight on Miyajima is necessary to get the most out of a visit here. Hotel is located very close to Itsukushima shrine, just one block up the hill by the fire department. Arrival/Check-in: After calling from the ferry terminal the hotel shuttle arrived about 15 minutes later. It took a winding road thru the hills w/dropoff behind and above the hotel. Staff handled bags but we had to descend a flight of steps to reach the (back) door and lobby (not sure if wheelchair accessible; access to the front of hotel also involves stairs). We checked our bags and returned for check-in after 3pm. After retrieving our bags, a woman dressed in kimono showed us the hotel and took us to our room. There, oshibori (hot hand towels), matcha, fresh fruit, and local momiji manju were provided for refreshment while she finished the check-in and explained everything we needed to know about the room. Note: It's very helpful to speak at least some Japanese - the lady who showed us our room spoke no English, and there was a lot to go over. She was very patient and gracious, but without knowing basic Japanese I would probably have been lost. (However, the staff at the front desk spoke sufficient English, as did the shuttle bus driver, so don't be totally put off if you don't speak Japanese. Or, consider renting a pocket translator from companies that sell portable Wi-Fi that you can pay for online and pick up at airports.) Rooms: The room/suite (#501) had a large living/bedroom with a table and Japanese-style seats (without legs), a sitting room w/view, a small room with vanity, plus a toilet room, washroom, bathroom w/wood tub, and a private balcony with wooden soaking tub. The living room had traditional decor, with tatami mat floor and a tokonoma (alcove) with hanging scroll and ikebana (flower arrangement), but also a flat screen TV on another wall. The sitting room was western style, with chairs, a coffee table, carpeting, and a stereo player, coffee/tea maker and fridge. Rooms were separated by sliding shoji doors. Bedding was stored in closets that blended seamlessly into the walls for a clean look. Upon returning from dinner, the table had been removed from the living/bedroom and replaced with futon beds. The beds and pillows were a little on the hard side, but the comforter was very soft and warm. Bath: The toilet automatically opens when you open the door and has the usual built-in bidet, etc. The wash room had two sinks, large mirror, and lots of towels. The bathroom had both a wooden tub for soaking; you bathe outside the tub by sitting on the stool and rinsing using the flexible hose. Bath soap/shampoo were provided. Out on the enclosed balcony, the outdoor wooden tub with view was the highlight for me. It's controlled by a switch inside; heated water pours out of a faucet and into the tub. The tub area provides privacy while letting you enjoy the view, but you can lower shades for even more privacy. The tub isn't quite big enough to fit two adults comfortably, but you'll probably want its heavenly bliss all for yourself anyway. Extras: Yukatas and tabi (Japanese socks) were provided for wearing around the room/hotel, as were slippers for venturing outside the room. Each guest got a personal toiletry kit, and lots of towels were provided. One towel was specifically provided per guest for the public bath, which we didn't use as we had our own bath. We did not use the hotel Wi-Fi. Food: We chose Japanese meals, and the food was exquisite. Dinner was kaiseki cuisine focused on seafood including local specialties such as oysters and abalone. My crustacean allergy was accommodated with no problem (I had notified them ahead of time). Breakfast was traditional Japanese style, with many delightful small dishes. I love this style of eating - for me, the variety of dishes complementing each other more than makes up for any perceived lack of quantity. Check-out was quick and the shuttle took us back to the ferry terminal. Note, there is only one shuttle so you may have to wait for it to return - about 20 minutes at most. Overall, an unforgettable experience in an iconic location.

I selected Miyajima Grand because of its close proximity to Itsukushima Shrine and the Great Torii Gate and I didn’t regret it. There was a courtesy bus that picked us up at the ferry terminal and they kindly dropped us off when we left three days later even though it was really early in the morning. We booked a room of the torii gate, though it wasn’t a clear view, it helped when we wanted to head there in the wee hours of the morning when the tide was low. Through the back entrance, the hotel was about five mins walk away - how much more convenient can it be. It was also close to the ropeway which I went to on Day 2. View from Mt Misen was great and after the descent down, the best reward was the soak in the hot tub with the lovely view out. Breakfast and dinner were included and we thoroughly enjoyed our meals there. The staff were excellent and made our stay a great one. Would definitely return and highly recommend this hotel.

Expensive, but not really justified compared to other hotels we have stayed in.

Had a wonderful one night stay. The outdoor soaking tub with view of shrine was heaven, as was the dinner and breakfast. Really helpful to speak at least basic Japanese, though - the lady who showed us our room spoke no English, she was very patient and gracious, but we wouldve been lost if we didnt speak any Japanese at all. The staff at the front desk spoke more than enough english for check in/out, as did the shuttle bus driver, so dont be totally put off even if you dont speak Japanese. An unforgettable experience in an iconic location.

We enjoyed an elaborate multi-course dinner in a private setting. But the breakfast next morning was served in what looked like a convention space, and the food was poor quality. The hotel is well located. But our room, although large, was disappointing. All in all, this hotel did not live up to the very positive online reviews.

fantastic staff. Great location, walkable to all key sightseeings and shopping. our traditional sukiya style japanese suite with open air bath is so large, super clean. The Japanese breakfast and dinner is second to none.

Good hotel and convenient location. Direct view of the Torii from the rooms

Almost a disaster at check in when, despite booking for a family of four (all ages declared) for dinner, bed and breakfast, staff advised they would be charging us an additional ¥6,000 to cover our 2.5yr old as they assumed it was a baby and wouldn’t need a bed or food (?!). In the end we agreed that 1 meal would be sufficient to share between our 2.5 & 4.5yr old so no need to debate but not a great start. Staff were very friendly and the room was nice although we got twin beds rather than a king size bed. Dinner was a good traditional Japanese banquet, breakfast was generous portions too. Very convenient location.

The hotel staff is very nice. They offer free shuttle service from the station to the hotel anytime. The hotel is convenient to walk to the sightseeing spots.

Great hotel and staff, went out of their way to ensure we were enjoying our experience Very nice food Very convenient