WAKKA

Food exceeded expectations. Outdoor patio where we at was super comfortable with great views. It rained just a bit, but the patio was still dry. The food was fresh, a lot of it grown locally I believe. There was even locally brewed beer. We rented the trailers, (both - we had 4 people). If you have a party of 4, it's well worth it to get the trailers as you get your own huge patio. We went fishing, coordinated out of the hotel - that was great too. The inland sea is very calm so no worries about getting sea sick. We caught lots of fish which was used by the facility and shared with neighboring businesses. The chef prepared a platter of the fish we caught for both grilling on our patio and sashimi. We ordered the BBQ meal as well beforehand so with the BBQ meal that they prepared and the fish we were stuffed. The BBQ meal they prepare for you, (you grill it on your own patio) is super. They store it in your refrigerator so after your bike ride, hike or fishing trip, the meal is there ready for you to grill. The bike rental was super convenient. We just rode around the island. You can easily ride around the island in a day. We opted to take it easy. We ended up eating lunch at one of the small restaurant/ Bar, (Umimachi Baru Ameri I believe is the name). It's off highway 51. 2559 Omishimacho Omi, Imabari. Food and atmosphere were great. It's hard to imagine this place - it's so isolated. You would never figure a place like this here. You can take a shuttle, (WAKKA provides) from the hotel to this restaurant. I think it's a 20 min drive or so. WAKKA provides shuttles to neighboring restaurants. There are a few that are walkable. Traffic is light so riding bikes around the island is pretty safe, even though the roads are narrow. All of the staff are very friendly and helpful.

I was expecting a reasonably nice bicycle friendly motel-like stay but Wakka was so much better! Our group of 7 stay in the geodesic tent, cottage, and residence. The tent was very comfortable with two real beds and air conditioning (all these rooms have AC), and a small private patio. The tent residence use the common bathroom. The Japanese-style cottage cottage easily slept 3, has a bathroom with shower and beautiful views of the bay and bridge. The residence was incredible, having two queen beds, a kitchen and full bath. It also has stunning views of the water. Dinner was also way better than I expected. They served meats and veggies to grill (with vegetarian options), salad, any array of drinks, and desert. Overall this one day stop on our bike tour was probably the best place we’ve stayed in Japan!

After cycling for the day, WAKKA was the perfect overnight stay. Japan in general is a very relaxed placed but this place took it to another level. Staff were very friendly and helpful, the food served here was great (some great ales were served!), and the facilities were suitable for this kind of stay. The view also speaks for itself and the photos do not do it justice.

Wakka was hands-down our absolute favourite hotel during our 3 week holiday. We wish we'd stayed longer there, it's so special. We stayed in a geodesic dome tent right by the water, which was incredible. The tent was well-stocked with a cooler, air conditioning, and storage space, as well as a lovely little private patio. We had to use the shared bathroom and shower room, but that was no problem for us. There is a large Family Mart about 1 km away from the site with everything you could need. We had biked the Shimanami Kaido from Onamichi and were exhausted and sweaty and gross when we arrived. The reception staff welcomed us in with cool towels and iced tea, and helped us get oriented and organized, making suggestions for dinner and activities. Tip: Wakka offers a lot of services, from bike rentals to excursions to meals, and it is worth checking out their website to see what you can add to your stay. For example, their rental bikes looked really nice compared to the ones we rented in Onamichi! We wish we had known more about what they offer beyond what's on Booking.com. This is a full-service facility that even non-paying guests can use (e.g. if you're cycling by, you can stop for a drink at their cafe, or get air for your bike tires, or just rest on their lawn). Really, really wonderful place.

Without doubt the most helpful staff that we came across in our month tour of Japan. Very good English, far superior to anything we encountered in other hotels and apartments where we stayed elsewhere. Friendly, informative. Thank you so much for all your help. Also our tented accommodation far exceeded our expectations and put many apartments we have stayed in to shame.