HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island

Hotel · Japan ·

HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island

Hotel · Japan ·

Private gardens, tatami floors, French-Japanese fusion dining

Information

1955 Taketomi, Yaeyama District, Okinawa 907-1101, Japan Get directions

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

23 of The Best Luxury Hotels in Japan to Book Right Now - AFAR

"On a small Okinawan island, this resort clusters 48 red-roofed villas around coral-sand dunes and shady lanes. Villas feature large soaking tubs, day beds, and stone walls for privacy; local touches include Shisa lion motifs, fresh shikuwasa juice, and live Okinawan music sessions. Guests can stroll white-sand Kaji Beach with its star-shaped grains of sand, swim in a sunken oval pool, and enjoy spectacular night skies near an International Dark Sky Park." - Yukari Sakamoto, Adam H. Graham

https://www.afar.com/hotels/best-hotels-japan

HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

15 Best Hotels for Stargazing - AFAR

"A low-rise luxury resort built in traditional single-story wooden pavilions on a Dark Sky preserve, where a carefully designed lighting scheme keeps the island’s nights dominated by moonlight and starlight. Guests can stargaze from virtually any vantage, float in a pool that reflects the sky, attend summer outdoor dining under the stars featuring local Okinawan ingredients, participate in nightly 'Tinnu Deep Breathing' rituals, or take a traditional sabani boat for sunset viewing." - Megan Eaves

https://www.afar.com/hotels/10-hotels-where-you-can-go-stargazing

HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

15 Best Hotels for Stargazing - AFAR

"Hoshinoya Taketomi Island is a luxury resort in Japan's first Dark Sky preserve. The resort features traditional wooden villas with red-tile roofs, a stargazing pool, and a summer dining experience under the stars. Guests can participate in nighttime rituals and boat trips to enjoy the island's natural beauty." - Megan Eaves

https://www.afar.com/hotels/best-hotels-in-dark-sky-zones

HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

"The understated and modest villas at the Hoshinoya Taketomi Island resort are a far cry from the characterless concrete and stucco ofmany beach resorts, but then again, this is Japan, where tradition and elegant simplicity are standard. The island of Taketomi prohibits modern buildings and encourages the traditional practices of red-tiled roofs and gukku stone walls with embedded talismans. Accommodations are either Japanese-style with tatami mats and futons, or more western with wood floors and modern furniture; all have deep soaking tubs, private gardens, and floor-to-ceiling windows that can be fully opened to let in the outdoors. The restaurant serves nouvelle French cuisine featuring island seafood and local ingredients, and the lounge encourages guests to unwind with a beverage and a book. For more active stays, the swimming pool is heated and shaded by banyan trees, and guests may borrow a bicycle to explore the island’s white coral sand beaches and watch the sun rise and set from the observation deck. The resort is reached by ferry anda shuttle from Ishigaki port, and visitors get around the island by water buffalo cart rather than car."

The Best Hotels in Japan

Photo courtesy of Hoshinoya Taketomi Island

Hoshinoya Taketomi Island

@tablethotels

8,496 Postcards · 3,271 Cities

Hoshinoya Taketomi Island (Okinawa Prefecture, Japan) Verified Reviews | Tablet Hotels

"The Hoshinoya hotel group is nothing if not diverse, encompassing a skyscraper in Tokyo, a riverside resort outside of Kyoto, and a ryokan-style hotel in the Nagano mountains. What they have in common is a devotion to both contemporary luxury and Japanese hospitality tradition. Hoshinoya Taketomi Island adapts the concept to a beachfront resort on a small Okinawan island — a resort that’s styled after a traditional village, red tiled roofs and all, in order to comply with the island’s strict adherence to heritage architecture." - Tablet Hotels

https://www.tablethotels.com/en/okinawa-prefecture-hotels/hoshinoya-taketomi-island

Tablet Hotels

HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island

Andrew R.

Google

Having previously stayed at Hoshinoya Fuji and Hoshinoya Okinawa, this was our third visit to a Hoshinoya property. We had an excellent and relaxing 3-night stay which formed the culmination of a two week trip around East Asia, and after the liveliness of Seoul and Hong Kong was exactly what we needed to switch off and relax before heading back to the UK. Hoshinoya Taketomi has a welcoming feel, with well-appointed and spacious accommodation in a village style that enables you to feel part of the hotel community but whilst giving you the space from other guests to enjoy the calmness and serenity of the island and the Hoshnoya property. There was a good level of activities on offer and the mangrove canoeing on Iriomote Island and snorkelling in the lagoon were highlights of our whole trip. We also enjoyed hiring bikes to explore the island, swimming in the pool and sampling the local Awamori cocktails in the lounge. Once it was dark, you could gaze up at the stars and see the Milky Way. The best beaches on the island are in the west, and Hoshinoya is in the east, so we used the shuttle bus to move between the two. It’s a shame that the closest beach to Hoshinoya gets a lot of plastic washed ashore on the water currents and the tides - if the hotel could work with the local authorities to clean that up (despite not being caused by the hotel) that would help preserve the island’s nature and habitat. The hotel has just one restaurant, which was fine for our three nights due to the variety of the menu but if you stay for longer could get a little repetitive - there are several lunch spots in the village (we’d recommend Kanifu) some of which also serve dinner that doesn’t take too much advanced research. The ‘Terroir’ meal on the last night of our stay was a highlight with refined dining using local ingredients and accompanied by a well-thought out pairing drinks option. We booked the hotel restaurant in advance having read previous reviews suggesting it can sometimes be full, which whilst probably not necessary did mean we could choose our reservation timing - worth it to avoid having to eat early or risk the kitchen being shut. Staff were friendly and helpful, and very smiley and positive. In particular they went out of their way to help us - we were one of only two native English speaking guest groups staying and yet did not feel impacted by any language barrier. It’s a slower pace of life on Taketomi - that’s not a problem, and was exactly what we needed at the end of our trip - but there’s enough going on at the hotel and with the daily activities for you to be able to go exploring and still feel calm and relaxed. We’d definitely stay again.

Trevor P.

Google

Located in a quiet area in the south of Taketomi about 25 minutes walk from the village. Large spacious Japanese cabin. Massive swimming pool with 24 hours access. Beautiful grounds. The main issue was damp/condensation. Obvious stains on the walls and a massive dehumidifier whirring away. Took away much of the tranquility. Although staff were friendly, they were very disorganised and haphazard e.g. no one to greet to off the ferry, no clear method to check out, get baggage, get a lift back to the ferry.

Anonymous

Google

I never write reviews, but my recent stay left me with such a poor impression that I feel compelled to share. First, one of the hotel’s signature activities is the traditional Okinawan sailboat Sabani. It is heavily marketed as a highlight experience. However, you are only allowed to request participation after you’ve booked (in my case non-refundable). Only then did I find out it was fully booked. The activity that helped persuade me to choose this property wasn’t even available, and there was no transparency before confirming payment. Second, the dining policy felt unnecessarily restrictive. I wanted to enjoy their hot pot in-room dining option, only to be told it’s not available for solo travelers. I cannot understand why the hotel chooses to deny paying guests this option simply based on the number of people in the room. Third, the hotel’s amenities policy was baffling and discriminatory. They provide complimentary sun lotion — but only if a female is part of your party. As a solo male traveler, I was excluded from this basic courtesy. Hospitality should never be conditional in this way. Lastly, my trip coincided with a typhoon warning that could have impacted both my safety and onward travel connections. Out of caution, I departed one day early. The hotel refused to refund the unused final night, even though the decision was driven by a serious weather event beyond my control. At a minimum, a partial credit or gesture of goodwill would have been reasonable. Bottom Line: This hotel markets experiences it cannot deliver, imposes arbitrary restrictions on dining and amenities, and shows little flexibility or empathy in the face of genuine safety concerns. What should have been a memorable and authentic Okinawan stay turned into a frustrating series of disappointments. I cannot recommend this property, especially for solo travelers.

bevely L.

Google

I have wanted to stay at this hotel for years, thinking it would be like the Maldives in Japan. However, I was disappointed to find that the beach featured on the hotel’s website is not only off-limits for swimming but also littered with garbage and plastic. The air conditioning in our room was leaking water, which was inconvenient. There is only one fine dining French restaurant on-site, and aside from the set breakfast, the other meal options consist solely of Okinawa-style room service with no snacks or side dishes available. The lounge offers activities like folk singing and arts and crafts, but also doubles as a bar with a very limited menu—just honey and scones as the only snacks. While the pool is beautiful, no drinks are allowed there. This hotel, which has been around for 14 years, is well-maintained and has withstood typhoons, but it does not provide a luxury experience and isn't worth the time and effort to visit. Though there is a shuttle to a nearby town with about 6-7 restaurants open from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, the hotel staff were unable to inform us which ones would be open. We ended up ordering room service our first night because we weren’t told we needed to reserve a restaurant in advance, and many options were either full or closed. We also booked a snorkeling trip through the hotel, but were disappointed to find ourselves on a crowded boat with a large group from other tour agencies. If you’re looking for a weekend escape from Tokyo, it might work for you. However, if you're traveling from afar, I would not recommend it. The service does not meet the standards of either good Japanese or Western hospitality.

Google

One of the best places I have been in Japan. Excellent rooms and sensational food. Staff were very efficient and the bus shuttle to various sites very handy. The place is nice and quiet and allows you to relax in peace. The surrounding villages, beaches and islands were all worth a visit. You can only find this in Japan. The water buffalo rides were certainly a highlight.

Gerald T.

Google

If you ever wanted a Robinson Crusoe experience, this hotel is for you, and you never thought you can get such a tropically exotic holiday in Japan! First up the location – it’s very secluded as getting here means you need to go through both a boat and domestic plane transfer, but I assure you that everything is worth it, and you can seriously recharge your mind and escape from everything and just snuggle up in this beautiful resort and experience amazing island life when you’re here! The island itself is very small and beware because during typhoon season the boats do not run to mainland Ishigaki at all - Ishigaki connects to Naha in mainland Okinawa, but you can also fly here from other cities in Japan, like Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, so it really isn’t THAT secluded with such air connectivity! The hotel does provide a bus shuttle that brings you around the island and the beautiful beaches with crystal-clear waters and amazing fine sand – there is even a beach call “star sand beach” where you can see sand speckles that are actually shaped like stars! The hotel itself is beautiful and all rooms come in individual Ryukyu-style ‘villa’ with your own dedicated porch and entryway. Inside your room, you will find generously spaced living areas, bathroom, shower, and the very comfortable Hoshinoya bedding! The hotel, being a Japanese hotel, will also provide you with a set of pajamas for the night, and also Yukata, which you can wear and wonder around the resort, such as going to The Lounge, where local snacks are served alongside coffee and a tea cabinet comprising local herbs like Ryuku Mugwort and Okinawan bitter melon! Every evening there is also a happy hour where you can indulge in delicious local Okinawa liquor - Awamori! I also highly recommend you to have dinner in the restaurant as the food was amazing! I actually prefer the menu here more than that of Hoshinoya Tokyo, as I find the presentation and ingredients here to be more spectacular, especially those that they sauce from the Okinawa Islands! Facility-wise, the hotel is not beachfront, but, as mentioned earlier, the shuttle bus does bring ypu to the beautiful beaches on this island, and on-site, there is a huge pool that’s almost like a lagoon or a pond where you can swim under the beautiful skies. There is also a spa here which gets booked out quickly so if you want a treatment, you should get it as soon as possible when you reach the hotel. Overall, I spent six amazing nights here and I found it to be so recharging for my mind and soul that I will not hesitate to come back here again.

Krishna Pterofractal S.

Google

Such a wonderful resort. The staff were excellent. Everyone spoke English which was convenient for me. The rooms were spacious and very comfy. The dinner was divine. My wife and I had an excellent time. We made a shisa one morning which was also a lot of fun. Hard, but a lot of fun

Samuel M.

Google

We were very pleased with our stay and beyond appreciative of the attentive staff. This destination is truly something unique and unlike anything else. Per the hotel, the amenities were great, the staff does everything they can to make sure you feel special, and something very secluded. The wifi situation is probably one of the strongest we have had anywhere in Japan, but only in your room or the club / lounge space. The food all around the island is pretty much the same, and there is no convenience stores or much to stock up on things, so I highly recommend you grab all the snacks and other food you would like to have during your stay in Ishigaki before you take the ferry over. **Room service is basically your main source of dinner, unless you want to sit through an extensive fine dining experience they host in the restaurant during dinner hours. That said, I think it's an incredible experience that you only need a weekend to do. We did more than that on our stay, but I would only recommend that if you want to be away from everything and somewhere that holds true to its routes. Definitely spend time at Kondoi beach while there, and enjoy the large pool.