SANKARA Hotel & Spa Yakushima

I had a wonderful stay at Sadakata Hotel in Yakushima. The staff were exceptionally kind and went out of their way to help me when my flight was delayed, even arranging an airport pickup despite the schedule change. When a typhoon was approaching, they also assisted me with arrangements to safely leave the island, which I deeply appreciated. The meals were absolutely delicious—perfect after a long day of hiking—and the relaxed atmosphere made it an ideal base for exploring Yakushima’s trails. Highly recommended for anyone looking for warm hospitality and support during their adventure on the island!

Really special hotel on a really special island. We stayed at one of the Manasa 2nd floor villas and loved every bit of our stay - especially the kind staff and the amazing kitchen and food experience (upgrade for Okas is totally worth it, although Ayana is delicious as well). Big soak tub in room was awesome. Basically everything here was awesome. ||It's expensive but I think worth the price. Attention to detail and thoughtfulness was outstanding, staff was so friendly and a great balance of giving you space and attentive. We will definitely be back.||You are on a somewhat tropical island, so there will be some bugs around like moths, or small spiders, and they were harmless. If I had to nit-pick the pillows were not my favorite (one large firmer buckwheat-ish pillow and one very flat soft pillow) as I like a medium thickness (but firmer) pillow, but I also didn't bother to ask and maybe they had other pillows available.

Literally the best hotel I’ve ever stayed at. If there was such a thing as “six stars,” they should have the designation. And I’ve stayed at five star properties. Food was exceptional. Room was huge, spotlessly clean, 100% private, and beautifully appointed. The private bath was eye-popping and wonderful. Beds were perfect. But the best part by far was the service—the level of care, the attention to detail. Rio, Jun, and Tommy were among the many staff we interacted with. Rio was kind, natural, thorough in explaining the facilities. Jun was a whiz with wines and food recommendations. Tommy noticed my left-handedness and made sure my place setting was arranged to accommodate it at every meal. I was blown away. Hidden gems: fabulous e-bikes for rent, free cookies and snacks in the lobby and room, corn ice-tea, and free passes to the beautiful onsen at their sister property, Samana.

World class service, food, and accommodations all alongside a once in a lifetime natural landscape views. A trip to Japan is not complete unless you visit Yakushima. A trip to Yakushima is not complete unless you stay at the Sankara. Sankara boasts everything you want - attentive service, breathtaking views, world class food / drink, tailored recommendations for attractions (hiking guides, boutique woodcraft from the local wood, hiking rentals). To give you an idea of the level of service - I couldn’t even carry a towel in from the pool without a staff member running to carry it for me. Everything at the hotel is incredibly reasonably priced especially given the hotels acclaims as a Michelin Key location. Their room prices aside, they could easily double their food / service prices given their acclaim. Two special shouts outs for making our stay special: 1) Jun at the Ayana restaurant in the Sankara hotel is a waiter worth specifically requesting. He offers world class service - accommodating every special request for food, building beautiful cocktails based on his guest’s preferences, and making his guests feel like they are the only ones in the restaurant. 2) The chefs at the Ayana restaurant deserve a special shout out. They could open a restaurant based on how good their pasta is alone which is an absolute steal as an appetizer at dinner. We contemplated canceling our one remaining city in our Japan vacation just to extend our stay at the Sankara. My wife and I cannot wait to stay at the Sankara again.

It was a really nice inn. However, there was a large caterpillar in the small bowl of Japanese food at breakfast. It was prickly and looked pretty scary. When I pointed it out, the only thing they said was "Oh, sorry," which was very disappointing. I've recommended it to friends before, but I'll share it. I won't be going there again.

We have traveled to many countries and without a doubt this is one of the most beautiful accommodation we've enjoyed throughout our travels. My husband and I were surrounded by beauty, quiet and luxury at Sankara. Everything was perfect from the staff, the room, the food, and the impeccable attention to service and detail. Look no further for comfortable beds, incredible meals, and deep relaxation in your private (very large) soaking bath. The staff go out of their way to accommodate any need. They celebrated my birthday with various small touches that warmed my heart. Thank you to all for making our stay a wonderful experience.

Great hotel with fantastic amenities. What took it to the next level were the staff, extremely helpful. One particular shout out to Tommy who ended up being our waiter at dinner for a few nights. He remembered our orders from the days before, and our tiniest of preferences like the amount of salt and pepper. Generally all staff were attentive but Tommy went even one level further, with a smile to the point that after the second night we switched reservations from other restaurants just to have him as our waiter for all of the remaining nights. Well done Sankara and the whole team of staff.

Among my favorite hotels of all time. I think I will definitely come back at some point (waiting for them to join the Hilton/SLH partnership) ||Pros|- Unparalleled hospitality. Staff is very accommodating to your needs. Helped us make dinner plans, moved dinner times, suggested activities, etc. |- Room comes with pickup & drop-off at the airport|- Okras restaurant food is so good I think it might be worth going just for the restaurant. Was better than the last 3 Michelin Star restaurant I dined at (Le Bernardin).|- Property is quite beautiful|- Rental cars are available to rent on property, and hotel also has hiking equipment for rent|- Happy hour provides free drinks for about two(?) hours a day||Cons|- The property itself is on a steep incline, so there is a bit of climbing that is necessary to go to and from your room to the main building. The staff will pick you up via golf carts however, if you request, so I am thankful for that. |- The property is located quite far from the airport and is tucked away in a relatively isolated location, so going in and out of the property does take some time.

This hotel had the most amazing costumer service and friendly staff I have ever met. Hands down the best hotel I have ever stayed at. Not only did the staff have an abundant amount of knowledge about the island and Cedar trees but they also made my family and I feel so welcome.Here is a picture of the cute surprise the staff placed in our room after cleaning. All of this made my trip to Japan:)

Sankara is a delightful resort on the hillside, just a few kilometers from the coast of Yakushima. It is composed of several villas immersed in the green, and a central building which hosts a swimming pool, restaurant, library and lounge, and the spa. The apartments are spacious, stylish, comfortable, with a large bath, sofa area, bed and relax space with an additional bed. A free minibar, selection of teas, and a large luggage/wardrobe area complete the apartments. The service is impeccable, a small army of people will make sure that every moment you are attended and pampered. They will come to collect you from your villa in small golf carts and coordinate to make sure you are greeted and immediately escorted to your table or spa reservation. The food is quite good, although you may be disappointed if you expect Japanese cuisine. The resort is famous for its French cuisine, fused with the local ingredients. The spa is nicely organized for treatments of different types. However, it does not include saunas, steam rooms or such. Indeed, that's the major item missing from Sankara: in a land of onsen, there's no thermal bath, nor indoor pool. Of course you can have a nice bath in your room but that's quite different. The personalized level of service and the great rooms are what get Sankara 5 stars, in spite of the lack of an onsen and of the French cuisine.