Japan
325 hotels on map
325 hotels

904-0404 Okinawa, Onna, Serakaki 79-1, Japan
You know what hit me first about Oriental Hills Okinawa? The silence. I mean, you're literally perched on these limestone cliffs in Serakaki, and once you step out of your car (parking's actually really easy here, by the way), there's this incredible hush that settles over everything. It's like the...

905-0208 Okinawa, Motobu, 新里170-5番池, Japan
Look, I've stayed at a lot of resorts in Okinawa, but Ayurwellness Resort honestly caught me off guard – and I mean that in the best way possible. You know how most places in Motobu are either right on the tourist strip or buried so deep in the countryside you need GPS just to find a convenience...

768-0062 Kagawa, Kanonji, 観音寺市有明町5-49, Japan
I'll be honest – when I first pulled up to Hotel O Setouchi in Kanonji, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. The building sits quietly in the Ariake area, and from the outside, it's understated in that way that either means you're about to be pleasantly surprised or slightly disappointed. Well,...

Oceanfront Villa Hale Kahakai プライベートサウナ
239-0843 Kanagawa, Kōembō, 津久井2-2-15, Japan
You know what caught me off guard about Oceanfront Villa Hale Kahakai? The fact that it's actually in Kōembō, not some touristy beachfront strip – I mean, when you see "oceanfront" in the name, you're expecting Kamakura or Enoshima crowds, right? But this place sits quietly in the Tsukui area, and...

259-0314 Kanagawa, Yugawara, 湯河原温泉, Japan
You know what caught me off guard about The BASE GLAMPING YUGAWARA? I mean, I'd heard about this whole glamping trend, but honestly wasn't sure what to expect when I rolled up to this place tucked away in the Yugawara onsen district. The thing is, they've actually nailed that sweet spot between...

高級旅館竹のやー貸切サウナ風呂ー道頓堀5分ー難波10分ー新規オープン
542-0072 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, 高津2丁目4−12, Japan
Look, I've stayed in plenty of ryokans across Japan, but this place in Osaka's Kozu district absolutely floored me – and honestly, I wasn't expecting much from a brand new property. The name's a mouthful (something about luxury ryokan with private sauna bath), but once you're inside, you get why...

399-9301 Nagano, Hakuba, Hokujo 4715-28, Japan
Honestly, I wasn't expecting much when I first pulled up to Le Sauna Villa Hakuba – the address on Hokujo had me thinking it might be tucked away in some forgotten corner of the village. But you know what? Sometimes the best places are the ones hiding in plain sight. This 4-star spot sits perfectly...

389-0193 Nagano, Karuizawa, Karuizawa 1016-85, Japan
You know what? I've stayed at a lot of places in Karuizawa over the years, but The Prince Villa honestly feels like someone took the concept of a mountain retreat and actually did it right. It's tucked away in this quiet corner of the resort area – not right on the main strip where all the outlet...

600-8126 Kyoto, Kyoto, Shimogyo-ku Kagiya cho 342, Japan
I'll be honest – finding Marufukuro tucked away on Kagiya-cho was like discovering a secret that locals had been keeping to themselves. You know how some places in Kyoto try so hard to be traditional that they feel like museum pieces? This isn't one of those. Walking up to the entrance, there's this...

891-4402 Kagoshima, Yakushima, Mugio 553, Japan
Look, I've stayed at a lot of places in Japan, but Sankara Hotel & Spa on Yakushima completely caught me off guard – and I mean that in the best way possible. You know how most island hotels either go full resort-tacky or try so hard to be "authentic" that they forget about comfort? This place...

Urari Takeo Garden Terrace Spa Resorts
843-0021 Saga, Takeo, Takeocho Oaza Nagashima 15750-1, Japan
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect when I first pulled up to Urari Takeo Garden Terrace Spa Resorts – the name's quite a mouthful, and you know how these spa places can sometimes be all show and no substance. But walking through those entrance doors, I immediately got why this place has such a...

SETOUCHI RETREAT by Onko Chishin
799-2641 Ehime, Matsuyama, Yanaidanimachi 794−1, Japan
Look, I've stayed at my fair share of fancy places around Japan, but SETOUCHI RETREAT by Onko Chishin just hits different. Tucked away in Yanaidanimachi – honestly, you'd drive right past it if you weren't looking – this place feels like someone's incredibly stylish secret hideaway that they finally...

Blue Ocean Hotel&Resort MIYAKOJIMA
906-0502 Okinawa, Miyako Island, Irabu Ikemazoe 1101-1, Japan
Look, I've stayed at a lot of places across Okinawa, but this Blue Ocean spot on Miyako Island? It actually lives up to that 9.6 rating – and honestly, I'm usually pretty skeptical of those numbers. The thing is, you're way out on Irabu Island (which technically connects to the main Miyako Island...

989-0916 Miyagi, Zao, Togatta Onsen Aza Uwanohara 88-11, Japan
Look, I've stayed at plenty of ryokans, but Chikusenso in Togatta Onsen is honestly something else entirely. You know that feeling when you pull up somewhere and immediately think "okay, this is going to be good"? That's exactly what happened when I first saw this place nestled into the hillside –...

106-0031 Tokyo-to, 港区西麻布1-13-17, Japan
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect when I first pulled up to HOTEL MINATO in Nishi-Azabu – the name's pretty straightforward, but you know how that can go either way with hotels. Turns out this place is actually one of those rare finds that gets everything right without trying too hard to...

605-0932 Kyoto, Kyoto, 431 Myohoin Maekawacho, Higashiyama Ward, Japan
Look, I've stayed at my fair share of luxury hotels in Kyoto, but Six Senses actually made me rethink what a high-end experience should feel like in this city. It's tucked away in Higashiyama Ward on Maekawacho – honestly, the first time I went looking for it, I walked right past because it blends...

530-0003 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, 2-4-32, Dojima, Kita-Ku, Japan
Honestly, I wasn't expecting much when I first walked into the Four Seasons Osaka – I mean, how different could another luxury hotel be, right? But this place actually surprised me. It's tucked into the Dojima business district, which sounds boring until you realize you're literally a five-minute...

381-0401 Nagano, Yamanouchi, Hirao 3071-1, Japan
You know how some places just feel right the moment you walk in? That's Shoraiso for you. Tucked away in Yamanouchi up in Nagano prefecture, this 5-star ryokan sits in what I'd honestly call one of Japan's most underrated spots. I mean, everyone rushes to Hakone or Kyoto, but here you're in proper...

105-0001 Tokyo-to, Minato-ku Toranomon 2-10-4, Japan
You know what hit me first when I walked into The Okura Heritage Tokyo? The smell – not the usual hotel lobby mix of cleaning products and air freshener, but something subtle and woody that actually made me slow down and breathe deeper. This place reopened a few years back after they demolished the...

066-0012 Hokkaido, Chitose, Bibi New Chitose International Airport International Terminal Building 4F, Japan
Honestly, I was skeptical when I first heard about a hotel literally inside New Chitose Airport – I mean, airport hotels usually scream "desperation booking," right? But Portom International Hokkaido completely flipped that assumption on its head. You walk off your flight, take the elevator up to...

107-0061 Tokyo-to, Minato-ku Kitaaoyama 2-14-4, Japan
Honestly, I wasn't expecting much when I first walked up to The Aoyama Grand Hotel – the entrance is actually pretty understated for a five-star place, tucked away on this quiet side street in Kitaaoyama. But you know what? That's exactly what makes it special. While everyone's fighting crowds at...

Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou AO no ZA
066-0281 Hokkaido, Chitose, Shikotsuko Onsen Bangaichi, Japan
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect when I first pulled up to Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou AO no ZA – the name's a mouthful, but locals just call it "AO no ZA" and trust me, once you're there, you'll understand why this place has such a reputation. It sits right on the edge of Lake Shikotsu,...

605-0821 Kyoto, Kyoto, Higashiyama-ku, Kiyoi-cho 480, Japan
Look, I've stayed at plenty of fancy places in Kyoto, but Sowaka actually gets it right in a way that most hotels completely miss. It's tucked into this impossibly narrow street in Higashiyama – and I mean narrow, like you'll wonder if your taxi can even fit down Kiyoi-cho. But that's exactly what...

044-0081 Hokkaido, Kutchan, Yamada204-19, Japan
You know, I've stayed at a lot of places in Niseko over the years, but MUWA really caught me off guard – and I mean that in the best possible way. It's tucked away on this quiet stretch in Yamada, which honestly feels like you're staying in someone's perfectly curated neighborhood rather than just...

410-0849 Shizuoka, Numazu, Sembon Gorin 1907 , Japan
You know what struck me first about Numazu Club? It's this quietly sophisticated place that doesn't try too hard to impress you – which, honestly, makes it even more impressive. Tucked away in the Sembon area, it's got this perfect location where you're close enough to everything but far enough from...