Reading54

Looking for input from folks who have been to Naha Okinawa.

I am tasked to select a 5-star hotel for my brother and sis-in-law. They are seniors and are on a 4-night stop-over in Naha between Honshu Japan and another country in Asia.

They are looking for a relaxing environment to chill, convenient for dining and safe for strolling. No water sports or sports of any kind. Budget? Not more than USD$400/night.

Is Hotel Collective near Kokusai Dori a good choice?
How about JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Naha? (From Google Photos, it looks like rooms with large windows and views of the ocean.)
Any others to consider?

Thanks in advance.

curiousgeo

We are staying at the JR Blossom on our Fall trip to Okinawa to visit family. The Blossom is definitely not a 5 star property, but one recommended to us by Okinawan friends. Clean, comfortable and close to but not right on Kokusai Dori which is described as similar to Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki.

From what I’ve heard from people who have traveled to Okinawa, the higher end hotels are ocean front resorts away from Naha. Have you looked at the Hyatt?

Reading54

Good morning Geo,
Thank you for your feedback.

Yes, I did look at the "Hyatt Regency Naha, Okinawa". Did not find it special.

This morning, I also found the "Southwest Grand Hotel" (near Kokusai Dori and Hotel Collective). The online reviews make it sound like a good choice.

ChgoGal

Hi, Reading54 .

I'm half Okinawan, and was just there last May and returning in a few months. Both Hotel Collective and JR Blossom look great. As I've not stayed at either, I would just check tripadvisor reviews but the location for both are great. Breakfast buffets are a big thing in Naha, so hopefully they are big breakfast eaters and like Japanese food. Kokusai Street and Naha are very safe for strolling and will offer lots of dining options.

I stayed at the Palm Royal in the RAM tower, and thought it was a lovely hotel. Not 5-star, though, and the RAM Tower has the nicer rooms. Also, if they are more comfortable in a 5-star, more western-style hotel, the above hotels may be a better choice.
https://palmroyal.co.jp/en/
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...refecture.html

If they don't have mobility issues, with 3 full days, they may want to hop on the monorail to see other sites.
Monorail:
https://www.yui-rail.co.jp/navi/

Or the Bus: They can catch the airport shuttle bus from the Okinawa Prefecture Gov't Building up to the Aquarium, which will let them see some of the northern beaches and get out of Naha, but it's a longer bus ride, so they'd need to be prepared for that (meaning using the restroom and not drinking too much water beforehand). If they are seniors, that's a consideration. https://www.okinawa-shuttle.co.jp/en/

For Okinawa soba, maybe they can taxi to Sobe Soba one afternoon. https://sobe.main.jp/ Or go to the "food village" off Kokusai: https://kokusaidoori-yataimura.okinawa/

On Kokusai Street, they can wander the warren of shops in Makishi or Heiwa Dori. They can visit the department store Ryubo. They should try Mos Burger or A&W. There are some tacky, tourist places along Kokusai street, so it takes a bit of effort to find the better Okinawan restaurants, like Beni-imo (sweet purple potato), goya champuru, and Okinawa soba.

Nice of you to help them. I hope they have a good time in Naha. Depending on the month, the weather can be really hot and humid, so they should bring sunglasses, sunhat/parasol, and sunblock.

ChgoGal

The Southwest Grand looks nice, too, but it's ranked 89th in Naha on TA. There's more google reviews, though. One review said they didn't have CNN/BBC as an English language channel. Unless they have an Ipad with vpn, it helps A LOT to have a TV channel they can understand. Maybe the hotel has updated their TV offerings since then, but that would make it a NO for me.

Maybe look at Rakuten Travel as a good hotel site to research for Okinawa hotels.

If the #1 ranked Hyatt Regency is not seeming like what they'd like, they may want to look at a resort hotel further north. Naha is a densely-packed city, and has its own charms, but it's not the location for quiet and nature, or necessarily ocean views from a hotel window. Most Naha hotels in a convenient location for strolling will mostly have views of the city. It's a garrison island with lots of American culture and as much tourism as Hawaii, so Kokusai street is bustling. I still find it relaxing, as it's very safe, and I like people watching and will wander at my own pace, but if your family wants fewer people, they need to get away from the city. The island is small, and heavily populated from Naha to Onna. Really, I think they'd be happy with many of the 4-5 star Naha hotels. The local population is generally extremely kind and service-oriented, so I believe they'll be treated well.

ChgoGal

Not sure if my post will go through or not. appears to be stuck with moderators.
But look at The Naha Terrace or Kariyushi Exes Resort. My cousins mentioned the Rihga Royal Gran, too, but I opted for Kokusai Street.

The Southwest Grand isn't rated highly/much on TA but does have some Google reviews. One stood out in saying they didn't have one English language channel on the tv. Unless your relatives have an ipad with vpn, that would make it a no for me. That review was 6 months old... maybe it's changed since then.

From Naha to Onna, the island is densely populated, so hotels will be be smack dab in that. Not a lot of ocean views. If your family wants few people, beachside walks, nature and quiet, and most meals from hotel restaurants, they may want to look up north at those resorts. Naha is bustling, but I still find it relaxing as I'm not driving, can walk at my own pace, and feel extra safe (compared to a US city). Good luck!

Reading54

Hello ChgoGal,

Thanks for your abundant of info. My guess is that they will get around by taxi because it is quicker without having to figure out the transportation system(!)

I'll make sure they seek out the Beni imo, goya champuru and Okinawa soba.

I am leaning toward choosing the "Southwest Grand Hotel".

ChgoGal

Hope they have a wonderful time!

Reading54

Thank you.
Their trip is at the end of October.

ChgoGal

That's usually a nice time to visit. We like to go in November, usually. But with climate change, the weather has been all over the place. Even in October, temps may be in the 80's but humidity will be lower. Nights can be chilly though.

We'll be there mid-October. I've got an airbnb for 1 week, but I'm getting a hotel the last few days to be pampered, and the hotels we're discussing are tempting me. Okinawa is so much cheaper than Tokyo, it's wonderful to pay $100-150 night and stay so comfortably w/b'fast included. In Tokyo, in this off-season, I'm looking at around $225 for a mid-range hotel, no b'fast. Twin beds really shoot the price up, though.

Reading54

ChgoGal,

Thanks again for your generous input about Okinawa. This will be my brother and sister-in-law's first, and likely the only, visit to Okinawa, so they want to splurge a bit from what they usually do.

I was in Japan last July and will be in Japan again this October. I have found out the room rates (for a Superior Twin) of the hotel in Tokyo I stayed at jumped about 40% this year. Moreover, on a Saturday night, the rates hiked another 30 ~ 40% from its weekday rates.

But, everything is more expensive at home too.