The Mana Village - Tosashimizu, Kochi

J B.

We stayed in two different room categories, and would like to share our experience in a constructive and respectful way:

1) Modern ocean-view room (high price category)

The room itself is beautiful, however after sunset a serious issue occurs: dozens of green beetles enter through the window seals even when the windows are completely closed. It appears that certain areas were patched, but unfortunately not in a professional manner.
At this price point, it is disappointing that the room cannot be used with the lights on after dark.
For future guests: after around 18:00, keeping the lights off and going to bed early seems to be the only way to avoid insects, as simply closing the windows and curtains is not sufficient.

2) Japanese-style room with private bath

This room category feels noticeably worn out, and the high rate is not fully justified.
On a positive note, the windows here are properly sealed and no green stink bugs entered the room.

3) Open-air onsen

To the management: regular preventive pest-control services are available in Japan, and would be highly recommended. The presence of cockroaches in the onsen area is unpleasant for guests.
For the comfort of future visitors, we kindly suggest addressing this issue. A renovation may also be worth considering.

4) Complimentary drinks

Beer is unfortunately not included.
Regarding the plum wine: it is always served with bonito flakes. Even when requesting it without, the same spoon appears to be used for preparing the salted rim as for the bonito flakes, resulting in the drink still tasting strongly of fish.

5) Staff professionalism

While some staff members were very kind, the overall level of professionalism did not meet expectations for a hotel of this category.
More consistent training would greatly improve the guest experience.

6) Breakfast

The quality of both Japanese and Western dishes was surprisingly low. For a hotel of this level, a higher standard would be expected. If maintaining quality is challenging, it may be preferable to simplify the offering.

7) Pizza

The pizza served on-site unfortunately lacked flavor and texture, and was essentially warm, soft dough. It may be better to discontinue this dish unless the preparation can be improved.

8) Welcome drink (Aperol Spritz)

We kindly suggest providing training to bar staff on how to prepare a proper Aperol Spritz. The current version does not resemble the standard recipe, and if this cannot be improved, it may be better to offer a different welcome drink.

rose L.

Beware!

After spending hours planning a trip to visit this Onsen , I came across a not so clear description on their website (descriptions of rooms) that private baths in rooms are not based on hot spring water. I even asked a Japanese friend to call to confirm. Since I’ve noticed no one has mentioned this I thought to post a warning for all. Our family decided to not book in the end as for such a high price tag we expect to soak in hot spring water in our rooms. It’s a shame considering the views from hotel looks amazing .

Olivier L.

Very nicely renovated hotel. Well equipped rooms. View over the ocean. An onsen with an outdoor part, overlooking the cliffs and raging sea. Great staff at front desk and restaurant. Excellent breakfast (I had the Japanese option). A pity the restaurant was closed on Wednesday- but there is a little café not far (ケープ）. Great location for nature lovers. But a bit remote from supermarkets etc. i would definitely recommend and return.

T P.

I hadn't had the chance of living here eventually but wish to express my gratitude towards the staff here. I made a booking at the Mana Village, and on that single day, I was informed that the only train going into 足摺岬 was cancelled due to JR issue. I understand there is a non-cancellation policy but tried to call them, and they had agreed to waive the fee and also told me to re-visit them next time.
I am not strictly speaking a guest but their willingness to go the extra mile shows their hospitability.
ありがとうございます

Mathys R.

This is one of the best hotels I've stayed at in my entire life.
I wasn't really sure at first what we were in for, but from the breathtaking view on the pacific ocean (in the restaurant and in the outdoor onsen), to the stunning scenery in and around the estate, it is very a pleasure to stay there. The area is definitely one of the most stunning places in Shikoku!

Tea M.

We heard great things about this place through a friend so we thought we would try it for a night. It was a bit of a drive from the city but there are lots of things to do along the way so it's worth it! (i.e. Kochi Ashizuri aquarium, Underwater aquarium, Tatsukushi coast in general, Cape Ashizuri, John Manjiro's birthplace etc). The place is recently renovated and reopened. The lobby area had a high ceiling and big windows overlooking the ocean with a coffee bar and the rest of the amenities and suites are in what appears to be an older part of the building which is still clean and neat. The only issue I noticed was that the amount of walking and stairs within the resort. My older family members definitely had a hard time having to walk up to the 3rd floor restaurant for supper and breakfast as we did not see an elevator. The resort is big with lots of indoor and outdoor areas to explore. The rooftop patio was definitely where we spent most of our time sipping drinks, eating food, and enjoying the sweet ocean breeze! The service at the restaurant was at times very slow but overall the staff were sweet and welcoming. Our suite had an private outdoor bath and it was so fun to be able to take relaxing bath anytime of the day. There were bugs outside but it is what you get for being in a beautiful lush nature!

Naïla R.

From the comments and an advice from a tattooed friend, I came here. But when I asked at the counter if tattoos where really allowed, I was refused the entrance. The bath looked amazing, so I was very sad 😢

Trip.com M.

Cannot ask for more from this hotel. Everything is perfect. We have the best accomodation in here while in Shikoku, where we have stayed in 9 hotels. It was simply the best. The environment is recluse, though it is highly accessible with cars. The star-gazing experience in onsen is once in a lifetime. It was magical to bath under the starry night. The dining experience is exceptional, though it is a little pricey, compare to the dinner we have throught Shikoku. Still, I highly recommend to try the Japanese-style course The Manna provided.