Pick-up from Yakushima Airport was excellent. We were greeted by Mayuri (I think this was her name!) who drove us back and gave us a really comprehensive brief on the hotel, the island and what we could get up to during our stay. Sankara is located what feels like half way up the side of the mountain so you have a majestic panorama of the sea in front of you, and a tropical mountain behind you. When it rains you can see huge waterfalls gushing down from the peaks. It's really spectacular. Check-in was welcoming and seamless. Bags already in our room when we got there. The room itself was phenomenal. It reminded me of being in Thailand - really tropical, very large, and well-equipped. Welcome snacks and a comp minibar were great. The bed was massive and comfortable - really easy to sleep well here. The bathroom was massive and had excellent Thann toiletries. The food at Sankara really makes it stand out. The breakfasts are superb and fill you up for the day. They change buffet options just enough each day to keep things interesting. Their baked options are, oh, wow... Custard tarts, curry bread, black tea melon pan... The dinners are otherworldly. The main restaurant, which was included in our price, had an excellent daily menu with phenomenal specials. We 'upgraded' to the fancier restaurant upstairs one night and had an even more elevated experience - an exquisite menu and elevated service. I also fell in love with Nanbu Bijin sake here. They have a great range of local shochus and beers too. The main lounge is open all day and they have beer/shochu on tap - as well as a great selection of snacks and baked products (which are all excellent). They also put out a full bar each evening for happy hour. They do car hire here which made exploring the island so easy (includes insurance and petrol - think I spent Y6,600 for several hours). They also rent out waterproof clothing - and hiking boots - making is SO easy to explore and trek up the island's famous mountains. There was a full-on typhoon here during one of our days but it didn't matter - just added to the atmosphere of the hotel, in which we had a snug and lazy day. The gym is simple but sufficient for anything you need - important for burning off some of the calories from all the great dining options they have. The pool is awesome - but a little cold while we were there. But it's the staff here that make it so special. They always seem to anticipate your needs - and do so in such an unobtrusive, subtle, accommodating way. I've never come across anything like it in Japan. I will definitely come back one day. There's so much more I could say but words wouldn't do it justice. You have to experience this magical place for yourself.
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