Hyakuna Garan

If you catch the tide going out, consider walking from the private beach onto the exposed landmass, where you’ll encounter local fishermen, fishing or gathering seaweed. The adventurous will be rewarded with uninterrupted views, but wear waterproof footwear as the rocks are sharp.

We had an unforgettable stay in Hykuna Garan, a secluded retreat, set on a cliff-top in beautiful Okinawa. We received a warm personal welcome from the General Manager and the front of house staff, led by the lovely Kayoko, and were guided to the enormous terrace with arresting 200-degree view of the ocean. Our room, an Executive Suite, was furnished tastefully in a modern, Western-style, with nods to Japanese aesthetics. The hotel is designed in Japanese-Ryuku style, aiming to be at one with nature, utilizing the natural backdrop of ocean views and foliage, and was built with local materials. Guests are encouraged to spend their time on the hotel grounds, which includes a ZEN room, cosy library, private beach and the delightful rooftop “hojouan” or hermitages, which house individual, private outdoor baths, from which you can watch the tide and sunset.

All guests are provided with two sets of traditional pyjama-like outfits during their stay, one for inside your own suite, and one for public areas. These amazingly comfortable garments are all locally made using the finest, lightest cotton in the traditional way. The visually delectable and utterly delicious meals we had at Hyakuna Garan were among some of the best meals we have ever had. The presentation and care that went into the multi-course meals, was truly admirable. Each dish was exquisitely plated and perfectly balanced; staff give us detailed explanations of the local provenance of our meals, making us feel closer to the local surroundings.  We reluctantly returned to the realities of our urban lives, but we know that next time we need to escape from that, Hyakuna Garan will be top of our list!