Gamagori Classic Hotel

We stayed again for the first time in a while, right in the middle of Golden Week. The interior had been renovated, and everything—from the carpets to the bathroom—was very comfortable. At the same time, it still retained all the charm of a classic Hotel, and I felt it had been renewed in a wonderful way. Dinner at Rokkakudo was also excellent. For breakfast, my wife chose the Western set and I chose the Japanese set, and we finished everything. The cuisine felt even more refined than before.It has become our tradition to cross over to Takeshima Island before breakfast and visit Yaotomi Shrine. We went again this time, but perhaps due to age, climbing the steps along the approach is gradually becoming more challenging. While we’re still healthy, we’d love to stay again. It also seemed to be peak season for clam digging, and for the first time we saw that all the water up to Takeshima had receded so you could walk across on foot. It was fun to see how lively it gets during clam-digging season—almost like a festival. No matter how many times we stay here, there’s always something new that moves us.

About 50 years ago, when it was still called Gamagori Hotel, I stayed here in my 20s. Now I’m in my 70s. It’s hard to believe how much time has passed, but Gamagori Classic Hotel felt just as it did back then. Even the elevator that shows the floor with a moving needle is still there. However, I remember the elevator door being an accordion-style gate at the time; now it’s a standard door—but that can’t be helped.The service from the doorman and all staff was excellent.This time we stayed two nights at COVE, which didn’t exist 50 years ago. It used to be a traditional restaurant, and they have beautifully converted an entire single-story Japanese-style building into Accommodation—truly wonderful. We enjoyed both the nostalgic feeling of staying at a grandmother’s house and the comfort of hotel life. There is a Room where twin beds and a living area are combined, plus another double Room, and there is also an Onsen, so we were able to relax completely. Very satisfied overall. One small suggestion: a full-length mirror would have been helpful.