“Perfect stay at Kiyohime before our hike”

The accommodation and service are both impeccable! The Shiba hosts are so hospitable. The meals and the lunch boxes are so carefully made, we really felt so special. It was my birthday and I was gifted a beautiful box of pickled ume. Thank you so much for making our stay unforgettable.

“Extremely disappointed”

We made a booking for a fully self contained two bedroom apartment. Just prior to arrival we were advised via email that this was no longer available and we would now have a ‘private lockable room with shared bathroom facilities in a detached building’ - no further information was given. At that stage we could no longer get accommodation anywhere else as it was cherry blossom season and therefore very busy. We asked what discount would be offered for the change in booking and eventually we were offered ¥2000 cash discount each ($AUD42) for our ¥23,800 ($AUD251). So we were paying more than $AUD200 for a room and then had to share a single bathroom and a single toilet between 8 people. Accommodation in Japan is expensive however we felt the discount offered was insufficient considering the variation in the booking and what was offered. Eight people sharing one toilet and one shower is difficult and uncomfortable, and certainly very different from what we booked. This tainted the entire experience and made it difficult to enjoy the meal which was another ¥3300 ($AUD35pp). Then to top it off we were not given breakfast. We were asked what time we would like breakfast the following morning. We requested 6am. At 6am the house was in darkness - no breakfast was being prepared. We were also advised we would be dropped off at the start of the Kumano Kodo trail after breakfast - we walked the 2.4km to the trail head. However, just as we arrived at the trailhead the owner of the accommodation drove up at great speed and started shouting that we had left without paying for our dinner. Obviously we were unable to pay as no one was there that morning, and we knew they held our credit card details as they had charged them for our room prior to our arrival. Overall the experience was extremely disappointing and really felt like a total scam. In my opinion they should not advertise a product and then provide something totally different and continue to charge for it.

“Very inviting and comfortable stay with exceptional food.”

Yummy breakfast and dinner especially sashimi

“The place is very spacious and have a good bath.”

Very good location, nice environment, the host is also very nice, and the quality of the food is very delicious.

We were so lucky to find an accommodation on a very short notice close to Takijiri, the start of the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Trail. We were prepared to walk from the accommodation to the trailhead in the morning (about 30 minutes), but the host offered a ride for us (and the other 3 guests that were staying with him). We stayed in the downstairs apartment and found it to be very clean and spacious. There was a washing machine and dryer which can be very useful for hikers. When we arrived, there was a welcome panel in front of the house with a number to contact - we did and the host arrived right away. He lives in the neighbourhood, less than a minute away. It is also at their house, where he and his wife serve meals to their guests. It was a nice experience to meet the other guests (there were 3) during dinner and breakfast. The meals themselves were beautifully presented and so delicious. We very much appreciate that they went out of their way to offer us meals (dinner, breakfast and lunch box) with less than a day notice. We had a very good time and would not hesitate to stay here again.

“A superb way to start the Kumano Kodo”

Beautiful location, easily accessed by the bus from Kii-Tanabe. We paid for the meal option, to cover dinner, breakfast and a bento box for lunch while hiking, and the food was delicious. Our hosts looked after all our needs, including transportation in the morning a couple of kilometres up the road to Takijiri and the start of our trek on the Kumano Kodo. It was nice sharing meals with other guests who were also hiking the trail. We ended up crossing paths with them along the way.

“Comfortable and homely feeling staying at Kiyohime guest house, responsible host who is kind and helpful :)”

Wonderful clean guest house, very kind and hospitable host and wife who prepared wonderful meals :) will definitely come again!

“100%”

Everything - privacy, beautiful location, property and our hosts - wonderful.

“Really nice!”

The owners are really kind, the house has everything you need and more and the location is perfect.

Our stay was very comfortable, cozy and lovely. Hiroki and Naoko were very kind and took very good care of us anticipating our needs. We had dinner, breakfast and they prepared a lunch box, all was delicious and prepared with so much love! Thank you so much.

Hiroki and his wife have been amazing hosts. Not only did they offer to pick us up add the station but they also shuttled us to our starting location for the Kumano kodo trip. They offered us an dinner, breakfast and Bento options which Would definitely recommend you to take. The food was simply amazing and in an traditional tatami room was also a great ambience. 10/10 star's The guesthouse has a lot of small but great details which provide you with much added comfort. There was cold drinks in the fridge, a flower arrangement in the bathroom and lots information material on the Kumano kodo trail. All in all if you have the option try too book a stay at Kiyohime

“Comfortable, lovely host, great food!”

Lovely traditional guest house with all the facilities you could need, including a washer and dryer. Our host was excellent, he was very hospitable and made us the most amazing dinner spread which was very worth the money and a lovely experience. Highly recommend!

The hosts were very kind and warm and thought about every aspect of my stay. I was going to walk the Kumano Kodo and they even thought of alternate routes as there was a lot of rain. And the food was amazing!

“Very comfortable and welcoming start to our trek.”

- Great location just a short walk from the trail head for the Kumano Kodo - Hiroki & Naoko were excellent hosts. Very attentive and helpful. They served a delicious dinner and a great packed lunch for the walk. Hiroki also drove us to the trail head the next morning. - The room and facilities were all very clean and well kept.

“Great communication, exceptional hosts and spacious apartment”

It was very spacious and quiet. Our host went out of his way to pick us up/ drop us iff at the start of the Kumano Kodo. His wife made us excellent meals.

“A peaceful place, close to Takijiri Oji”

I really enjoyed my time in this place. It was very clean and comfortable. You can find everything you need to have a safe, calm and peaceful stay. I had the chance to try dinner/breakfast/lunch box that were absolutely amazing! Hiroki and Naoko are two perfect kind hosts, I truly recommend! Thanks a lot!

good place to live really nice meal

“Exceptional guesthouse and amazing hosts!”

The hosts were very lovely people, so kind and welcoming to us. We enjoyed the authentic Japanese feel of the guesthouse, how spacious and tidy it was and how easy it was to find. We got a bus from Tanabe station and got off as instructed at Kiyohime stop. Hiroki greeted us and showed us to the apartment. We had the whole top floor to ourselves with a private entrance. The food Hiroki & Naoko provided for us was delicious. They invited us in to their home (a couple of houses down) for the evening meal and breakfast, both of which were meticulously prepared and nicely presented, really lovely. They also took the time to explain the food dishes to us. The bento box was the best we have had on our trip so far! Hiroki gave us a lift to the starting point for Kumano Kodo hike the next day and transferred our luggage to the next place. We recommend Hiroki & Naoko's Place very highly, it exceeded our expectations and was the perfect restful place to stay before the start of the trek. Thank you both, Hiroki & Naoko. 🙏✨️

“We really love the food and the way the wife presents the food.The food is delicious.”

The food, the service and the house.

“Don’t miss this experience!”

Authentic Japanese accommodation. Very clean and beds were comfortable. Make sure you include dinner and breakfast in your stay. The food was superb and the host took real pride in preparing it for us. The take away lunch was just what we needed on the hike. We loved the whole experience!