One thing that Ms. Buddha had always wanted to do is to go on a holiday with her parents, her mum had always wanted to go to Japan, so as part of a birthday gift, we decided we’d treat them to a trip to Japan. Because Tokyo is a bit too typical and they enjoy nature a bit more, we went for a road trip around the Island of Fukuoka. First stay was the Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort in Miyazaki.
We selected the resort as the first hotel because it had all the amenities and conveniences that parents would generally want within one location. For a bit more of a treat, we booked the Club Rooms next to each other so that we also had access to the Club Lounge.
The Room
First off, only when you arrive do you realise the sheer size of the grounds, the resort owns the golf course surrounding it. When we arrived, we were invited to the Club Lounge for check in and within no time we were in our rooms.
The room itself is decent size for 2 people and had a large entrance area and a nice seating area that was well used after days of 3+ hrs sat behind the wheel.
Decor reminded me of a Westernised interpretation of Japan although the bedding was very comfortable (maybe because every night I was so exhausted).
One thing about the room is that you get some amazing views.
The Gym
As with all trips, one of the more important things for me during traveling is the ability to work off any food I eat – which means that most places I go to tend to also have a gym facility. The gym at the Sheraton Grande Miyazaki was very adequate and had an amazing view whilst you worked out. Although unlike most modern hotels nowadays, the gym is not opened 24/7 so one morning when I got there at 6:50 – I had to wait about 10 mins for it to open.
Breakfast
With the Club Rooms, you had the choice of having breakfast down at the main restaurant or in the Club Lounge, and since that we were staying here several nights, we were able to try both. For the first morning, we went to the main restaurant – options were quite varied and to be honest, there was something for everyone!
The Club Lounge
Like many of the Club Lounges at hotels globally, the lounge offers breakfast, tea and also evening cocktails – the lounge itself is located in the higher floors of the building so you get the amazing views.
The Lounge itself actually has a darker and more elegant tone, which is something I would’ve preferred in the rooms as well – I suspect the hotel has gone through various stages of renovations as well.
In terms of the variety of food available, the range is slightly less during breakfast, although the quality seems to be a little better, the added benefit of the lounge is that it’s less crowded so you can enjoy a bit of tranquility.
For the evening cocktail hours, you get the typical drinks, but I restrained myself a little more in front of Ms. Buddha’s parents! It was nice during the alone moments to be allowed to recharge as an introvert.
The grounds
Apart from the various main spots of the hotel, for those looking to explore, there’s a dedicated garden to explore for guests to just take in the enormous size of the property’s reach; and also just the size of the main building itself.
Overall the stay was very nice and I was extremely pleased to see Ms. Buddha’s parents enjoying themselves!!
Buddha Explores 