Basara-tei (Review)

The Ago Bay, affiliated to Shima City in the south of Ise and its Grand Shrine, is a favorite resort destination for tourists looking for quietness in a stunning natural landscape.

This winding coast has therefore seen the development of many hospitality facilities and resorts by the sea or perched on the heights to provide a beautiful panorama. Basara-tei is a discreet and luxury ryokan inn located on the northern shores of the bay, and provides its customers with a relaxing and soothing hideaway.

Contemplative ambiance in a remarkable natural setting

The establishment encompasses several buildings connected together by small gardens and pathways leading to the suite, the restaurant, the spa or to one of the freely accessible relaxation lounges.

The accommodation offers an enjoyable freedom to use the indoor facilities as well as the outdoors, especially the pleasant lawn giving a view on the hotel 🏨’s private pier. It almost feels being at home with the Ago Bay as a playground. We particularly recommend the private cruise on the Basara-tei’s boat to navigate near the woody islets, the oysters farms and the fishermen’s floating huts.

The hotel’s overall ambiance is dedicated to the contemplation of the ubiquitous landscape. The many large windows opening on the blue sea and the green surrounding forest contribute to the feeling of being constantly surrounded by nature.

Upscale service targeting adults

Basara-tei has 3 categories of accommodation:

• The 15 standard suites, with superficies from 50 to 110 m², are located in the hotel’s main building. They display a modern and cozy Japanese decoration with well-defined and large spaces: a lounge, a night area and a bathroom. Each suite has a private terrace with an onsen ♨️ bath opened on the outdoor.
• The 3 villas Kairi no Hanare (Umisato no Hanare) each have a superficies above 100m² and are laid out in a separate pavilion with high ceilings.
• The 2 villas Sazanami no Hanare are the most upscale and confidential of the establishment and set in a building away from the main part of the resort. The official websites doesn’t provide English translation for the villas’ presentation, which makes them only available to Japanese speaking customers.

There is also a selection by age, as children are not allowed before they are teenagers. Basara-tei favors adults customers, especially couples who are looking for quietness and Japanese refinement, in accordance with the main activities available, such as:

• Have a drink in the beautiful decor of one of the lounges;
• Book a massage at the Aranya spa;
• Privatize one of the hotel’s shared onsen to enjoy Kashikojima hot spring’s benefits and various waters. We particularly recommend the baths Yusha Kasatei and Kuyuri Nobiri with their view on a little garden of Art Deco inspiration.

The upscale offer of the place naturally includes traditional kaiseki cuisine. The dinner is delicious, with a succession of small Japanese dishes. Likewise, the breakfast is hearty and varied. However, we found that the evening service was a bit too fast as the next plate was served before the current one was finished. On the morning, we had the nice surprise to have our tray brought back to the kitchen by a robot.

Basara-tei is making the most of its unique location to provide a luxury and comfortable accommodation in this part of the Ise-Shima area, that is still rural and timeless, ideal for a discreet couple gateway.