Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki: Your Unforgettable Japanese Escape
Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki: Your Unforgettable Japanese Escape
Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki: Where Did My Zen Go (and Could I Get Another Matcha Latte)? A Messy Review.
Okay, so let’s be real. I’m fresh off a journey to Japan, and the Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki was… well, it was part of it. And like any good adventure, it had its ups, its downs, and moments where I genuinely wondered if I’d ever see my luggage again. So buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your pristine travel blog. This is real.
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First off, finding the darn place was a mini-adventure in itself. Google Maps? Kind of helpful. My sense of direction? Let’s just say I’m still trying to figure out how to navigate my own kitchen. But hey, eventually, after a sweaty, bewildered walk, I found it. And honestly, the moment I saw the (free!) car park, my grumpy meter ticked down a notch. Score one for sanity.
Accessibility: They say they're accessible. And on paper, they are. Wheelchair accessible is a big claim, and I do commend them. The elevator was spacious, and the common areas seemed navigable. But you know what? I didn’t need a wheelchair. I did trip over a rogue floor mat in the lobby. So, yeah, maybe double-check the pathways if you’re mobility challenged. I mean, I’m all for design, but please, let’s prioritize not face-planting.
Room Ramblings - My Temporary Fortress of Calm: My room? Okay, here's where things get interesting. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Praise the tech gods! Essential for a compulsive social media scroller like myself. Internet [LAN] also available. I tried to use it once, but then I remembered I hadn't packed my LAN cable… because who packs a LAN cable anymore?
The room itself was… Japanese. (Duh.) Clean, minimalist, and with a view of… well, let's say "industrial chic." But hey, the air conditioning worked like a champ. And the blackout curtains? My savior. Jet lag and I have a very intimate relationship, and those curtains helped me sleep off my arrival in Japan.. The separate shower/bathtub was a treat, especially after a long day of sightseeing, and I loved having bathrobes and slippers at the ready. It really sold the whole "Zen" experience, which is very important, as I would later realize when trying to find my Zen (again…)
The Bathroom Brigade: I appreciated the complimentary tea and coffee maker in the room. Necessary, that coffee, to bring me here and keep me here. The hair dryer was decent. The toiletries were… well, they were fine. Nothing to write home about, but definitely did the job. Additional toilet was a godsend, as was the mirror. Also a scale, which I studiously avoided.
Now, the soundproofing! Let me tell you, I am a light sleeper, and even with the soundproofing, you could occasionally hear… something. Maybe it was the distant rumble of the train, or maybe it was the guy a few doors down practicing his karaoke skills.
Things To Do (or, "Where Did My Time Go?"):
Right, so the big draw: the Spa! Spa/sauna and steamroom. Oh, yes. The pool with a view was the best thing about this place. I mean, a stunning view? Who can complain. They also have sauna and a swimming pool [outdoor]. Now, I’ll be brutally honest. I'm not a huge spa person. I'm more of a "sit on the couch and watch trash TV" kind of gal. But… I went. And, you know what? The massage was amazing. Truly incredible. I’m not sure what kind of ancient Japanese magic they were working, but the knots in my shoulders practically dissolved. I think I might have even snored a little. It was that good. The foot bath was a nice touch too. (Though I did witness a child attempting to use it as a personal swimming pool.)
The fitness center? Yeah, I walked past it. Twice. The second time I was wearing pajamas. That pretty much sums it up. Also, they have a gym/fitness. (See above). And a body scrub and body wrap? I didn't go, but based on the massage experience, I'm guessing they were probably heavenly.
Food, Glorious Food (and Coffee):
The Breakfast Buffet was a mixed bag. Seriously. There was the “Western breakfast” (which was… well, it was there. And fine). Then there was the “Asian breakfast” (much more my style, packed with interesting flavours). There was even a vegetarian restaurant, which I appreciated. And the coffee? Okay, the coffee was good – but the matcha latte situation… (I'm a matcha latte addict, you see) was inconsistent. Some days it was perfection, other days it was… well, let’s just say it tasted more like green pond water. Consistency is key, people!
We're talking Restaurants, Bar, Poolside bar, Coffee shop and Snack bar. More, the Happy hour was short but sweet, and the A la carte in Restaurant was to die for.
Service and Convenience… or the Quest for the Lost Laundry:
The staff were fantastic. Seriously, they were always polite, helpful, and tried their best. Though there was the laundry service… let’s just say my favorite sweater went AWOL for a day. Thankfully, it was eventually recovered (phew!). They do offer dry cleaning, and laundry service, so learn from my mistake!
**Important note on amenities: **
They offer a ton of stuff: Air conditioning in public area, Airport transfer, Anti-viral cleaning products, Audio-visual equipment for special events, Babysitting service, Bicycle parking, Bottle of water, Breakfast service, Business facilities, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Cash withdrawal, Cashless payment service, Check-in/out [express], Check-in/out [private], Closet, Concierge, Contactless check-in/out, Convenience store, Couple's room, Currency exchange, Daily disinfection in common areas, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Doctor/nurse on call, Doorman, Elevator, Essential condiments, Exterior corridor, Facilities for disabled guests, Family/child friendly, Fire extinguisher, First aid kit, Food delivery, Food takeaway service, Front desk [24-hour], Gift/souvenir shop, Hand sanitizer, High floor, Hotel chain, Hygiene certification, Indoor venue for special events, In-room safe box, Individually-wrapped food options, Invoice provided, Ironing facilities, Kids facilities, Kids meal, Laptop workspace, Linens, Luggage storage, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, Mini bar, Non-smoking, Non-smoking rooms, On-demand movies, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Physical distancing of at least 1 meter, Poolside bar, Private bathroom, Professional-grade sanitizing services, Projector/LED display, Proposal spot, Reading light, Refrigerator, Room decorations, Room sanitization opt-out available, Rooms sanitized between stays, Safe dining setup, Safety/security feature, Safety deposit boxes, Sanitized kitchen and tableware items, Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area, Security [24-hour], Seminars, Shared stationery removed, Shower, Shrine, Smoke alarms, Smoke detector, Smoking area, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Staff trained in safety protocol, Steamroom, Sterilizing equipment, Taxi service, Telephone, Terrace, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Valet parking, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Window that opens, Wi-Fi for special events, Xerox/fax in business center.
I mean, the list goes on and on, it's pretty fantastic.
Cleanliness and Safety – The New Normal:
I was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness. Everything felt spotless, which is exactly what you want. They have the CCTV in common areas and CCTV outside property, so you can stay safe. All the usual Covid-era protocols were in place: Hand sanitizer, staff trained in safety protocol and everything. They really did go all out on this, and I appreciated it. Also **Steril
Escape to Paradise: Pulga Sosan's Hidden Gem, Old Forest View Guesthouse
Okay, buckle up, buttercups! Prepare for a whirlwind tour of the Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki, Japan, through the unfiltered lens of yours truly. Forget polished perfection; we're going for a gloriously chaotic, semi-organized train wreck of a travelogue.
Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki: My Brain on Kurashiki (and Maybe a Bit Too Much Sake)
Day 1: Arrival, Utter Bewilderment, and the Quest for the Perfect Bed
- 7:00 AM (ish): Wake up from a flight. Wait, am I in Japan? Yeah, looks like it. The jet lag is hitting me like a sumo wrestler. My brain feels like scrambled eggs.
- 9:00 AM: Arrive at the Centurion! (Finally!) The hotel is… well, pretty classy. Lots of wood. I’m already terrified of accidentally scratching something. The lobby smells faintly of something clean but I just can't put me finger on it.
- 9:30 AM: Check in. The receptionist, bless her heart, is so polite and professional that I'm pretty sure I mumbled my name and nationality backward. All I wanna do is sleep.
- 10:00 AM: The ROOM! Oh, sweet lord, the bed. This is important. This is where the battle of jet lag would either be won or lost. The bed is like a fluffy cloud of dreams. I'm in love. I throw myself on it, fully clothed, and briefly question if I'll ever get up again.
- 11:00 AM: Reality (and hunger) bites. Time to explore. But first, coffee. Because caffeine: my lifeblood. The hotel has a cafe, but honestly? The smell of fresh coffee and the soft chatter were worth the trip alone.
- 12:00 PM: Wandering the streets. Kurashiki is absurdly charming. Like, "designed by a Wes Anderson film" charming. The canal, the white-walled buildings, it’s all a bit much. In a good way. I almost trip over myself taking photos of everything. My phone's already groaning.
- 1:00 PM: Lunch. Found a tiny, authentic ramen place. Ordered something at random. What came was SO GOOD. The broth was rich, the noodles perfect, and the slices of pork melted in my mouth. I wanted to eat the whole bowl. This is how it's done!
- 3:00 PM: Back to the hotel. Bed. Did I already mention the amazing bed? Because it's THAT good.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner! Found a restaurant near the hotel. The waiter didn’t speak much English, and my Japanese is… well, existing (I have a basic understanding of the menus though). But somehow, we managed. The tempura was divine, the sake a little too easy to drink. Uh oh.
- 8:00 PM: Stumbling back to the hotel. The world is slightly blurry, and my feet feel like lead. The hotel’s spa… I hear there's a sauna. Tempting. Very tempting.
- 9:00 PM: I made a mistake and went to the sauna with the sake still in me. The hot room was more intense than I expected and I didn't last long. I just felt a weird mix of really relaxed and slightly nauseous. Bedtime. Maybe.
Day 2: Art, Canals, and the Unexpected Beauty of a Rain Shower
- 8:00 AM: Jet lag finally decides to screw with me. Wide awake, staring at the ceiling. The bed is calling to me.
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. It's a buffet. Lots of tiny, beautifully arranged things. I mostly stick to the scrambled eggs and the delicious little pastries. I tried to eat a piece of some dried seaweed and it got stuck in my teeth.
- 10:00 AM: The Ohara Museum of Art. I'm not usually a "museum person," but this place is worth it. Gauguin! Monet! Japanese art I don’t understand but completely adore. I spent an hour staring at one painting, completely absorbed. So surreal.
- 1:00 PM: Lunch time! Wandered around, found a little cafe. I wanted to have a quick lunch but somehow I got sucked into a conversation with some locals about fishing. They were really nice, and really loved their city.
- 2:00 PM: Canals. More canals! Took a boat ride. It's cliché, I know, but it's also just… beautiful. The reflections of the buildings in the water. The gentle rocking. I almost fell asleep.
- 4:00 PM: Rain! Glorious, torrential rain! I was caught in it without an umbrella, and it was amazing. I just stood there, letting it wash over me. And you know what? It was one of the best moments of the trip so far.
- 5:00 PM: Time for a relaxing shower (the hotel’s bathroom is a dream), changing into clean clothes, feeling alive.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner. I have a craving for anything with fried food. The hotel's restaurant has tempura, so I'm back to my usual choice. The staff recognize me and smile. I realize I am starting to feel like a local.
- 8:00 PM: Strolling one last time. The night is still mild and I'm walking around the area. It's quiet, which is a nice contrast to the bustle of earlier in the day.
Day 3: Departure…and a Promise to Return
- 9:00 AM: Last breakfast in the hotel. I eat slowly, savoring the final moments. The staff are as lovely as ever. I feel almost sad to leave.
- 10:00 AM: Packing. Trying to cram all my souvenirs into my already overflowing suitcase. I probably bought way too much.
- 11:00 AM: Final walk around Kurashiki. One last look at the canals, the white walls, the magic. I promise myself I'll be back.
- 12:00 PM: Check out. Saying goodbye to the friendly staff. One last, lingering look at the hotel.
- 1:00 PM: Boarding the train. Headed for the airport, filled with memories, a slightly aching stomach, and a heart full of Kurashiki.
Reflections:
The Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki? Absolutely lovely. The bed? The stuff of legends. The city of Kurashiki? A fairytale. Did everything go according to plan? Absolutely not. Did I stumble, make mistakes, and maybe eat a little too much? You betcha. But that's the point, isn't it? To feel, to experience, to get gloriously lost in the beautiful mess of life. I'll be back, Kurashiki. You haven't seen the last of me (or my appetite).
Pune's Hidden Gem: Luxury & Comfort Await at Treebo Grand Emerald!
Okay, So You Said "Unforgettable". Is Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki Actually Worth the Hype? (And My Money?)
Alright, buckle up, because the "unforgettable" part... well, it depends on *your* definition of unforgettable, right? For *me*? Yeah, mostly. Let's be real, Japan itself is pretty unforgettable, so the hotel *had* a head start. But Centurion? It's a mixed bag, like my laundry pile after returning. Some things were *divine*, others... well, let's just say I had some choice words for that damn, stubborn showerhead at 3 AM. Seriously, I almost ended up sleeping in the bathtub! But the *feeling*... the overall *vibe* of the place, that's what really stuck. Think traditional Japanese elegance with a dash of modern comfort. Is it a wallet-buster? Not *horrendously* so, especially compared to some of the more... opulent options in the area. Expect to pay a decent chunk, but the experience, for the most part, *felt* valuable, you know? It’s not five-star, it's not a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), but it's got its own charm. Don't go expecting perfection, go expecting a damn good story to tell when you get back.
The Spa. Is it... *Spa-tacular*? Tell Me Everything!
Oh, the spa. Here we go. Okay, deep breath. It *was* good. Really. The onsen (hot spring bath) situation? Glorious. Especially after a day of pounding the cobblestone streets of Kurashiki's canal district. Picture this: steam rising, the scent of cedar wood (I think? Or maybe it was just the Japanese air!), the gentle murmur of conversations in the background – mostly in Japanese, which, hey, added to the *immersion*. Then again, I don't speak Japanese, so the constant "omg, what are they *saying*!" running through my head took its toll.
But the *experience*? Pure bliss. The water was the perfect temperature, and I felt all my stress just... *melt* away. Okay, okay, so, I *did* accidentally wander into the wrong changing room at one point. Yes, the *wrong one*. Let's just say there were some surprised stares and a very hurried, awkward exit on my part. Don’t be like me, double-check the signs! But even *that* moment, honestly? It's part of the memory. The spa *is* worth it, just... maybe read the signs *before* you strip down.
The Rooms: Cozy or Cramped? And What About the View? (I Crave a View!)
Okay, the rooms. Let's address the elephant in the room: rooms are, well, *Japanese*. Which means, space is a premium. Don't expect a sprawling suite. I’d say, think a well-designed small apartment. Everything is thoughtfully arranged to maximize the available space. Personally? I’m a sucker for a good futon, and let me tell you, the *sleep quality* was fantastic. I slept like a log!
As for the view... it's a bit of a lottery. Some rooms face the canal district, which is, let's be honest, *gold*. Others, not so much. I *didn't* get the best view, and I'll admit, I was a *little* envious of the folks sipping their tea on their balconies overlooking the picturesque scenery. But hey, at the end of the day, I wasn’t *in* the room *all* the time, was I? I mean, I was out exploring the beauty, right? So, expect potentially beautiful and potentially “meh”, its all about the luck of the draw.
Breakfast! Is it a Japanese Feast or a Continental Compromise? Because, Food is Life.
Breakfast. My *favorite* topic. Food is, as you rightly said, *life*. The breakfast at Centurion... was good. Not mind-blowing, but solid. They had a good mix of Japanese and Western options. Think: fresh fruit, pastries, eggs, bacon (yes!), rice, miso soup, pickles, and all sorts of things I could barely understand but gladly shoved into my face. I’d say it leans towards the Japanese side, but there's enough for the more 'continental' travelers to keep them happy. The rice balls though? Absolute *gold*. Seriously, the best rice balls I’ve ever had. I basically spent the entire breakfast trying to replicate them in my head, which didn't work, obviously. I'm no Japanese chef! But the breakfast? Definitely a strong point. Fuel for a day of exploring!
Location, Location, Location! Is it a Pain or a Pleasure to Get Around?
The location? Fantastic. Okay, seriously, the location is a *win*. Centurion is perfectly positioned. It's basically in the heart of the action. Right in the canal district, super close to all the beautiful merchant houses and museums. You can walk pretty much everywhere. The main train station is about a 15-20 minute walk, which is great for exploring beyond Kurashiki. I’m not going to lie, sometimes I just *stumbled* out of the hotel and found myself in the middle of something amazing. And that is *my* definition of a good location. It wasn't a "pain" at all. Quite the opposite. It's a major draw for the hotel, in my book.
What About the Staff? Were They Helpful or... Unhelpful? (Because I’m Awkward in New Places)
The staff? Generally, very helpful. They were polite, professional, and, most importantly, *patient* with my limited Japanese. I had some awkward moments, trying to order ramen in the wrong place, asking for directions that I clearly didn't understand, but the staff handled it with grace. There was a lovely woman at the front desk who spoke fantastic English and helped me sort out a train ticket that I had completely messed up. Saved my life (or at least, my itinerary!). They made me feel welcome, which is a huge plus when you're a frazzled traveler in a new country. And yes, sometimes the smiles felt a tiny bit... practiced. But hey, it's a hotel, they're trying to be welcoming, and they did a pretty damn good job.
Okay, Spill the Tea! The *One* Thing You *Hated* About the Hotel? (Don't Hold Back!)
Alright, alright. Fine. My *one* major gripe? That damn showerhead. Seriously! I'm still having nightmares. It was a beast. The water pressure was either a trickle or a full-on firehose, with no in-between. Finding the sweet spot felt like completing a level in a video game. And that Maradona's Medan Magic: The Ultimate Indonesian Guesthouse Experience
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