LiVEMAX RESORT Izu Shimoda in Shimoda

The location & private onsen were the only positives to this hotel stay. The area is beautiful and fun to explore if you rent a bike for the day!

This hotel however was dirty & uncomfortable. Prepare yourself for stairs because there are no elevators. The room we stayed in had mold behind the tub (the tub was not sealed so the wall behind was getting wet). The shower curtain was moldy. The AC unit was also very dirty & moldy. The bedding was stained & the bed was very uncomfortable. We could hear the TV in the next room & every door closing.

When we went to use the laundry (which we had to pay for & for soap), the laundry room (open to the outside) was overcome by flying ants, mosquitoes, and beetles. It was nearly impossible to wash my clothes while constantly swatting away bugs & unsuccessfully trying to keep them out of the washer & dryer. I complained & when we came back the bugs were gone and the door was closed, but I have no idea why that wasn’t taken care of before we complained.

At the end of our stay, we wanted to forward our large suitcase full of souvenirs to our next hotel. They had us fill out the form, which seemed odd as at the other hotels in Japan, the staff would handle that for us. After filling out the paper, we asked how much it would be, which the staff member answered not to worry about it. We were skeptical, but left anyway. Only to find out he had sent it for “cash on arrival”. So the suitcase was not at our next hotel when we arrived.

Overall I would not recommend this hotel if you’re staying in this area.