On top of a small hill lies INFINITO HOTEL & SPA Nanki Shirahama, which was rebranded and reopened in April as the one and only hotel resort in the Nanki Shirahama area of Wakayama Prefecture.

The hotel was originally built in 1966 and named “Hotel Green Hill Shirahama” in 2003. It closed in August 2016 for remodeling and renovation. Nanki Shirahama Airport is about a 70-minute flight from Haneda Airport, and the hotel is about five minutes by car from the airport.

Both the exterior and interior of the hotel have been rebuilt under the concept “infinito,” which means infinite in Italian. Guests are meant to attain infinite comfort while staying at the resort. Prices start from ¥23,300 with dinner and breakfast (tax excluded).

Some of the highlights of the new hotel include a lounge that boasts a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean; large outdoor baths fed directly by the hot spring of the 1,400-year-old Miyuki Gensen in Shirahama; and delicious meals cooked using locally grown vegetables, fresh seafood and meat served at the continental Giovanni and Nagi Japanese restaurants. The hotel is also near the UNESCO World Heritage site Kumano Kodo — pilgrimage routes running through Japan’s spiritual heartland in Wakayama Prefecture leading to the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano, as well as the sacred Koyasan Temple complex.

Of special note is the wonderful onsen hot spring facility, including Subaru, a semi-outdoor bath with a domed ceiling creating a romantic space with lighting patterned in the image of a star-filled sky. Additionally, there is suite with an outdoor bath on the first floor, and of the 11 rooms on the floor, eight have outdoor baths. Guests are able to completely relax on the veranda of the suite, while enjoying the sun setting on the horizon — a beautiful way to end the day.