Shenzuhanten

On my family trip to Japan our hosts took us on a visit to Izu, Japan. This is a hot spring area near Atami and Hakone, about 2-3 hours from Tokyo. The Chinese Petit Hotel Shenlong is a gem of a place. It provided a wonderful night of respite as we were recovering from jetlag. It is family owned and operated. The husband is the chef and the Chinese style dinner he prepared on our stay was fantastic. Breakfast is provided in the morning as well and the fresh fruit was amazing. There are two private hot spring pools available for use. There is no need to disrobe in front of family or friends! The rooms were comfortable with a small private bathroom in each room. The setting of Izu is absolutely beautiful. There is a small trail through the wood near the hotel and my children, ages 10 and 11 loved our morning walk there. The downside of this place is that it is out of the way and would probably require a car for a visit. Second, the owners speak almost no English so if you want to stay keep a phrasebook handy if you don't speak some Japanese.