SETOUCHI RETREAT by Onko Chishin

Matsuyama, Japan
Yanaidanimachi

7 Rooms

The idea of a mountain hotel in Japan carries certain connotations, most of them justified: one pictures a quiet, spring-fed ryokan, nestled unobtrusively among the foliage, library-quiet and dignified. Even more so, we might add, in Ehime, Shikoku’s quiet northwestern prefecture — a land of precipitous heights and ragged coastline, it’s the polar opposite...

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Room Count: 7 Rooms

Two-Bedroom Suite with Extra Bed and Ocean View

Two-Bedroom Suite with Extra Bed and Ocean View

1108 ft²/103 m².

Only Club members can view insider rates
Suite with Sofa Bed and Garden View

Suite with Sofa Bed and Garden View

3 Single Beds · 1140 ft²/106 m².

Only Club members can view insider rates
Suite with Sofa Bed and Open-Air Bath Upper Level Floor

Suite with Sofa Bed and Open-Air Bath Upper Level Floor

2 Single Beds · 1140 ft²/106 m².

Only Club members can view insider rates
Suite with Sofa Bed and Open-Air Bath Lower Level Floor

Suite with Sofa Bed and Open-Air Bath Lower Level Floor

2 Single Beds · 1140 ft²/106 m².

Only Club members can view insider rates
Presidential Suite with Extra Bed and Ocean View

Presidential Suite with Extra Bed and Ocean View

2 Double Beds · 1829 ft²/170 m².

Only Club members can view insider rates

794-1 Yanaidanimachi, Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, 790-2641, JPN

© OpenStreetMap contributors

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SETOUCHI RETREAT by Onko Chishin

Matsuyama, Japan
Yanaidanimachi

T

he idea of a mountain hotel in Japan carries certain connotations, most of them justified: one pictures a quiet, spring-fed ryokan, nestled unobtrusively among the foliage, library-quiet and dignified. Even more so, we might add, in Ehime, Shikoku’s quiet northwestern prefecture — a land of precipitous heights and ragged coastline, it’s the polar opposite of Tokyo’s hyperspeed urbanity. So the architectural majesty of Setouchi Retreat AONAGI, a petite mountaintop concern with views of the Seto Inland Sea, may come as something of a surprise.

We’ve got Tadao Ando to thank for that. His masterful eye informs every inch of Setouchi — patient, quintessentially Japanese cleanliness and profoundly empty stretches of space induce a reverent consideration of the materials at hand. It’s never overbearing, but it does inspire a welcome silence; gazing at the abstract rock garden or through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, you’ll most definitely feel the frenetic activity of the mind slow to match your surroundings. In Mr. Ando’s hands, concrete becomes paradoxically weightless, and shafts of light through glass seem to acquire dignity. Take the time to drink it in.

They’re right to call it “minimal luxury,” and it extends to the hotel’s seven suites. A white-on-white palette makes concessions to a tripod lamp here, an artful piece of blonde-wood furniture there, but mostly the space itself remains serenely untouched. There are, of course, the benchmarks of contemporary tech — flatscreens, iPad controls, complimentary wi-fi — but they pale in comparison to the sea views from the terrace, some with jetted tubs. And lest you feel confined, the mystery isn’t broken in the public spaces; whether slurping udon (a Shikoku specialty) in the restaurant or skygazing on your back in the pool, you’ll retain that pristine clarity continuously. If all goes well, you’ll even take it with you when you leave.

How to get there: Setouchi Retreat AONAGI is a 40-minute drive from Matsuyama Airport and a 30-minute drive from Matsuyama Station via JR Shikoku.

Room Count: 7 Rooms

Two-Bedroom Suite with Extra Bed and Ocean View

Two-Bedroom Suite with Extra Bed and Ocean View

1108 ft²/103 m².

Only Club members can view insider rates
Suite with Sofa Bed and Garden View

Suite with Sofa Bed and Garden View

3 Single Beds · 1140 ft²/106 m².

Only Club members can view insider rates
Suite with Sofa Bed and Open-Air Bath Upper Level Floor

Suite with Sofa Bed and Open-Air Bath Upper Level Floor

2 Single Beds · 1140 ft²/106 m².

Only Club members can view insider rates
Suite with Sofa Bed and Open-Air Bath Lower Level Floor

Suite with Sofa Bed and Open-Air Bath Lower Level Floor

2 Single Beds · 1140 ft²/106 m².

Only Club members can view insider rates
Presidential Suite with Extra Bed and Ocean View

Presidential Suite with Extra Bed and Ocean View

2 Double Beds · 1829 ft²/170 m².

Only Club members can view insider rates

Services & Amenities

  • 24 hour front desk
  • Parking
  • Free wi-fi
  • Swimming pool
  • Spa
  • Restaurant
  • Bar
  • Adults only

View All Amenities

Only Club members can view insider rates

Need to Know

Check in: 3:00 PM, Check Out 11:00 AM

WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.
Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).
Pets are not allowed.
Children are not allowed.
Adults stay for ¥8,800 per person per night when using an available extra bed.

Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

794-1 Yanaidanimachi, Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, 790-2641, JPN

© OpenStreetMap contributors

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