Family-Friendly Hotels near Izu Animal Kingdom: Zoo Days, Seaside Onsen

When you look for a family hotel near Izu Animal Kingdom (a safari-style zoo on the east coast of the Izu Peninsula), it is easy to feel torn between staying close to the zoo and prioritizing hot springs and the sea. Here, hotels are spread along the coast of East Izu from Inatori through Atagawa to Izu Kogen, which makes it simple to plan days with the animals and evenings relaxing in an onsen (hot spring bath). We list 9 hotels in this area, ranging from traditional ryokan inns to resort hotels with pools.

For families with little ones, one of the biggest questions is how comfortable the room will be. 9 hotels offer Japanese-style or Japanese-Western rooms, and on tatami mat floors it is much easier to keep an eye on a baby who is rolling over or crawling. Izu Atagawa Onsen Hotel Katara Resort & Spa lends baby cots and bed guards and provides formula-ready hot water pots and bottle sterilizing, while Oyado Fugetsumuben has rooms with low beds and tatami-style beds. Being able to choose according to your child's age is one of this area's real strengths.

When it comes to meals, 5 hotels offer toddler menus. Hot spring towns tend to center on multi-course kaiseki dinners designed for adults, so having the hotel prepare food for your kids is a genuine help. Some hotels also let you bring baby food or will warm it for you, which takes a lot of the worry out of mealtimes with an infant.

The experience that feels most like East Izu is bathing with a view of the sea. 8 hotels have rooms with their own bath or open-air bath, and 6 hotels have private family baths, so your family can enjoy the hot springs together without worrying about a crowded shared bath. It is reassuring, too, that some hotels, such as Inatori Ginsuiso at Inatori Onsen, let children still in diapers into the bath, or keep a baby cot in the changing room.

Shizuoka Prefecture also has the Izu, East Izu and Atagawa, Kawazu Seven Waterfalls, and Ito and Izu Kogen areas, and this one stands out for how closely its kid-friendly sights, like the zoo and seaside walks, are grouped together. Using your hotel as a base and mixing in indoor spots for rainy days or seasonal flower outings makes for a relaxed, easygoing family trip.