Family-Friendly Hotels in Shizuoka: Sea, Mountains and Lakes

When families start looking for a place to stay with children in Shizuoka, the sheer number of choices (Izu, Atami, the area around Mt. Fuji, Lake Hamana) often makes the decision harder rather than easier. Even within the same prefecture, a seaside hot spring town, a lakeside resort and an area with mountain views feel completely different and are reached in different ways, so matching the area to your family's destination and mode of transportation is the first step toward a stay that works.

The prefecture covers Izu, Atami, the Fuji Five Lakes and Mt. Fuji area, and Lake Hamana, and each one is enjoyed in its own way. Families who want an open-air bath by the sea and fresh seafood will feel at home in Izu or Atami; if you are after sweeping views of Mt. Fuji, look around the Fuji Five Lakes; and if you would rather slow down by the water, Lake Hamana is the choice. Given how far small children can comfortably travel, planning around a hotel close to your main destination makes the whole itinerary easier to build.

As for facilities, of the 87 hotels listed here, 70 have Japanese-style or Japanese-Western rooms, a favorite among families who want tatami-mat floors for crawling and naps. 46 hotels offer rooms with a private open-air or in-room bath, and 36 have a reservable private bath, 19 of them free of charge, which helps when you want the hot spring to yourselves without worrying about other guests. At mealtimes, 39 hotels serve a toddler menu, 28 can serve meals in your room, 34 can accommodate food allergies, and 17 provide baby food.

If you are traveling with a baby, it also helps to know that 19 hotels let you bathe your child in a baby bath and 27 have simple hot spring water, the type considered gentle on a baby's skin. With older children, 20 hotels have a kids' room, and if you are planning a longer stay or want to cook for yourselves, 17 come with a kitchenette, so you can narrow things down by the style of trip you have in mind. Many of these hotels are easy to reach by Shinkansen (bullet train) or via the Tomei Expressway, which makes it simple to compare dates and the character of each area and find the one that suits your family.