Goto Retreat Ray
B · 7.2 / 10right inn, right place
Goto Retreat Ray is the only luxury property on Fukue, the Goto Islands' main island: a fresh new-build with sea-view rooms and an excellent locally sourced kitchen (kue sashimi, kue shabu-shabu and a sauteed kue steak in season, its own take on Goto udon), but no onsen anywhere on site and a rental car as a requirement. Both first-hand stays were pleased, and KI-NRT's advice is still not to go out of your way to stay here unless you have a reason to visit Goto, namely the empty UNESCO churches and a chartered boat to the smaller islands.
Scores
Food 4 / 5
The cooking is excellent and locally sourced, and kue (longtooth grouper) was in season during KI-NRT's two nights: kue sashimi, kue shabu-shabu and a wonderfully prepared sauteed kue steak, plus abalone with a sauce made from its liver and the house take on Goto udon. He picked two nits. The paid upgraded meal adds two extra dishes to each dinner instead of better ingredients, so they were bloated, and the Goto beef was a hard, chewy rump steak.
Bath 2.5 / 5
There is no onsen anywhere on site, because the only spring area on Fukue is elsewhere on the island, so bathing is the heated bath on your room's balcony. KI-NRT called the lack a significant drawback and sorely missed it after the in-room hot springs at Iki Kairi Murakami, though Nagasaki Joe loves the balcony bath.
Service
Nobody in the thread has written about the service here.
Room 4 / 5
The rooms are fresh and new with great sea views, and each has a bath on its balcony, which Nagasaki Joe loves. KI-NRT stayed in the 70m² Deluxe Twin Room with Sea View, the top category, and found it a junior-suite layout not much different from the 58m² Superior Rooms that make up most of the inn: the differences are a vanity with two sinks instead of one and extra lounge chairs and a coffee table, which he judged not entirely necessary.
Place 3.5 / 5
Fukue is remote and low-key, and there is little to do at the hotel itself: the activities it lines up for guests are almost all paid outside excursions, and a rental car is a requirement. The hotel calls itself a retreat, with churchy influences and a meditation room, and Nagasaki Joe found the atmosphere almost monastic. The point of Fukue is its empty UNESCO hidden-Christian churches: KI-NRT drove to Dozaki and took a boat to Egami and Gorin.
Getting there
- Nagasaki — ~2h, 1 transfer (estimated). Jetfoil from Nagasaki port to Fukue (~1.5 hr), then ~10 min car to the inn.
- Fukuoka — ~2h30, 1 transfer (estimated). ORC flight Fukuoka to Goto-Fukue (~40 min) plus airport access, then ~10 min car.
Sources
FlyerTalk review #296 · TripAdvisor 4★ (March 2024) · #132 · #304 · #305 (thread mentions)