This new, small boutique luxury property just opened in 2019, so it was fresh, modern and clean. We opted to stay in the area due to its relative proximity to Ise Jingu Grand Shrine - it's a 30 minute drive away; try to stay closer will result in dramatically lower quality of accommodations, and we did not want to make such a big sacrifice. We're glad that we stayed a Kisara Bettei Toki. Everything from the service, in-room Onsen (natural hot springs) baths and food were exemplary, and we wouldn't hesitate to stay here again should circumstances prompt us to travel to the area in the future.
We were very impressed by the service level. From the check-in experience to in-room dining to luggage handling, things were handled with promptness, professionalism and a very warm smile. We could tell that everyone took pride in their work and cared about customer satisfaction. As we were about to depart the property the following day, one of the managers noticed a little bird had sadly wedged itself into the front grill of our vehicle, and immediately grabbed some paper towels and removed the dead bird from the front of our vehicle with zero drama.
Our room ("Gunjo") was front-and-center when it came to views of Ise Bay, including the picturesque Sakatejima Island and Suga Island, and the outdoor open-air Onsen bath in our room's terrace was a great way to spend a relaxing time while enjoying the scenery. We had no complaints with respect to the room - it's not as spacious or smartly laid out as some other top category rooms that we've stayed in, but it's more than functional and comfortable. Several bonus points for all rooms being stand-alone villas (no shared walls), and for having heated floors throughout the room (we love having toasty feet during the dead of Winter!) Small points deducted for not having separate living and bedrooms, and for only having one sink. Also, if you have multiple rollerboards there really is no place to put them (except on the floor) since the closet is not large enough to accommodate them.
One thing to note regarding dining as well as children: Of the 10 total rooms at Toki, guests can be served meals in their room in five of them, with four of the five rooms able to accommodate children (meaning that 6 of the rooms are adults-only, and five groups of guests will be dining in the main restaurant.)
Speaking of dining, the food was terrific. Three of the most famous ingredients in the area (Matsusaka Beef, Abalone and Ise-ebi Spiny Lobster) were on full display during dinner, and they were prepared to perfection. The offerings were quite unique and varied - it's not "just" traditional Kaiseki; Foie Gras with Daikon and Porcini Sauce, as well as a grilled seafood medley (Abalone, Spiny Lobster, Japanese Sea Bream and Oysters) with Sabayon sauce worked very well with the sake pairing that we had. All in all, we were very satisfied with the food and beverage offering.
Because we wanted to hit Ise Jingu Grand Shrine at the crack of dawn, we opted to skip breakfast. As a kind gesture for not being able to serve us (the earliest breakfast start time at Toki is 8AM), they shipped a nice package of sundried Ise-ebi Spiny Lobster to our home. We appreciated them going the extra mile, and it shows that they truly care about their customers.
In summary, while we wouldn't rank Kisara Bettei Toki with the very best luxury ryokans in the country, it was very, very solid. Good in-room Onsen, Omotenashi service and tasty food added up to a memorable experience for us.
