From the moment we entered & took off our shoes & put on their slippers, i felt like i was transported into another place. Then into the room with tatami mats & an offer to make up our futon when we were ready. A small private garden was a treat with sneaking views of gums in the distance. A cup... more

Ryokan provides one thing in spades over most Australian accomodation - a different experience. From the moment you enter and are invited to swap your shoes for slippers, you know you're not staying in your average motel. The ryokan building is beautiful and set in large grounds. The main room is spacious and welcoming. Learning about the Ryokan way is... more

My husband and I stayed at Shizuka for a mid-week break, and we both found the ryokan to be quite authentic to the ryokans that we have stayed in Kyoto, with the exception of a modern bathroom (which is a real treat in comparison to the shared bathrooms of a Japanese ryokan!). We had concerns that a ryokan in Australia... more

We had a very tranquil one night stay at the ryokan. The wind chime sounds as you walk up to the ryokan sets the mood. We lounged around in the lobby and read some magazines. It was so peaceful with the Japanese music playing in the background. The stone garden and the flower arrangements were just gorgeous. The tatami mats... more

To be honest, I've been loath to write a review on this gorgeous place because I didn't want it to become impossible to book (there's only 6 rooms) but I realise that's not very fair to the owner or to potential guests... We were here for my birthday weekend, and what a wonderful way to spend a special occasion! The... more

We stayed at Shzuka for 3 beautiful nights and have promised to return. Everything was better than I had imagined. The staff were lovely, and we had fun practising our Japanese with them. No request was too hard. The spa treatments were also delightful and when compared to the major mineral spa complex down the road was quite reasonable in... more