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Language: English | 日本語
We have stayed at Renaissance Okinawa Resort in Onna Village twice, with grandparents, parents and children traveling together. In May 2016, there were six of us, including my parents (our son was 2 and our daughter was under 1). In June 2017, there were eight of us, with both sets of grandparents.
After two stays
For our family, it was a great hotel to visit when prices were lower. What bothered us were the summer holiday prices and the effort it took to book activities.
Our stays were before the renovation
Both stays were before the hotel renovated its lobby, restaurants and guest rooms (353 of its 377 rooms).
The work started in October 2019 (the hotel’s announcement, in Japanese) and finished in February 2021 (Kanko Keizai Shimbun, in Japanese). The rooms and lobby are different today.
Check rooms and prices at Renaissance Okinawa Resort
In 2016, we booked a package that included flights. Today you can compare prices on the booking sites below.
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Renaissance Okinawa Resort review: is it really that bad? Our verdict after two stays
No, it was not the worst. The beach, pools, dolphins and turtles were all within the resort. The grandparents could stay nearby and watch their grandchildren play without having to head out on excursions.
| What we liked | What bothered us | |
|---|---|---|
| Beach and pools | Right in front of the hotel. When it got hot, we could go straight back to the room | There are lots of small children, so I think older kids would find it harder to play |
| Activities | You can get close to dolphins and turtles. Grandma joined the dolphin program too | We had to go to the front desk to book. I think that would be a hassle with fewer adults |
| Club Savvy | The lounge was the best. We used it on both stays | A qualifying multi-night stay is required |
| Price | We went in late May, when prices were low | When we checked prices for the summer holidays, the cost was about JPY 150,000 per person |
Six of us in 2016, eight in 2017, both before the renovation
| 2016 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|
| When | 3 nights in May 2016 (then 1 night in Naha) | June 2017 |
| Who | Six (my parents, my wife and me, two kids) | Eight (both sets of grandparents, my wife and me, two kids) |
| Kids | Son aged 2, daughter under 1 (in a stroller) | Son about 3, daughter about 1 |
| What we did | Dolphin program, brushing a tortoise’s shell, the Kumanomi boat, Churaumi Aquarium, Cape Manzamo | Turtle Feeding, Dolphin Classroom, tubing, the Polynesian show, Churaumi Aquarium |
Two twin rooms, with the grandparents in their own room
In 2016 we booked two standard twin rooms: one for my parents and one for the four of us. When we booked, we also asked about the availability of connecting rooms (Flipper’s Connecting).
Booking activities took effort, but grandparents could watch the kids
The difficult part was booking activities. We had to go to the front desk to book, which I think would be a hassle with fewer adults to help.
Who watches the kids while you book
When grandparents come along, they can watch the kids while you make the bookings. That is one advantage of traveling together.
Is Renaissance Okinawa expensive? About JPY 150,000 per person in summer
The summer we gave up after seeing the price
When we checked prices for a summer holiday stay, the cost was about JPY 150,000 per person. We stopped looking as soon as we saw the price.
Our May 2016 quote: JPY 228,100 for flights, 4 nights and a rental car
| Quoted total | JPY 228,100 |
|---|---|
| Travelers | 4 adults, 2 small children |
| Included | Round-trip flights between Haneda (Tokyo) and Naha, 3 nights at Renaissance Okinawa Resort (two twin rooms), 1 night at a hotel in Naha, a rental car |
| Dates | May 2016 (4 nights, 5 days) |
Quoted amount; final payment unknown
JPY 228,100 was the quote we received when we booked. We do not know the final amount we paid.
Traveling when prices are lower: before the kids start elementary school
We could go in late May because my wife was on parental leave. Even when both parents work, only one of you (in our case, me) has to take time off if the other is on parental leave.
While the kids were in daycare or kindergarten, it was also easier to take time away. For us, this was a hotel to visit outside the summer holidays, before the kids started elementary school.
In summer we switched to Cebu, Taipei and train trips
Okinawa was expensive during the summer holidays, so we looked for other destinations. We found cheaper options abroad, and in some years we chose Cebu or Taipei.
After my wife’s parental leave ended, we spent our summer holidays traveling by train, for our son who loves trains. We went to Shikoku, rode the Sunrise Izumo sleeper train, took the 36+3 sightseeing train in Kyushu, and traveled around Tohoku.
JR fares for small children
Children from age 1 until they start elementary school ride free, up to two per adult. A child occupying their own reserved seat or sleeper berth needs a child ticket (JR East FAQ, in Japanese).
Compare Renaissance Okinawa prices by date
Change the dates to see how much the summer holidays differ from May and June.
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Renaissance Okinawa dolphin program: grandma joined in too
In 2016 we joined a program run by OMRC (Okinawa Marine Research Center) and touched the dolphins on the hotel grounds. Four of us took part: my wife, our son, my mother and me.
My father waited in the covered area where we had changed, which was also where the turtles were cared for.
The dolphins were on the hotel grounds, so we did not need to drive anywhere.
Dolphin Classroom in 2017
In 2017, one adult and two children from our family joined Dolphin Classroom, a 30-minute session starting at 4 p.m.
Choosing a dolphin program
- Check the current program details, prices and age limits on the official website. We took part in 2016 and 2017
Club Savvy at Renaissance Okinawa: the lounge was the best part
We had Club Savvy benefits on both stays. According to the hotel’s current website, Club Savvy applies to stays of 2 or more consecutive nights, and whether you get Club Savvy Light or Club Savvy depends on the number of nights (official site).
Booking on a travel site
- According to the hotel, travel-agency and online booking offers without “Club Savvy” in their description are not eligible. Check the offer details
The Club Savvy lounge, near the beach and pool entrance
The Savvy lounge was the highlight. It was near the ground-floor entrance leading to the beach and pools, so we made a point of using it as much as possible.
Club Savvy also gave us access to the lunch buffet.
Our handwritten plan for 2017: narrowing seven activities down to two
In 2017, I listed three days’ worth of activity options covered by Savvy on hotel stationery, then chose which ones to do.
What we picked from the 2017 plan
-
Programs we joined
Turtle Feeding
2 p.m., 30 minutes
3 adults (including my mother-in-law) and 2 kidsDolphin Classroom
4 p.m., 30 minutes
1 adult and 2 kids -
Borrowed gear only
Snorkeling
On our own, not on a tour. Gear was free with Savvy -
Skipped
Fish Adventure
Fish Feeding
Turtle snack time
Turtle Swim
The Polynesian show at night
The margin of the plan said “20:30 Polynesian show,” and we watched the show that evening.
Check prices for a multi-night stay
Check the booking offer for “Club Savvy” and read the eligibility conditions.
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Renaissance Okinawa breakfast: we tried every restaurant
At the time, there were about three breakfast venues to choose from, and we tried them all. Some required Savvy access, and Japanese breakfast was also available. We chose options that seemed different from the lunch buffet.
The hotel’s current website lists Irodori’s premium Japanese breakfast and breakfast at Four Seasons as Club Savvy benefits, excluding Club Savvy Light (official site).
Four Seasons: breakfast on a terrace facing the sea
Japanese breakfast at Irodori
Dinner outside the hotel
For dinner, we ate outside the hotel at izakaya (Japanese pubs) and a tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurant. In 2016, we had tonkatsu at a Shimabutaya restaurant near Onna Village (a different branch from the Kumoji restaurant in Naha). That was our first visit, and we have stopped by Shimabutaya every time we visit Okinawa since (where eight of us across three generations ate in Okinawa, in Japanese).
An Okinawa family resort with a baby and a toddler: pool, beach and activities
On our first stay, our son was 2 and our daughter was under 1. My impression is that this hotel is more enjoyable for younger children.
We borrowed a stroller from the hotel
We borrowed a stroller from the hotel for our daughter. We took that stroller to Churaumi Aquarium too.
Pools: indoor slides and children’s pools with a depth of 50 cm
The hotel’s current facilities page lists a waterslide with a height of 5 m and a looping waterslide with a length of 15 m at the indoor pool. Both the indoor and outdoor pools have a children’s pool with a depth of 50 cm (official site).
When the kids get older
With so many small children around, I think older kids might find it harder to enjoy playing in the pools.
The beach: right outside the hotel, with calm water
The resort’s beach was right outside the hotel, and the water was calm. When it got hot, we could go straight back to the room. Grandma went into the sea with us, and Grandpa watched.
Activities: brushing a tortoise’s shell, the Kumanomi boat and tubing
In 2016, we took part in an activity that involved brushing a tortoise’s shell with a toothbrush. According to the hotel’s current website, the tortoises and sea turtles are in the Reef Garden (official site, Japanese page).
The Kumanomi boat
We also rode the hotel’s boat, the Kumanomi. Through the windows in the bottom of the boat we saw coral and fish.
Making a seashell photo frame
We also took part in a seashell photo-frame craft activity.
Banana boat and tubing
In 2016 only my wife and I rode the banana boat. In 2017, once the kids could join us, we went tubing in pairs: me with our daughter, and my wife with our son.
How long to spend at Churaumi Aquarium with a stroller: 7 hours, then 5
We drove from Renaissance Okinawa Resort to Churaumi Aquarium.
| Year | Time of day | Time spent |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. | About 7 hours |
| 2017 | 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. | About 5 hours |
In 2016 we also watched the dolphin show, with the sea as its backdrop.
We went around Churaumi Aquarium with a stroller
In 2016, our daughter was under 1, and we took her around in the stroller borrowed from the hotel. In 2017, we also had a meal at a table facing the large tank.
Sunset at Cape Manzamo
In 2016 we also watched the sunset at Cape Manzamo. When we went to Okinawa in 2025, rain was forecast, so we skipped Manzamo (our 2025 5-night, 6-day trip, in Japanese).
Summary: worth it if you can go off-season
After two stays at Renaissance Okinawa Resort with three generations
- A great hotel to visit when prices are lower. For us, that meant going outside the summer holidays, before the kids started elementary school
- We could enjoy the beach, pools, dolphins and turtles within the resort, with the grandparents watching nearby
- The Club Savvy lounge was the highlight. Access is subject to the conditions for your multi-night stay
- When we checked prices for the summer holidays, the cost was about JPY 150,000 per person. We had to go to the front desk to book activities, so having more adults made it easier
Other places we have stayed with three generations are in our guide to destinations and rooms for three-generation trips (in Japanese). In Okinawa we have also written about the suite with a private pool at Lequ Okinawa Chatan and Hotel AlaCOOJU Okinawa compared with Hyatt Regency Naha.
Check rooms and prices at Renaissance Okinawa Resort
You can also compare dates outside the summer holidays.
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