Benton Guesthouse (ベントン ゲストハウス) Reviews

Mark 2026.04.05

     

Verified

Dani’s renovated guesthouse is wonderful! We loved having the choice between a Western bed and a Japanese-style bedding, and there was plenty of space for us. The location is great — on a quiet street, just a short walk from a grocery store and a couple of restaurants.We were bikepacking around Japan, and Dani was an outstanding host. She provided a helpful list of nearby restaurants with details about each one and even assisted us with making bookings. She also kindly offered us an early check-in when she heard we were cycling in heavy rain that day.I highly recommend this place, whether you’re cycling through the area or traveling with family. We couldn’t have asked for a better stay!

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Johanna 2026.04.03

10

Verified

Excepcional ☺ Das wunderbare japanische Haus liegt sehr ruhig und ist mit viel Liebe zum Detail renoviert. Die Küche ist perfekt ausgestattet. Man kann wählen zwischen westlichen Betten und Futons. Die Gastgeber sind sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit. Schade, dass wir nur eine Nacht da waren.

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Thomas 2026.03.31

10

Verified

Excepcional

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Ben 2026.03.25

     

Verified

Beautiful stay, in a very lovely home. with some cool vintage items

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Lucie Vallée 2026.03.24

     

La maison est parfaitement rénovée et garde tout son charme, nous avons adoré ce petit retour dans le passé ! Dani a été très accueillante et nous a aidé à réserver chez Tamayo-san pour un délicieux repas après une longue journée de vélo. Nous aurions aimé rester plus longtemps !

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Denni 2026.03.23

     

Verified

An absolutely gorgeous home, perfectly situated half way through the Shimanami Kaido. There are many notes around the house about its history, and it's decor which is a beautiful touch, making it feel like a really cosy home. The tatami living area with the kotatsu and Famicom is such a great space to relax after a big day.Dani was incredibly helpful, booking our dinner for the night on Omishima and giving us plenty helpful tips for our trip. There are great amenities available, beautiful Imabari towels for bathing, and some cup noodles and drinks to buy.Definitely the highlight of our trip!

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Erika 2026.03.22

10

Verified

Excellent traditional guesthouse This is a very lovely guesthouse around the halfway point along the Shimanami Kaido, which makes it perfect for those who want to extend their trip along the islands. It’s a very spacious traditional Japanese house with a kotatsu, pink themed kitchen, retro decor and both western and Japanese tatami style bedrooms. Dani, the host, was very helpful for showing us around the place and getting us a reservation at a delicious local restaurant.

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Aidan 2026.03.22

10

Verified

Exceptional

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Nick 2026.03.22

10

Verified

Exceptional

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Ginette 2026.03.19

10

Verified

Excepcional ☺ La maison est parfaitement rénovée et garde tout son charme, nous avons adoré ce petit retour dans le passé ! Dani a été très accueillante et nous a aidé à réserver chez Tamayo-san pour un délicieux repas après une longue journée de vélo. Nous aurions aimé rester plus longtemps ! ☹ Rien, tout était parfait.

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Tim 2026.03.11

     

Verified

Dani was a very gracious host and gave great reccs of restaurants in the area. She even made us a dinner reservation which was much appreciated. Additionally, the house is very big and spacious, and we enjoyed our time in it. We wish we could have stayed longer; the house and island were beautiful!

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Mari 2026.03.11

10

Verified

素晴らしい！ ☺ 身内の不幸ごとで帰省した際に、宿泊させていただきました。ホストからの温かい心遣いのメッセージとハーブティーやフルーツに、ほっとする時間を持つことができ感謝しています。ありがとうございました。

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Bhuvan 2026.02.18

10

Verified

Exceptional

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Japan Sidequest 2026.01.27

     

We stayed at Benton Guesthouse for two nights in January 2026. We were cycling the Shimanami and wanted to stay someplace about halfway through to rest for a couple days and explore a tiny bit. Couldn't have made a better decision! Dani and Evan are great hosts, very easy to see how they work together. I've lived in a traditional Japanese house for almost a year now, and we were pretty well-prepared for some of the eccentricities involved. But I'm happy to report that the Benton Guesthouse is well-equipped for any season, probably more so than my own house LOL. If you're considering a stay in the area, book early! Highlights: - Famicom in the tatami mat living room - Artifacts from all over the Shimanami/Shikoku, felt like a museum sometimes - Pre-lined futon made setting up beds a breeze

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Alyssa 2026.01.27

10

Verified

优异的 ☺ We had an amazing stay at this guesthouse and can’t recommend it enough. The hosts were incredibly responsive to all of our messages and truly went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of. When my friends and I got a flat tire on one of our bikes late at night, they came to our rescue and picked us up without hesitation. Something we’ll never forget. They were also kind enough to help us secure restaurant reservations during the New Year when so many places were closed, which made our trip even more special. The guesthouse itself was beautiful, spacious, and very well equipped with everything we needed. We especially loved the fun facts posted around the house about their renovation process it added such a unique and personal touch to the experience. And don’t miss out on trying their honey it’s absolutely delicious. Highly recommend staying here if you’re looking for comfort, hospitality, and truly exceptional hosts!

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Wiz 2026.01.26

10

Verified

友善又細膩的服務，高度尊重保留原本老房子的樣貌精神，非常值得推薦～ ☺ 入住前提醒不少注意事項，有完善的廚房可以自己料理，也有洗衣機～島波海道騎行途中很棒的休息點！ ☹ 冬天的廁所有點冷～其他都非常好，值得推薦！

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Michiyo 2026.01.25

     

Verified

I knew Dani since when she was still in Mexico. I followed from the beginning how an abandoned house became a beautiful Airbnb in Omishima. I wanted to see Dani and Evan, and the house with own my eyes. It has 3 bedrooms and was set for 1 group (up to 10) to book. I was visiting my family in Japan, so I invited a few people, 5 of us all together. There are very detailed instructions in English which makes it easy for non Japanese speakers. Dani’s love and care is everywhere in the house. Lots of beer mugs in the freezer (great for cyclists), small portable heaters here and there (winter time is very cold), everything labeled on the shelves/drawers. We had a great dinner@Gagaku which Dani booked for us. The set menu was a good size, fresh and very reasonable price. We really enjoyed a quality meal, and went to onsen (walking distance from Gagaku) afterwards. For non Japanese travelers, you can enjoy retro style house, for old Japanese, the house, items bring back our old days. Thanks.

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Graham 2026.01.21

     

Verified

Dani is an effervescent, friendly, and affable host. Her restaurant recommendations were spot on, and we loved the location; felt like it was a 10-minute bike ride from the Tatara Bridge. If you're cycling the Shimanami, or just need a countryside retreat for a couple days, I'd strongly recommend it!

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Yuan 2026.01.20

10

Verified

A memorable stay at charming, restored Japanese house ☺ This was by far the most memorable lodging during our trip. We only stayed one night but could already see that Dani and Evan have poured their hearts into the restoration, while preserving the charm and memories of the original home. Be sure to checkout their youtube as well! We especially enjoyed sitting around the kotatsu and playing Mario on the Famicom. Not to be missed if you're coming to Ōmishima! We also thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at the nearby Tamiya and chatting with the owner Tamiyo-san. Thank you Dani and Evan! ☹ Nothing. Be prepared to travel back in time to a traditional Japanese house (with great wifi!)

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Takeshi 2026.01.19

8

Verified

古民家の再生ストーリーに感動！もう一度泊まりたい&会いたくなる素敵なオーナーさん ☺ 玄関入ってすぐの土間には、日本の文化を感じられる色々な商品が並んでいて、それから部屋に入る。日本の古き良き古民家がそのままに、でも使い勝手が良いようにテーブルやキッチン、色々な調理器具、携帯充電器、暖房器具他、現代の生活に必要な物は全て揃えられていた。 オーナーご夫妻の宿の説明やゲストハウスを作った過程や宿のおすすめの点、こちらの質問にも優しく的確に答えてくださる姿勢、どれも素晴らしかった。 また宿に泊まりに来たいなぁ、もう一度お会いしたいなぁ！と思うきさくで素敵なオーナーさん。 そして細部までゲストのことを考えて配置されているんだなぁと感じる家具やインテリア、泊まる際に必要な物品、心遣いが感じられた。古民家は少しだけ所々寒かったけれど(暖房器具をフル活用すれば全く寒くないし、寝具もとても温かった)、心はそれ以上にとても温かい気持ちになれた。 ☹ お風呂、トイレ、脱衣所の電気がもう少し明るいと良かったかなと思う。現代の生活に慣れている私達日本人にとっては少し物足りなく感じた。 近くの飲食店が予約でいっぱいで、チェックインも夜遅くなったので、スーパーで惣菜を買ってきた。電子レンジが無かったので温めは鍋やフライパンで行った。私は普段から電子レンジを使わないので問題なかったが、日本人は特に日頃から電子レンジに頼った生活をしている人もいるので、あってもいいのかなと思った。 (外国の方は普段使わないのかな？)

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