... a six-room hilltop annex called the Oval, which opened in 1995, one of four of the museum’s lodging options. Benesse House: Oval Room is the Way to Go! Naoshima Island is a remarkable repository of modern art housed in the renowned galleries designed by Tadao Ando. Text by Benesse Art Side Naoshima Museum. Show off your favorite photos and videos to the world, securely and privately show content to your friends and family, or blog the photos and videos you take with a cameraphone. I had a boxed dinner in my room as there was a large party booked into the Japanese restaurant. You are surrounded by fantastic art and architecture which is well worth the effort of getting to Naoshima and a 5 star experience. We arrived at 6 pm and it was already dark, but a very nice attendant at the ferry station radioed to the hotel and we were picked up in a jiff. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. The Oval by Tadao Ando I Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum, Japan I Cherry Blossom by Alex Roman . Time Table for Benesse House Courtesy Bus, Benesse House Spa operational hours starting from September, Benesse House SPA Reopening Announcement｜June 20th,2020, Regarding measures taken by Benesse in response to the coronavirus. We had the basic twin room, which in its use of space reminded me of the apartment I had in Sweden many years ago. This building is connected to the main museum and hotel complex by a funicular. The desk was well lit, the dressing table looking glass folded out from the desk top, there was a good sound system if you wanted music; the small bathroom was efficiently planned, ditto separate loo and wash basin, frig (take you own alcohol if you don't want to pay excessive prices from the frig and in any case I did not see a bar, although there was beer in the frig behind the counter in the Lounge at Park) and facilities for making tea and coffee.No television. It took us almost 6 hours door to door from central Tokyo to the Benesse House Hotel. Dinner and breakfast at the museum restaurant are excellent (we chose the Japanese option). This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. The whole concept of the Benesse art and nature site is fantastic and very admirable. The hotels on Naoshima Island with "Benesse" included in their name can be confusing. Benesse House: The Oval - A Mixed Bag. I would have loved to stay more than one night. The Benesse facility consists of four buildings, all designed by Tadao Ando: the  Benesse House Museum, Oval (opened in 1995), Park and … Naoshima Island is a remarkable repository of modern art housed in the renowned galleries designed by Tadao Ando. All Right Reserved. The most deluxe rooms are at the Oval, which is further up the hill behind the museum, and needs a cable car to get to. Benesse House offers guests opportunities to get close to great art and spend a uniquely rewarding time in dialogue with the works and with themselves. The hotel consists of 4 separate lodging buildings, called Oval, Museum, Park and Beach. I've thought very hard about how to rate my stay in the Oval at Benesse House. It had its own balcony with panoramic views of the Seto Inland Sea and in the distance, Takamatsu. Benesse House: The Oval - A Mixed Bag. Explore Naoshima holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. There was nothing wrong with it but again, it was just a bit average. Naoshima Today. Opened at Benesse Art Site Naoshima in 1992, Benesse House is both a museum and a hotel, incorporating guest rooms and space for display of contemporary art. It felt a little rustic as the property is tucked away in the hills of the island. Naoshima is a small fishing island off the southern Japan coast on the Seto Inland Sea, between Honshu and Shikoku, within eyeshot of … English: Benesse House "Oval" of Benesse Art Site Naoshima in Naoshima, Kagawa prefecture, Japan 日本語: ベネッセアートサイト直島 の ベネッセハウス 「 オーバル 」。 所在地は 香川県 直島町 。 The staff were pleasant enough but I was surprised to just be shown to the bottom of the monorail then...I've thought very hard about how to rate my stay in the Oval at Benesse House. The Benesse House consists of four buildings, all designed by Tadao Ando: the Museum, the Oval (opened in 1995), the Park and the Beach (both opened in 2006) on the island of Naoshima. : Benesse House - See 804 traveller reviews, 295 photos, and cheap deals for Benesse House at Tripadvisor. Naoshima is famous for its contemporary art museums as well as outdoor contemporary art installations throughout the island. How to get to Naoshima: Naoshima is easily reached by train & ferry from Hiroshima, Osaka or Kyoto as well as making a nice stop when crossing between the major islands of Shikoku (Takamatsu Port) and the main island of Honshu (Uno Port). Guests benefit from 24 hour access to the Benesse Art Site on Naoshima, otherwise known as ‘Art Island’, and the property is utterly remarkable in every way. Enjoy this two part series of making the Benesse House Oval located in Naoshima, Japan. Oval is connected to the Benesse House Museum by a monorail accessible only to Oval … Benesse House Oval is a small hotel which only has six rooms on Naoshima. I clearly indicated to the driver that I wanted to get on, then took no more than 60 seconds (if that) to turn around and pick up my bag. The Museum, which performs the complex’s principal function of displaying art, is an imposing structure open to the outside world, and visitors can sense the presence of nature even inside the building. Many Ryokan are known for their public baths (typically "Onsen" hot springs) and their traditional cuisine. ABOVE: The Oval area of Benesse Art Museum on Naoshima island. About Naoshima. | As the location of the Benesse Art Site, the island of Naoshima (直島) has become one of the region's biggest tourist attractions, offering a unique opportunity to see some of Japan's best … plus sculpture including pieces by Nicki de St Phalle, the cascade and ornamental pool, then beyond to the Inland Sea. Yes the art is amazing, but for me, the real draw is the architecture and the modern aesthetic feel against the beautiful natural setting of the inland sea. The Oval at Benesse House on Naoshima: Creative Supreme NYC / Shutterstock.com The art and architecture of Naoshima tends toward the modern and the … Day 1: Naoshima. Staying in the Oval was an expensive treat for me and I was disappointed to find the place a little bit shabby...damage to the rooms external doors has been patched up with mismatched paint, the bathroom door in my room (402) had a loose handle and a lot of scuff marks and the bathroom sink was badly cracked and in need of replacement. We stayed in the room to the far left. The standout is the breathtaking Oval (see gallery above), with its six rooms built around an oval pond. Also designed by Tadao Ando, this incredible Naoshima hotel sits high on … It's hard not to feel that the hotel side of things relies on guests to be so wowed by the art and architecture that they overlook the shortcomings in the hospitality.To be fair, other reviewers have been more positive about the alternative accommodation options at Benesse House so perhaps it is just the Oval that has seen better days.More. The terrace restaurant enjoys a similar stunning view with excellently sited and trimmed pines. Yes the hotel is expensive, as are the meals and with limited transport options at night you’ll probably be eating at the hotel as we did. Ando-designed Oval hotel on Naoshima Island, by day, with Steve up on the living roof, a stellar experience, live living in your own James Turrell artwork We followed the suggested Benesse House website itinerary for combining art viewing at two nearby islands, but went against the ferry crowd, going to more distant Inujima first, and Teshima second. Explore Naoshima holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. One part of the museum, called the Oval, is an art piece in itself, with only guests able to access it by an exclusive monorail track. The bed was large, very comfortable and with a choice of down etc pillows (no Japanese pillows stuffed with what feel like dried bees); the air con was silent and efficient and easily operated. Bed was comfortable and the sound system was great. So be warned and don't depend on the 'courtesy bus' to get you from A to B.As it turned out, the bus drama was a blessing in disguise because I decided to walk (again) and took a small road across the centre of the island past Naoshima Dam and down into Honmura. Benesse House: Oval at Benesse - See 804 traveler reviews, 295 candid photos, and great deals for Benesse House at Tripadvisor. Benesse House: Oval Room is the Way to Go! It did take a while to get from Miyanoura to the hotel using the free shuttle bus, as we had to wait 25 minutes for a second ferry to arrive before departing. Exploring the wonderful art, architecture and scenery of Naoshima was perfectly augmented by staying at Benesse House - Museum. Naoshima (直島) is an island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.Although the island is much closer to the main Japanese island of Honshu, administratively it belongs to Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku.. Koya-san). All four hotels are within close proximity to each other with the Park and Beach sharing the same restaurant and grounds while the Oval & Museum are about 1/2 mile away and high above the seashore. 24/7 front desk service is not guaranteed for this accommodation type. As Naoshima doesn't like being on people's Instagram, get some inspiration from Ando's philosophy. All was designed by Tadao Ando who also built the “Chichu Museum”. - See 802 traveller reviews, 286 candid photos, and great deals for Naoshima, Japan, at Tripadvisor. Although the island is much closer to the main Japanese island of Honshu, administratively it belongs to Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku. tadao ando alex roman cherry cherry blossom Architecture architector archilovers architectureporn concrete gray art curator curator art art gallery gallery sophie … Staying at Benesse House is one of the best ways to experience the island and be immersed in artwork. A cinematic sequence of the Naoshima Island Oval rendered in the Unreal Engine. I love Japanese food and have been eating nothing else during my travels here. Located in the Seto Island Sea, south of Okayama, Naoshima is popularly known as “an art island.” Its transportation system is well equipped for tourism, and its 20 plus art exhibits and museums take a full day, or more, to fully appreciate. It wasn't, as expected, at the ferry when I arrived so after waiting around in the icy wind, I resorted to getting a local bus part of the way and then walking. The scene was inspired by the short film "The Third & The Seventh". Benesse House, a luxury hotel and refuge of a large collection of contemporary art, was born. When I walked into the car park the bus was already there. 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