🏨 Japan Day 20: Star Gate Hotel Kansai Airport

💡 Tips & Tricks for Days Like This

• Arrive Early and Store Your Luggage: Most hotels let you leave your bags before check-in so you can explore freely.

• Explore the Neighborhood: Use the waiting time to discover the area around your hotel.

• Find a Quiet Spot: Beaches, parks, or cafés are perfect for relaxing with music, a podcast, or journaling.

• Try Something New: Sample drinks or snacks you wouldn't normally choose, you might be pleasantly surprised.

• Write Down Your Memories: A travel journal is invaluable for capturing fresh impressions.

• Ask for a High Floor: Hotels with many floors often provide spectacular views, even from standard rooms.

📍 Location: Rinku Town – Kansai

🧳 Early Arrival and Exploring

Today I headed to Star Gate Hotel Kansai Airport, arriving around 11:00 AM. Check-in wasn't until 3:00 PM, so I dropped off my luggage and started exploring the area. The hotel is incredibly close to the train station, maybe 200 meters away.

🛍 Shopping Mall and Ferris Wheel

I discovered the hotel was just 10 minutes from a large shopping mall full of different stores, food, clothing, tax-free shops, and more. In the middle of the mall stood a giant Ferris wheel and a few small rides for kids.

I treated myself to an iced cocoa with whipped cream and caramel, it was surprisingly good! I sat down at a table to enjoy it before walking toward the beach.

🏖 Marble Beach

Marble Beach was stunning, the entire shore was covered with shiny white stones instead of sand. There were benches before the beach and small viewing points in the wooded area behind it. I sat on a bench, relaxed, listened to music and a podcast, and wrote in my travel journal. I even managed to do a bit of schoolwork.

The day was incredibly hot, so the breeze from the sea was perfect. Sitting there, writing and enjoying the view, I thought: maybe this is exactly what I want, to travel, write, and work at the same time. It doesn't sound like a bad life at all.

🍔 Lunch and Check-In

After spending plenty of time at the beach, I went back to the mall and grabbed lunch at McDonald's. By 3:00 PM, I was ready to check in at the hotel.

🌆 Star Gate Hotel Kansai Airport

The hotel was massive, the biggest I've ever seen. My room was on the 44th floor, and that wasn't even the top! The room was huge, with a breathtaking view, a fridge stocked with water bottles, and everything I could need. The panorama from my window was incredible, you could see both the sea and the city stretching out before you.

🌟 Summary

Overall, this was a calm but wonderful day. I explored a new area, tried an iced cocoa with caramel and whipped cream, relaxed on the beach with music in my ears, and enjoyed writing in my journal. The hotel was enormous and beautiful, offering an amazing view for a very reasonable price. It was the perfect small pause before the next adventure.