Best hotels in The Okinawa Islands

Right at the southernmost tip of Japan, where the country meets the azure waters of the East China Sea, is the sleepy Ryukyu Archipelago. The main island, Okinawa, is a blue zone known for its incredible quality of life, and it's a theme that runs throughout every stay at HOSHINOYA. After a scenic journey through fields of sugarcane and chrysanthemums, you'll arrive at the sanctuary and its lush gardens of cherry and papaya trees and colourful bougainvillaea. Step inside the high white walls, inspired by ancient Japanese castles, and discover sensational sea views around every corner — the perfect setting for a journey of discovery.

40 minutes by high-speed boat from Naha, Tokashiki Island barely registers on most Japan itineraries, which is rather the point. Kerama Terrace sits in the fishing hamlet of Aharen, a two-minute stroll from a beach so clear the locals gave the water its own name: Kerama Blue. Behind a Bali-inflected lobby (dark timber, palm shadows, low lighting), just seven adults-only rooms mean you'll recognise every other guest by breakfast. Founded by a former dive instructor, the hotel still arranges its own diving and snorkelling trips, sea turtles a near-certainty and, come winter, a fair shot at humpback whales offshore. This isn't Okinawa's resort strip. It's something smaller, and far better for it.

Miyako-jima sits at the southern edge of Japan's Okinawa Prefecture, a low, sugarcane-covered island ringed by water so clear that locals simply call it Miyako Blue. Rosewood's first Japanese outpost occupies a private peninsula here, its concrete villas (designed by Dutch architect Piet Boon) built from limestone quarried from the very shore they overlook. One beach faces sunrise, another (a short stroll away) catches the sunset, and between them sit four restaurants, an infinity pool split neatly between grown-ups and children, and a spa scented with shikuwasa citrus. Barefoot luxury, with a five-year masterplan behind every stone path.

10 minutes by ferry from Ishigaki, Taketomi Island sits in Okinawa's Yaeyama archipelago and is home to just 400 people, a handful of red-roofed hamlets, and now a fourth village built specifically to match the others. HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island had to follow the same building code as its neighbours: Ryukyu limestone walls, coral-sand paths, terracotta roofs guarded by squat little shisa lions. Inside, though, it's all soft linens, deep soaking tubs and a 46-metre pool shaded by banyan trees. Chef Tatsuo Nakasu cooks Okinawan seafood through a French lens, and after dark, the island's Dark Sky status means the stars do most of the talking. Slow travel, done properly.

On the west coast of Okinawa's Main Island, where the East China Sea shows off its best turquoise, this is the first Halekulani to open beyond Hawaii (the Waikiki original has been going since 1917). It runs along a mile of coastline inside the Okinawa Kaigan Quasi-National Park, a short hop from the sea-cliff drama of Cape Manzamo. The look is pale and calm, all 'seven shades of white' chosen to throw the blues and greens outside into clarity. Everything carries a noted polish, plus a genuine longevity story: Onna sits in one of the world's original Blue Zones. Aloha, Ryukyu-style.

Kumejima sits a lonely 90 kilometres west of Okinawa's Main Island, reachable by a short hop from Naha or a slower ferry that gives you time to properly check out. Cypress Resort bows in a long curve along Ohara Shinri Beach, so every room, and the infinity pool out front, faces nothing but sea, coral reef and the odd propeller plane taking off from the airstrip next door. Days here revolve around boat trips out to Hatenohama, the seven-kilometre sandbar locals call the most beautiful stretch of water in the East, and evenings on a barbecue terrace with the sunset for company. Kumejima doesn't try hard. It doesn't need to.

Irabu Island sits at the western edge of Okinawa's Miyako group, reached via a 3,540-metre bridge that arcs over water so clear the locals christened it 'Irabu Blue'. IRAPH SUI, a Luxury Collection Hotel, occupies a coveted stretch of coast, each room facing the sea and several with their own plunge pool. Days unfold around an infinity pool that appears to spill straight into the ocean, a spa drawing on Miyako sea salt and sun, and a French restaurant turning local wagyu and reef fish into something rather special. Sunsets here are dreamy beyond belief – you won't want to miss one.

Ishigaki sits at the southern tip of Japan, where the Yaeyama Islands trail off towards Taiwan and coral reefs turn the sea into something closer to stained glass. On a forested cliff at the island's less-crowded northern end, JUSANDI is a five-villa retreat named after yusandi, the local word for sunset, and it takes watching that sunset seriously. Architect Norihiko Dan built the place in whitewashed curves that somehow don't look out of place against the palms and Ryukyu limestone. A three-minute walk through the forest delivers you to a blue cave that feels more like a secret than a tourist stop. It's become something of a honeymoon institution here, for good reason.

Okinawa's southern tip, where sugarcane fields give way to cliffs and open ocean, is mythological territory. This is where the Ryukyu creation god is said to have first set foot on Kudaka Island, visible from the point Hyakuna Garan occupies. The entire hotel is angled towards a 220-degree view that catches sunrise and sunset without you changing position. Ryukyu limestone walls and a coral-red roof recall the temples that inspired the design, while a seven-metre stone Buddha, carved from a single boulder, watches over the corridors. Breakfast and dinner are a delight – and definitely bring an appetite for tofuyo and awamori.

Kume Island lies around 100km west of Okinawa's Main Island, reached by a 35-minute flight or a slower, scenic ferry from Naha. Locals call it Kuminoshima, "the most beautiful island in the Ryukyus". It's easy to see why once you're footsteps from Eef Beach, which is exactly where this sprawling, three-building resort sits. Expect a lawn-fringed pool, tennis courts, a games room and the unhurried comings and goings of marathon runners and returning divers rather than any design flourishes. This is a solid, functional base for the island's real draw: boat trips to the seven-kilometre Hatenohama sandbar, hands-on silk-weaving workshops and diving among manta rays.

Nestled at the southernmost point of Japan’s Okinawa region, ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort is a haven of natural beauty. Boasting endless horizons of azure water, the luxury resort offers direct access to Maesato Beach, while indoor and outdoor pools mean you can swim all year round. The restaurants serve delicious Japanese and global dishes, and the spacious Maesato Ballroom is ideal for conferences and banquets.

Head north from Naha and Okinawa's usual postcard beaches give way to the Yanbaru forest. It's here, wrapped in the fairways of the Kanehide Kise Country Club, that you'll find The Ritz-Carlton. The hotel wraps around three sides of the course, an unusual footprint for a Ritz-Carlton, so nearly every balcony gets a slice of green fairway, blue sea, or often both. Inside, expect handmade ceramics dotted about, low slate-grey furniture, and a spa that disappears into the trees, complete with a coral-tiled steam room. There's Kuroge Wagyu sizzling tableside at dinner, and a restaurant named, rather sweetly, after a rainbow.

Tokashiki Marine Village is a resort accommodation boasting one of the finest locations on Tokashiki Island in the Kerama Islands. Snorkeling and scuba diving, which can be enjoyed all year round, will welcome you with coral reefs and colorful fish that stretch as far as the eye can see. It is also a great chance to encounter sea turtles. In winter, whale watching, where you can see humpback whales up close, is popular. This resort hotel allows you to enjoy Okinawa all year round. Come and visit Tokashiki Island, a paradise just a short distance from Okinawa Main Island.

Hoshino Resorts Iriomote Hotel sits where the jungle simply refuses to stop – 4,850 species crammed onto a UNESCO-listed island, with Tsukigahama Beach as your front garden and the elusive Iriomote cat somewhere out there in the dark. Kayak the mangroves at dawn, chase waterfalls by day, and in June and July, cruise out to watch sagaribana flowers bloom and vanish before sunrise.

No in-room TVs, no toothbrushes left lying about – small, deliberate nods to the wild you came for. Evenings mean stargazing and sparkling wine on the sand. Come for the jungle, not the pool.

Deep in the Yanbaru Forest on Okinawa's mountainous Motobu Peninsula, 11 concrete villas sit scattered across twenty hectares of subtropical woodland, so spread out that other guests barely cross your path. The name comes from the tea once grown here to send to Nakijin Castle, the Ryukyu Kingdom's ruined mountain fortress just up the road (now a UNESCO World Heritage site and famous for growing Japan's earliest cherry blossoms). Inside, raw concrete collides with warm hardwood, and every villa comes with its own pool, a private BBQ at dusk and a bathroom roughly the size of a studio flat. Don't expect to bump into anyone else before breakfast.

Surrounded by a coral reef and pristine national Park, ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort is a luxury beach resort off the coast of Okinawa Island. Experience white sandy beaches and emerald green waters on a refined private beach. Indulge in treatments at the award-winning spa, enjoy flavorful food with local ingredients from the skilled culinary team while enjoying Manzamo sunset views, and slow down your days while you relax and rejuvenate at the tranquil seaside resort.

Choose from nine different room types to suit your travel style and group size. From the moment you wake up in the morning until you fall asleep at night, you can relax and watch the changing colors of Eef Beach from your room. At night, gaze at the starry sky from your balcony.

At EN RESORT Kumejima EEF Beach Hotel you can wake up a little earlier than usual and start your day by watching the sunrise. The sun rising over the horizon gradually gives color and brilliance to the sea in front of you, and just watching the changes is soothing. Feel the sun, feel the sea breeze, feel the island breeze, relax, and just zone out.

The Busena Terrace is a beach resort that offers the ultimate island life vacation. Guests are invited to enjoy a variety of water spots activities that the island has to offer and or to relax on the white sandy beaches. Awaken to the sound of waves, and drift off to sleep with the twinkling of stars. Escape the everyday and enjoy a blissful holiday in a relaxed and luxurious space, where your mind and body can find peace. The eight unique restaurants await you. Enjoy exquisite cuisine crafted from the island's bounty in a charming setting surrounded by nature.

Skip the sand - The Naha Terrace is all about the city. Tucked into Shintoshin, Naha's business and shopping quarter, it's twenty minutes from the airport and built for guests who want Okinawa's capital, not its coastline. Rooms come with oversized windows and proper city views; go Club Floor and you'll have a guest relations officer and butler on call day and night. Three restaurants cover Japanese, Continental and teppanyaki, and the bar plays live jazz every evening (G&T optional). Six conference venues make it a solid pick for work trips too - Adan holds 460 theatre-style. There's a pool and a sauna for unwinding once the day's done. It won't give you turquoise water or powder-white beaches - for that, head to Busena or Uza - but for Naha itself, done well, this is it.

Hotel Collective embraces Okinawa's diverse culture and offers an unprecedentedly luxurious and tranquil space that fosters a natural flow of people and nature in Kokusai Street, a vibrant international area attracting tourists from both Japan and abroad. Furthermore, leveraging its excellent location in the heart of Kokusai Street, the hotel aims to become a new hub for Okinawan tourism and business, as well as an attractive destination for local residents.

Ginoza Village lies halfway up the east coast of Okinawa’s Main Island, and is known for the soothing power of its cobalt blue sea, lush green vegetation, beautiful sunrises, moonlit nights and starry skies. Why not take advantage of a gourmet resort offering the very finest cuisine, accommodation and service, and enjoy a special vacation that will help you forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life and come back to yourself.