guntû

A little blue crab native to the Setouchi Region gave this floating hotel its name, with the hope it would also become a ‘subtle delight of the Inland Sea’. A delight it certainly is, but subtle gets tricky when you’re the talk of the cruise scene. Guntû’s sailing routes take in all sorts of directions, making time onboard as varied and culturally-rich as possible with plenty of opportunities to explore off the beaten track – like the islands of Hakatajima and Shodoshima. Time onboard is enriching too; the dining deck consists of an intimate sushi bar and a restaurant specialising in personalised dishes based on guests’ favourite ingredients and cooking methods. Then there’s the crowning glory – the onsen-style spa – complete with communal hinoki cypress bathtubs and saunas.  

Where ‘subtle’ does excel is in the design. Created by renowned architect Yasushi Horibe, its sleek silver hull reflects the sea, blending seamlessly to the point of near invisibility as it cruises on the glassy water. Inside, Japanese simplicity is master, as it would be in a traditional hillside Ryokan. Roomy Alderwood-panelled cabins each come with their own baths in varying levels of outdoorsiness (some are encased in glass, others are completely open-air), and panoramic windows ensure optimum views. The only area that differs from its warm-wooded brethren is the lobby; a statement in stark white with a central spiral staircase to ascend – this is the portal that takes guests from the real world into their own sea-fairing sanctuary.