View Hotel Heisei

Set high on the hill, the hotel had a wonderful view, 190。 It's a classic Japanese hotel with good service, large rooms, and a private dining area for each family.

The hotel sits on a hill with lovely scenery, and its two different spas were both quite good. I had lunch there and asked for a vegan meal. They said they weren't very used to serving one, but the dishes turned out fantastic. There weren't many guests, and the hotel is so large that the staff seemed stretched trying to keep everything perfect. Even so, the service was better than at similar hotels.

I was there for one business night, and the Japanese-style room had a separate Western-style bedroom. It was quite spacious by Japanese hotel standards, as you'd expect from a resort, and the balcony looked out over an amazing view. After half a day of travel, the outdoor natural rock bath was a great way to unwind. The cool fall air and valley lights made it especially nice. There were two water areas, hot and hotter, plus a dry sauna. I didn't get a chance to try the indoor bath. Breakfast was included and beautifully presented in Japanese style, though that kind of breakfast isn't really my thing. A very nice stay.

The hilltop setting and breathtaking views of the river valley make the small drawbacks easy to overlook. The open-air Rotenburo felt authentic, and both the room service and meals were good. Free WiFi was only available in the lobby, and checkout was early at 10 AM. Everything else was amazing.