Aso Plaza Hotel

The staff were attentive, and there are numerous Japanese art collections throughout the building. I chose the rich breakfast buffet, though other meal plans are available. There are two magnificent Onsen, one on the roof with a stunning view of the volcanoes. Choose a spacious Japanese room. A classy hotel, highly recommended.

We were very happy with our stay, and the mountain views from the room were awesome. Remember to peek out the window at night to see the beautiful stars. The hotel was considerate about arranging a separate dining hall for groups at dinner, since they tend to be noisy. Breakfast is served 7-9am and is a good mix of Japanese and Western food. Must drink Aso milk. Dinner is a very sumptuous Kaiseki, actually way too much. I hope they cut it down by half to save guests some cost. Dinner times start at 6pm, with 7.30pm the last slot. The onsen is usually empty before dinner, so that's a good time to bathe. Walk up from the lobby to the second level. There's a small outdoor onsen as well, though the water isn't as warm as indoors. It was still a nice experience. We didn't visit the rooftop open-air onsen because there's no bath area up there. You need to bathe on the second level, then take the lift outside the onsen entrance to the seventh floor. Our room was Japanese style and had a dressing table, fridge, and charging points by the balcony. We stayed four nights and chose not to have the room cleaned. It stayed tidy, clean, and quiet, and fresh towels were hung at the door daily. Toiletries can be collected at the lobby if you want to bathe in your room. I strongly suggest using the onsen instead, as the space is much wider and Pola toiletries are all provided there, including face wash, lotion, and moisturiser. Bring your large towel from the room, since only small ones are provided at the onsen. Yutakas in different sizes can be collected on each level. The bus from Kumamoto stops at this property. There are two daily shuttles to Aso Station, at 8.20/9.30am. For the return trip, you can ask staff at the Tourist Desk to call hotel transport or use the public phone booth.

The town around here is lovely, and the hotel has the best vibes. It's chill, the food is excellent, and the onsen is good. Get dinner and breakfast, both are very good. There's very good artwork in the hotel, too. For a better view, try to get a room facing away from the street. I loved this place.

Pretty decent for the view and the experience. If you're looking for a traditional-style hot spring in a good location, this is an amazing place to visit.