Shinwaen

The dinner and breakfast were as good as I expected, and clearly made with care. The strawberry milk in the morning was a favorite. I hate giving a middle rating when the food is this good, but the stay itself wasn't as enjoyable. At check-in, the staff's sheet showed two people even though I had booked and paid for three. The room had been set up for two, and the third person's items only came after dinner, with no real explanation. I've stayed at at least 20 ryokans, and had never had that happen before. The path to the hanare rooms looked quite rusty and goes through a parking area. Our room, hirashu, also felt a little old-fashioned. I think its appearance could be maintained better. The staff were generally friendly and willing to help. When I accidentally hurt myself, they quickly got me the medicine I needed. Still, I think the newer staff could use more training. We used the Aso station service to send our luggage to the hotel, and after staff carried it to the room, we noticed small damage on the bottom, probably from stones and sand. I was also surprised that we had to pour our own tea and take our own rice at meals. For the third person, staff handed us the serving but wouldn't come inside to plate it, which didn't seem right for a ryokan of this level.