AMANEK Beppu YULA-RE

A great hotel in Beppu. The room was comfortable and spacious, and there are plenty of shops and restaurants within walking distance. My kids loved picking their own yukata and going to the onsen. The rooftop pool and public bath are amazing, and it’s a tattoo-friendly onsen, which is a big plus.

The location is hard to beat, about five minutes on foot from the train station, bus stop, and a nearby Lawson convenience store. You could spend the whole day here, though the pool and onsen close for cleaning from 10am to 3pm. I didn’t try breakfast or the evening drinks, but the dining area looked spacious and comfortable. I booked mainly for the gym. It’s just one simple room, but it’s spacious and equipped well enough, with a treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, weight machine, yoga mats, and dumbbells. The rooftop pool area is stunning, with a heated pool, cold plunge, and hot tub. I went at 9a, right before cleaning, and it felt serene. The onsen got a bit crowded in the evenings, with a few kids, but I still had a good experience. The hotel is clean, modern, and thoughtfully laid out. Staff were professional and helped me make a reservation over the phone. It clearly caters to Western travelers. I liked the extras too, a yukata and belt for the stay, plus a jelly-style bag to carry to the pool and onsen. This hotel was a highlight of my time in Beppu, and I’d recommend it for its comfort, convenience, and style.

The rooms were clean and roomy enough, and you can borrow from a range of yukatas in the lobby. There’s a rooftop pool and sauna, and the onsen has a great view of Beppu. Would recommend!

The rooftop pool was 30.5 celcius when I visited at night, and it was empty after 7pm. You get there by taking the stairs from the men’s and women’s public bath area. The men’s section has a sauna and cold pool. Swimsuits can be rented for ¥500 for men and ¥1000 for women. The open-air bath and indoor bath both had limestone and stains in the pool, which was the one downside for us. The hotel and facilities were great, and the staff were friendly and approachable. Check-in was quick even with a queue, and the room was quite large for the price. I liked being able to choose the color of my yuta and belt. There was free-flow coffee and soft drinks, including Oolong tea, apple juice, and orange juice, or you could pay ¥1000 extra for free-flow alcohol. Parking was at Tsurumi multiple storey carpark for ¥600 per night. For multiple nights, ask staff to process the parking ticket. You pay at checkout. We’ll definitely be back soon.