SEKIYA RESORT Bettei Haruki

The food portions were generous, and the menu had creative touches with nice local flavors. Service was friendly and attentive. The shared onsen setup is three private baths that families or couples can book, and there are four rooms at the ryokan, one of which has its own bath, so we never had to wait. Our room was spacious and had the feel of an authentic Japanese home. A winter snowstorm came through while we were there. We could hear the wind buffeting the house all night, but stayed warm and comfortable.

The kaiseki meals were delicious, and the staff were lovely and helpful with everything. They even arranged to ship our bags to the next hotel, something we'd never done before. Our room's private onsen was wonderful, and the water left our skin feeling soft. We had the best experience at Bettei Haruki, and I'd recommend it to anyone after a relaxing, authentic ryokan stay.

The town is beautiful and has a peaceful feel. Our room and the service were definitely five-star, and the onsen rooms were lovely and relaxing. Dinner was decent, though not amazing. There aren't many places to visit in town, but if you're after a quiet escape, this place is worth considering.

For someone staying at a ryokan for the first time, this is probably okay, and it may suit foreign visitors new to the experience. But having stayed at many high-quality ryokans, I found it less satisfying. The food was quite simple compared with a four-star ryokan elsewhere, and the kaiseki felt short on variety and attention to detail.