Hotel Ukai

I love the Showa-era atmosphere, so even though this was an old hotel or ryokan, it was just right for me. The bath was lukewarm, which meant I could relax in it for as long as I wanted. The food was delicious too, with plenty of home-grown vegetables. That made my body happy.

We got rid of a large insect near the toilet by borrowing insecticide from the front desk. One of the small windows in our room had no curtain. It faced west and had frosted glass, but the room still wasn't completely dark at dawn. We also got to see the cormorants kept at the hotel. The food was delicious and had lots of vegetables, and we had private rooms for both breakfast and dinner.

The portions at dinner were amazing for a reasonably priced stay. They clearly care about the wild vegetables, produce, and fish they use. The seasonal udo was incredibly tasty, and the sweetfish with roe were a hit too. The bath is kept at around 40 degrees, so you can stay in for a long time, and it's fine for children as well. There's a convenience store right across the street. It's a little way from the hot spring town, but I liked the place.

The staff were all very friendly, and I had a really pleasant stay. Thank you for your help. I got a great deal with Nationwide Travel Support and PayPay point rebates, and was very satisfied with the value at that price. At the regular room rate, though, I felt the value was a bit lacking. I expected an old hotel after reading other reviews, but in person it was about two levels older than I had pictured (^_^;). It was reasonably well maintained, so it didn't bother me too much. The food was satisfying in both taste and quantity. We ate in a private room, seated in chairs, which is a relief if sitting directly on tatami is difficult. The bath used hot spring water and was pleasantly warm. The construction was neither particularly good nor bad. What did bother me was the floating bugs and debris in the open-air bath. It seems they run with limited staff, so with a net or bucket you could scoop it out yourself. They only provided towels and toothbrushes, so be aware that combs and razors aren't supplied. The weather was bad that day, so we couldn't get a close look, but it seems they keep cormorants and grow vegetables behind the hotel. The food is apparently home-grown, and I wondered whether they use produce grown on site.