Ogawaya

We ended up spending one night in a room with a disappointing mountain view, even though I'd booked a river-view room through Agoda and that's what the booking clearly said. The hotel told me its system only showed mountain-view rooms and there was nothing they could do. They kept saying I had to complain to Agoda because I hadn't booked directly. Their attitude was very unhelpful, and Agoda took a long time to respond, so my family and I had no choice but to stay in the room. The view wasn't what we'd paid for. The facilities are old, and the staff attitude felt unprofessional. Communication was difficult because both staff and managers had limited English. Apart from the location, I don't recommend this hotel and won't choose it again.

We loved our river-view room with a balcony, and the private Onsen overlooking the river was lovely. The hotel is beautiful inside, with a style that feels both modern and traditional, and it's in a great location. Breakfast was AMAZING, Japanese style. The reception was the letdown. My wife and I couldn't book the private Onsen online ahead of time, so we took a few minutes at check-in to work out which bath and time to choose. The woman helping us seemed impatient and impolite, even though other reception staff were free. I couldn't tell where her accent was from, maybe Nepalese. We expected better service, and it was the first time we'd felt treated rudely in Japan. The rest of the staff were very friendly.

For foreigners with full-body tattoos like me, a private bath is the answer. We rented one for 45 minutes with our baby, and my husband had reserved it online in advance. I'm glad we chose the wooden tub. It was a great experience, with good-quality bathing products and everything provided, including towels. The foyer overlooks the river, and we could relax there afterward without feeling rushed. They even had complimentary coffee, tea, and orange juice. I'd visit again!

We booked a one-night package with dinner and breakfast and really enjoyed it. The Kaiseki dinner was good, and the onsen was very clean, though it got somewhat crowded during the day. Finding the parking was tricky, and the spaces were quite narrow for a big car.