SAKURA River Side Stay Gero Onsen - Hostel

The location is handy, near the station and Lawsons. If your room faces the river, the view is great. There's a public onsen on the first floor, plus several private baths you can reserve when you check in. The dinner ticket they give you at check-in is for the restaurant next door, connected to the hotel on the third floor.

The owner was incredibly considerate. We'd booked a plan without dinner, and she asked where we planned to eat. When she heard, she offered to reserve us a seat. The restaurant turned out to be fully booked, so that really helped. At breakfast, she told us heavy snow had canceled the train leaving Gero, and offered to book tickets for us. There was a long line to buy bus tickets when we got to the station, too. Without her help, we wouldn't have managed dinner or getting out of Gero. Breakfast at the hotel was delicious, and the public bath looks directly out over the river. The water comes straight from the spring, and my skin felt so smooth afterward. We'll definitely visit again.

The female dorm is on the 6th floor, but the elevator only goes up to the 5th, so there's still stairs to climb. The electric lock at the dorm entrance is loud, and the one on the room door keeps making noise whenever someone enters or leaves. It's especially annoying when you're trying to relax in the nearby lounge. Food isn't allowed in the dorm, only in the 3rd-floor lounge, where the WiFi is unstable. There's no trash bin there either, so after eating you have to carry non-recyclable rubbish back up to the 6th floor.

The hotel is owned by a German/Japanese couple, and the new owners and staff made me feel welcome right away. English and Japanese speakers should both find it suitable. It's about a 10-15 minute walk from the local station, though the train schedule is worth checking. I stayed five days in a clean river-view room with two large twin beds, a window lounge that can be closed off, a simple sink, and a toilet. There was no shower or bathroom in the room, so body washing meant using the onsen baths on the two lower floors. The sheets, towels, and yukata were refreshed daily. They also supplied a bath pack with a towel and toothbrush set, and reception had razors and hairbrushes. The onsen is bath-style and comfortable for one person to relax in. The larger room was being repaired after damage. The bath overlooking the river was comfortable, and its temperature could be kept up with hot water. For now, you can use one bath a day, not morning and evening as I'd prefer, but you can book an onsen for a whole day. The attached German restaurant serves freshly cooked, delicious food. I could eat it over and over. Try all three spareribs meals and the chops. Breakfast came with a fried egg, bacon, tomato, bread, toast, salad, soup, and juice. I enjoyed it a lot. After a few days the chef switched the egg to an omelette, but I asked for the egg and bacon option again because I like it more. The beer is German, and I absolutely recommend the 3.5-litre glass option. I drank more than one, which surprised a lot of the guests there. Parking is free just up the road. Talk with the owners, too, as they can suggest places to see in town or around the area by train or car.