Chikuba Shinyotei

You can get a good, full rest here. There’s no daily cleaning for consecutive stays, and checkout is at 11 am, later than the usual 10 am at traditional hotels. The room was spacious and the bathroom new, though I did spot mold on the fridge seal, so the cleaning wasn’t quite thorough. The hotel has been renovated and is run in a modern way while retaining its traditional style. It’s in a quiet spot by the river, which might be hard for first-time visitors to find. Staff provide the essentials, rather than the very warm, hands-on service you might get at other traditional Japanese hotels. You’ll need to read the instructions and work out the room for yourself. It’s a nice place to rest if your standards for cleanliness and service aren’t too high.

Dinner and breakfast were both incredible, especially for such a reasonable price. I had a great night here: the rooms are lovely, and the ryokan’s open-air garden has birds singing in the trees. It’s a bit out of the way, but still walkable from the tram. I’d highly recommend it.

A beautiful ryokan with kind, attentive service. There’s a supermarket nearby, which was handy for picking up snacks and drinks.

If you want a western bed or don’t like an old, worn look, this probably isn’t the place for you. But if you’re after Japanese culture and an authentic experience, I loved it. It’s a small, quaint spot on the Onsen street, among much larger Onsen buildings, with lovely old-fashioned design, wooden panel walls, Tatami floors, and traditional details throughout. There’s free parking on site, and check-in was friendly and efficient. My room was already set up with hot and cold drinking water, tea sets, and Onsen sets. The two Onsen baths switch between men and women in the evening and morning, so you can try both pools. Breakfast at the restaurant was generous and served Japanese Kaiseki style. A lovely place for an Onsen experience.